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COUSINS Farah and Ebtisam Bushehri are proving to be a cut above the rest with their designs for abayas and jalabiyas which continue to win fans throughout Bahrain and the region.
Demand has grown so much for their new lines in clothing that they have expanded their Tiara Abayas shop in Bushehri Gardens in Abu Saiba which they originally opened in 2004.
The new look store was given royal approval with a special ceremony to celebrate the brand's success by Her Highness Shaikha Thajeba bint Hamad Al Khalifa and the event was attended by VIP guests.
Farah said: "Our designs are characterised by their distinctiveness - blending simultaneously between Khaliji traditionalism and modernism, whilst effectively catering to different age groups and tastes.
"We have a special target audience that we cater for ... our designs are suitable for ladies who seek sophistication.
"We design the abayas and jalabiyas ourselves but then do alterations according to each customer's need.
"Although we focus on a traditional style in both lines we tend in some collections to mix designs from other cultures whether it is from Japan, Iran or any other country."
The range of traditional Bahraini jalabiyas are a new venture for the pair who believe the clothing will be in strong demand during the Eid season and are already preparing new collections for weddings and special events.
The offerings of Tiara Abayas have proved particularly successful in regional fashion exhibitions and the cousins have now established branches in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Ebtisam added: "We started with four employees and today have around 20 active workers.
"We bring the material from Saudi Arabia but accessories are bought from different parts of the world."
The cousins, who live in Saar, both wear abayas and said their designs were inspired by daily life.
"We learn from other women's needs, we also travel a lot and learn from other cultures and tastes and since we both wear abayas we always look for something that is comfortable to wear but beautiful on the eye," said Ebtisam.
"With our shop we want to highlight the beauty of our traditional clothes and make other women appreciate our sense of style and elegance."
