Interview with Khalifa Al-Dossary, Founder of AlQabael

AlQabael is a luxury fashion brand established in 2018 with the aim of producing authentic Arabic luxury attire with an urban touch.

The brand, headed by Khalifa AlDossary was part of Flat6Labs Bahrain’s accelerator programme in its Second cycle.

Please tell us more about AlQabael and what inspired you to create the business?

AlQabael was established with the sole purpose of producing traditional attire and accessories with an urban touch, hence our name ‘AlQabael’ which translates to tribes, reflecting a sense of tradition.

I would say the inspiration behind the creation of my business is an epiphany I once had. It all started in my wardrobe the day I was decluttering my winter clothes while getting ready for summer to kick in.

I came across an expensive piece of cashmere shawl that I had previously bought. I realized I had only worn it twice in 2 years and began to wonder why haven’t I worn it a lot more and it was obvious I couldn’t due to our short winters.

I started wondering why I bought it and was it worth it? Yes, it was definitely worth it because it was a standout piece and I had nothing like that in my collection. In that very moment, it hit me to try something new by creating a new style of ghetrah which came in bold lavish colours and could be worn all year round.

If you think about it, male traditional attire has always been the same patterns and colours for generations. There was clearly a gap in the market and so I felt that it was my responsibility to bring my idea to life.

There is a quote I once came across which I still live by to this day. It is “Everybody has a creative potential and from the moment you can express this creative potential, you can start changing the world” and thus sparked the launch of my brand.

What’s exciting about AlQabael, and how have you managed to fuse fashion with pop culture in your products?

There is more to AlQabael than being just a fashion brand. Our vision goes way beyond, as the prime focus for the creation of our company is a passion for collecting Arab heritage of historical value and innovating with it to suit the next generation in order to promote creativity within the MENA region while remaining intact with our roots and traditions.

We have managed to create unique and modern designs. With our products, you will always notice 3 things: tradition, innovation and creativity. As a company, we always make sure to add a touch of culture to our unique pieces.

What is your plan for scaling your business?

Going forward, AlQabael is aiming to introduce several ranges of products even including women’s fashion and soon in the near future, we will be launching perfumes, watches and even men’s swimwear. Exposure is key and with the aid of social media influencers and collaborations, we aim to expand globally on a larger scale to build AlQabael’s retail presence.

How do you see Arab fashion in the next 10 years?

There is a high chance that AlQabael wouldn’t have made it through if it had launched 10 years ago, as people were less experimental, making Arab fashion very limited. Hence my answer would be moving forward, I see high potential for the Arab fashion in the upcoming years.

The Arab world is changing drastically in terms of tastes and styles. Arabs are slowly accepting and experimenting with new trends which opens a window for creativity.

Overall, the best way to predict the future is through past trends, so if Arab fashion continues to move in this direction, there is room for tremendous growth.

Tips: What advice can you give to fashion/ design startups?

I believe that now is the perfect time for designers and entrepreneurs to push their creative boundaries. Another important thing to keep in mind when it comes to fashion is to simply follow your heart and trust your gut because at the end of the day, fashion is art and an artist always works with a passion that comes from within.

You as a founder should be the most passionate about your concept because a lot of people won’t get it and you might get rejected by many but never give up because it is not going to be easy, I was once told if it was easy everyone would do it.

Never wait for anything to be perfect to be ready because you will never know it is ready until you launch and then perfection will follow in time. It is going to be a roller coaster ride with lots of ups and downs. Just stay strong.