Designers Shaikha Noor Al Khalifa and Shaikha Haya Al Khalifa of Noon By Noor unveiled their Fall Winter 2023 collection in a physical presentation at LFW today at London’s Royal College of Physicians (RCP).
“For Fall Winter 2023, we began our dialogue with images from the french Illustrator Francois Berthoud and his book titled ‘Facsimile.’ First commissioned by Anna Piaggi for Conde Nast’s Vanity Fair, his work soon appeared in all leading magazines, including Vogue, Numero and Interview.”
“Beautiful high–impact imagery that blends art, fashion and communication created in tones of black, grey, and browns – this was a starting point.”
“Sometimes we are so busy looking outward that we forget to look inward and this season, we also looked at the things surrounding us growing up. Art, culture and the beauty of our home.”
The new season creative – a catwalk film – was captured on the grounds of RAK Art Foundation in Bahrain, a non-profit art gallery founded by Bahraini artist and collector HE Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa. Originally built in 1930, the converted traditional Bahraini house, where the painter was raised, contains myriad works from international artists and his oeuvre.
Original artwork by Shaikh Rashid titled ‘CUSP’ (2020) set the perfect catwalk backdrop, showing the moment of transition between the sun and the moon, the point where two curves meet. A portrayal of the brand’s love for East meets West. Masculine and feminine, light and shade. The sun and the moon.
“As we developed the 3-dimensional silhouettes on our house model, we took photographs both in the studio and outdoors. Clothes move and are lived in, so we always want to see the collection on the body.”
A depiction of elongated shadows created under the Bahraini sunshine, the new season collection begins with a silhouette for Fall Winter 2023 that is long, lean, and chic – where skirts and coats graze the floor.
Working with a contrast of dense, opaque cloths and light transparencies to create a wardrobe inspired by the core inspiration of “shared” or “borrowed” menswear pieces translated into a reconsidered idea of seasonal wardrobe dressing. Long-lasting pieces that fit within the client’s wardrobe forever.
Column-cut cowl front dresses carry precise cuts and constructions and are as easy to wear as a t-shirt. Classic sailor collars are seen on t-shirt shape shirts or tunics. Lean quilted coats and jackets worn with dresses.
Long, languid looks in bias cuts created from soft melton wools. Jackets are cut with precision and shape, often patched together using tones of noir. Paired back designs reflect a 90’s minimal new york scene combined with an understated element of tradition, craft and avant-garde glamour. The familiar made new.
Founded in Bahrain in 2008 by Designers Shaikha Noor Al Khalifa and Shaikha Haya Al Khalifa – business partners and cousins – Noon By Noor is a womenswear designer label. In 2013, Noon By Noor was recognised as the first GCC-based fashion brand to show at NYFW prior to its shift to LFW.