If you wear your heart on your sleeve then you’ll love Abu Dhabi’s latest clothes shop, which promises a story behind every piece in its collection.
Admit it. You can’t bear to throw out that top that doesn’t fit because you got it for your birthday, on your summer holiday back in 2008 or from that little market stall that isn’t there anymore.
Everyone has an item in their wardrobe that tells a tale, and that’s why each product on sale in Minbart, a new shop selling clothes, artwork and stationery, comes with a story – about the artist who created it, their handicraft, where it was made and the idea that inspired it.
Minbart launched on April 5. The name combines an abbreviated form of the Arabic word ‘minbar’, which means platform, with the English word ‘art’ – apt, as Minbart is a clothes shop by day, art gallery by night, while the products on sale are works of art themselves.
The dual-purpose space is reflected in its design, as the shop has a concrete floor, high ceiling, white chipboard walls and easy-to-move stainless steel rails. Decorations are kept to a minimum: just a handful of plants and eco-friendly lampshades by British designer Tabita Bargh, which are also on sale.
Minbart’s free spirit is reflected in its location, in Al Muneera in Al Raha Beach, as the founder and owner, Alia Al Qassimi, wanted the shop to open out on to the sea instead of being trapped in a mall. Alia says, ‘I wanted to bring a unique concept space to the local community.
Minbart was born from my passion for fashion, creativity and a desire to add something different to the market place. I’d been thinking about opening a shop over the last 10 years, but began bringing it to reality two years ago. Since then we’ve come a long way from what was an empty shell; now our walls are adorned with one-of-a-kind pieces from local, regional and international designers.
‘The concept behind Minbart is to offer creative designers a space to showcase their works. We sell stories, and each brand showcased at the store has its own tale. Gunseli Turkay, for instance, creates designs in collaboration with artists such as Berk Gul to create distinctive digital prints on fabrics.’
The first themed collection is Keep Tribal Simple. Like the collection, and Abu Dhabi itself, the launch celebrated the global community, and was attended by Emirati women from Al Muneera and expats from nearby Khalifa City A. Dance and percussion group Ethnik Beats provided entertainment while a man chopped fresh coconuts for thirsty shoppers.
Alia is passionate about fashion and travel, and on a trip to Bali in 2013 she discovered a local tribe selling handmade shell necklaces. Each one unique, she bought a handful. When she decided to launch Minbart, she drew on her travels for inspiration for the first collection, and based it on her own style. Alia adds, ‘Like me, our target audience is cultured, well-travelled and into design. Therefore our products are hand-picked and not mass-produced.’
Keep Tribal Simple is a collection of work from 30 different local, regional and international designers hand-picked from the UAE, Kuwait, Turkey and Bali, as well as the major fashion hubs of London, Paris, Berlin, New York and Los Angeles.
So if you shop at Minbart, the magical wardrobe in CS Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia won’t be the only wardrobe that tells a story.
Clothes Dhs1,025-4,500; accessories Dhs850-3,500. Daily 10am-10pm. Minbart, Al Muneera, Al Raha Beach, www.minbart.com (02 552 2332).
Top hats and tales
From hats and sunglasses to dresses and shoes, keep an eye out for these designers
Bionda Castana
Created by two half-Italian Londoners – Jennifer Portman and Natalia Barbieri – these footwear designs combine hip London fashion and Italian craftsmanship, so expect woven silk, velvet and lace to sit side by side with buckles and studs.
Linda Farrow
Linda Farrow designs sunglasses in collaboration with two contemporary Arab designers to create fashion-forward sunnies resembling oversized bug eyes. They’re so popular, they’ve already sold out – but they’ll be back.
Gunseli Turkay 
An Istanbul-based designer who works with a digital photographer to create unique prints on high-waisted skirts, fitted dresses and transparent shirts as part of her spring/summer 2014 collection, Brave New World.
No. 3
A Dubai-based design collection only produced in editions of three or multiples of it up to 21 – so you can be sure the pieces remain exclusive. The design collective likes to push boundaries of Emirati style, so look out for its black two-piece wrap dress intended to be worn with a shirt underneath and rolled up sleeves, inspired by the glamorous abaya.
Elsien Gringhuis 
Belgian designer Elsien bases her designs around the theme of sustainability, so much of her collection is made from 100 per cent natural cotton grown on organic farms, raw linen or a hemp and jersey blend. The result? Super soft material that’s kind to your skin.
