Mariam Nihal

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — LYA LYA bags are a new but fast growing fashionable phenomena within the Middle East.



They are created to make a statement, with strong metallic elements, striking rich colors and trademarked by ingenious designs, which are known to turn heads.



LYA LYA adds a dash of glamor to fashion and mixes the right elements to give you the "must have" bag this season.



Saudi Gazette spoke to the founder and designer, Layla Shugri, in an exclusive interview. "I am a mother of two amazing children. I come from a Lebanese/Russian decent, living in the beautiful cosmopolitan city of Dubai. I have traveled the world and experienced many different jobs until finally I was able to follow my passion and start my own brand LYA LYA where I can express myself freely and do what I love."



Layla said fashion and glamor go hand in hand. "Fashion is a way of expressing and presenting oneself to the world and being glamorous while doing that makes it that more appealing and fabulous."



LYA LYA leather bags, a rage with fashionistas and bloggers around the region, come in bold colors; each studded with fierce metal embellishments and are safely leading the hottest trends this season. "My personal style is having minimalistic garments and so is the case with most of the Arab women in the region, but we take risks and accessorize outfits with bags, shoes and accessories. That’s why to me the bag has to be the main accessory and focal point that takes the outfit to another level. That is the reason why I use metallic elements in my designs as it adds that extra bling to it." Layla designs all pieces her my collection and handpicks the leather, and metal pieces that are all custom made.



Layla aspired to be a fashion designer and always wanted to be a part of the fashion industry. "Somehow, it was just a matter of when for me."



She thought of designing bags because "it is the most intimate and coveted accessory a woman owns."



She said most of the Middle Eastern women tend to dress up more modestly than the rest of the world and choose to accessorize with shoes, bags and other accessories to make a statement. "They let their handbags and accessories standout, my bags are simple and elegant but loud enough and they do draw a lot of attention."



"The Vault" is her favorite piece of the collection. "I believe it will suit any occasion and it will take any outfit to a whole new level, it also adds sophistication, elegance and edginess — all at the same time."



Talking about what complements her bag, she said: "A sleek and elegant outfit is all you need with a statement accessory, less is always more to me and there should always be one main focal point in the outfit."



When asked about how the fashion scene has changed within the Middle East in the last decade, she said: "That’s a great question, it has changed drastically. Before women only wanted to wear high-end international brands and now it is considered trendy and cool to wear local designers, and the market demand is increasing which ultimately and with time will expose the local talent to the world."



LayIa talked about her upcoming collection that allows an extension of her brand. "I am adding many news designs that reflect my aesthetics, I am expanding the brand itself and adding a new line of accessories that are edgy and bold statement pieces."



Since Layla is self-taught, her passion for the industry keeps her motivated and excited throughout the journey. "I believe that if your dreams don’t scare you then they are not big enough, so to me the sky is the limit."



Layla wants to expand her business and is excited to expose her brand LYA LYA to the world. "The cycle of life itself inspired me to follow my dream and start LYA LYA, I believe that balance is the key to personal success. As for the collections I am continuously inspired by architecture, geometrical shapes, bold silhouettes and unusual structures that is apparent in every piece of my collection."



Talking about her favorites this season, she said: "At the moment I cannot get enough of Rihanna’s style, she has definitely became a style icon as she has fun with fashion.



"Her sense of style has become more sophisticated and I just love the way she changes her style and reinvents herself all the time. I would love to see her wearing LYA LYA."



A s for designers, she said she would love to collaborate with upcoming Arab designers. "We have great talent within the region that needs to be more exposed."



LYA LYA handbags will be available online on www.lya-lya.com and are priced from $400 to $1000.



"Starting next month, my customers will be able to order directly online the full handbag range as well as the accessories."



You can find LYA LYA bags across the region. They are available in Dubai at Sauce and Valleydez; in Jeddah at Cream; in Riyadh at Masion Bo M, in Kuwait at Walk in closet and soon in USA and Taiwan.