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Bahraini Aroudh Mohammed Sultan Al Baker aims to reignite the fashion scene in Muharraq with her collection of chic silhouettes and high-quality attire.
Situated along one of the city’s many narrow and cluttered streets is Vista, a year-old fresh and modern boutique.
Its clean, white decor leaves room for its collections to truly mesmerise and the friendly sales girls are ready to spring into action offering up advice on what to wear.
This is exactly how Aroudh envisioned it. The 33-year-old mother of four wanted to create a shopping haven for locals and expats and what better place than in her area, Muharraq.
She said: "Honestly, I want to help develop this area. People in Bahrain do not consider Muharraq the same as Manama commercially and I believe that by opening up boutiques such as Vista that can quickly change.
"A few of my friends have also decided to start up businesses on this street to help make it a new shopping destination for women in Bahrain. We want to bring life back into these streets and I want to change people’s image of Muharraq.
"I called it Vista because I wanted to create a comfortable and serene surrounding for my customers. I want all women who enter the boutique to feel relaxed. There is also a place to unwind as you browse the store.
"Women who have come across Vista were surprised to see my shop in this area. They tell me my collection is beautiful and belongs in Seef but what you see here is all me and that includes the area as well."
Staying true to her culture, Aroudh can be found in Vista in an abaya with only her big brown eyes peeking through a burkha. However, one glance at her vibrant collection of smart casual and formal attire and you will know that she is a trendsetter.
Aside from her natural creative flare, Aroudh has completed a fashion design course at the Royal University for Women in Awali. She said: "I first picture how the outfit will look on me and then I draw it out for the tailor to create. I describe it in detail. I hand-pick everything and quality comes first.
"I prefer designing my own outfits because they are an expression of me. But I also carry lines from Europe, Turkey and Korea.
"I started with smart casual but then I also noticed that there are women who like to dress up so I decided to carry a range of outfits. Some dresses or tops are semi-formal and I also carry a limited range of dresses great for a cocktail event or an engagement party."
The store’s railings are filled with a range of earth- tone and jewel-coloured pieces, including dresses, skirts, tops and jackets. The maximum price of any one item was BD50.
Items can easily be matched up to create a day-time work ensemble that can also be transformed for a fun night out simply by changing the accessories.
