Milestone Weekend

When someone tells you they’ve experienced one of their most memorable weekends, you imagine them soaking up the sunshine in some exotic getaway. And most of the time, with some mild variations, that would be the case.

Last weekend I unknowingly walked into what turned out to be one of the most memorable weekends I’ve ever had. Aside from the rays sneaking into a room filled with seven other people I have never met, there was no sunshine involved. But impressively it did to my mind what traveling to somewhere new always does. It is perhaps because to some extent I completely disconnected (I did not take a single picture!) and traveled into a world where it is possible to build your own brand.

Deborah Henning, British designer based in Dubai, managed to put together a hands-on course where you can follow steps to create your own fashion brand.

hearing her very own experience and struggles granted the course the authenticity that is hard to come by in today’s reserved fashion world.

I can list her vast educational and work experience which is pretty cool but it is really her passion that made the difference in the course and her firm believe that if you really want to make something, you have to want it enough to build it from the ground up. And there are steps to do it! It’s not all inspirational talk and theories. She herself managed to build her namesake brand and hearing her very own experience and struggles granted the course the authenticity that is hard to come by in today’s reserved fashion world. And as if all the insights into the business world were not enough, guest speakers Mona Gopal, PR director of international brands and Sai Manzano social media expert and blogger @TheSandGypsy (you really have to check her blog!) gave us their own tips on how things really work.

The two-day workshop is open to any level of experience so I got to meet creative bankers and lawyers, enthusiastic moms, and talented designers, all wanting to make it on their own, and that only added to the beauty of it all.

And why was I there? Some of you might already know that Ginan and I have started building our jewelry brand R I W A Y A @StoriesWorn and being exposed to so much information has already made a big impact. Can’t wait to start applying everything I’ve learned!

I recommend you follow @DeborahHenning to stay informed about any upcoming courses and meanwhile you’ll get to enjoy her amazing Instagram page. Below are some of her designs that you can shop online HERE.