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Sisters Faezeh and Leila Faiz are helping sun-worshippers staying at home and those jetting off on holiday look a peach on the beach or by the poolside … with a cool combination of style and grace.
The young Bahraini entrepreneurs came up with a hot online idea and have been delighted at the response of the region’s aqua fanatics looking for the snazziest swimwear apparel and accessories.
Maison du Maillot, which means ‘house of swimsuits’ in French, is an online beachwear boutique which was launched last year by the Amwaj Islands’ siblings to help those heading for the sea and sand to find the most flattering fits.
Faezeh, 33, said: “We have always been interested in fashion and particularly e-commerce. We are avid tech consumers who love everything to do with the digital world.
“We wanted to make contemporary swim and beachwear accessible to those living in the region and beyond. We have really struggled to find suitable beachwear here in the GCC and with the nearly year-round sun it made sense to source items that we all want in this part of the world.
“Many shoppers don’t realise the range of beautifully-crafted swimwear out there and for us to discover designers and bring them to the e-boutique is an exciting opportunity for us.”
The site features a range of bikinis, swimsuits, sarongs, kaftans and summer dresses as well as men’s swimming trunks from a variety of international designers and brands including Mara Hoffman, Tori Praver, Le Swim, Cali Dreaming and more. It also boasts accessories such as bags and headbands.
Faezeh added: “As many shoppers know it is quite hard to find stylish swimwear and beachwear here, and Maison du Maillot fills the gap between high-end designer stores and high street shops.
“Our site focuses on contemporary beachwear from a range of high quality, trendy brands. For some of the designers that we sell, it is the first time they have been available online and, for others, it’s the first time they’ve been available in this region.
“Everything we offer is chosen with passion and enthusiasm to bring the best of fashion to our customers. We take great pride in sourcing the latest in international beachwear brands, travelling the world to ensure our customers have access to the highest quality and latest in design.
“From free-flowing kaftans to chic, bright bikinis, our easy-to-navigate website gives them the widest range of pool and beachside looks at their fingertips.”
While the business-savvy sisters may have flown far and wide in search of suitable supplies, their customers don’t have to, as they provide worldwide shipping free of charge, free returns and free next day delivery.
Another aspect that makes their site stand out is their in-house stylist. Leila, 31, the fashion buyer and stylist, otherwise deemed as the ‘jack-of-all-trades’, said: “Due to our convenient location, bridging Europe and Asia, we are able to ensure that our customers receive their purchases as smoothly and quickly as possible, and it allows us to provide a tailored customer service experience in both Arabic and English.
“I can help with any questions on sizing, styles or ordering and can be contacted through live chat, email, phone or our social media channels. There are very few clothing e-commerce operators in Bahrain and we hope to set a high standard of customer service for online retail.”
Giving back to the community is also important to the girls as they have pledged to donate one per cent of all their sales to help those in need.
Leila said: “Maison du Maillot takes social responsibility seriously. We look to be ambassadors in our day-to-day lives and aspire to incorporate our beliefs and values into the company. From the outset we have pledged to donate to helping communities around the world get access to clean water and we have selected the charity WATERisLIFE to partner with.”
* For more details, visit www.maisonmaillot.com or follow them on Facebook www.facebook.com/MaisonMaillot or on Instagram and Twitter @maisonmaillot and Pinterest www.pinterest.com/MaisonMaillot/
This season’s hot trends from the sizzling sisters are:
Some of the trends we are seeing in beachwear this season are embroidery and crochet detailing on swimsuits and summer dresses, which add a great touch to a plainer outfit. There are also a lot of shades of pink, from bright fuchsia swimsuits to baby pink dresses and neutral two-pieces. Amongst our favourites are the classic light summer dresses by Mara Hoffman, with added touches of print or bead-work to take you from day to night.
Editor’s note: Summer dresses by Mara Hoffman start from around $255, approximately BD96.
