It’s wintertime, the time for outdoor gatherings,
BBQs and bonfires, and what’s better than drinking a cup of warm tea, enjoying
good company and wrapping yourself up in a soft cashmere Niftee shawl on a
February night out by the beach?
What’s so special about that shawl?
It’s the fact that it’s a garment that will represent
something very personal about you, since you get to create it yourself.
Niftee offers you a wide range of colors and allows you to
choose what you want embroidered on your shawl, be it a name, special initials,
dates or even a short quote which you really like.
Shawls are not the only personalized products that Niftee
has to offer.
Infact, everything designed under this multidisciplinary brand
which was created by AlJood Lootah , has a certain feel that differentiates it
from others.
Her pieces are simple and modern yet have a very authentic
and traditional Arabesque touch, which is felt through her inspirations, the
concepts that she applies and the use of Arabic calligraphy in her pieces.
What started off as a graduation project at the end of her
Graphic Design program in college has turned into a business that now keeps
AlJoud busy at all hours.
“In senior year, I designed a few t-shirts inspired by the
UAE heritage, and put them on sale online. The concept was new and different than what was offered in the market at that time.“
“I was surprised by the demand; the pieces were sold out in
no time. This encouraged me to continue designing.”
The product line slowly expanded from T-shirts to dresses, scarves, jumpsuits,
iPhone covers and Jewelry items. AlJoud Eventually launched her full Niftee website
in 2007.
“I create a design every now and then apply it on a limited
collection of items that I have as opposed to mass production. “
In 2008, Niftee introduced her famous custom-ordered bespoke
cashmere shawls that directly became one of the most popular items, ordered all
year round.
She then started experimenting with different types of
design and took on a number of corporate projects, which she enjoyed and
decided to continue doing too, beside her personal line.
Ever since, her corporate project portfolio grew and now includes
designs for the Abu Dhabi Art 2011 and 2012, Abu Dhabi Media Summit, Dubai
Culture, Repetto Paris, UAE National Day committee, TEDxDubai and President of
UAE cup series.
What’s impressive is not only the beautiful work created by
Aljoud, but the fact that she does this all on her own, in her free time after working
hours at her full-time job.
Whether it’s running the website, regular social media updates
and interactions, receiving orders, designing art work, overseeing production, and
shipping off delicately wrapped personalized packages, AlJoud does it herself,
and does it perfectly.
How does she manage it all?
“I’m very passionate about Niftee, and even though it takes
up all my free time, I love what I do. The key to success is proper time
management. Always plan ahead.”
“ My family and friends are also very supportive. I would often share my ideas and concepts with them and would receive plenty of constructive feedback and suggestions whenever I’m working on a design or project. “ Says AlJoud.
Follow her :
www.niftee.ae
Twitter : @Niftee
Instagram : @Niftee
