Wear Art This Eid with Shatha Essa x Wissam Shawkat

Collaborating with award winning calligrapher, Wissam Shawkat, Shatha Essa has created a unique Eid 2019 collection entitled “Art of the Pen”. The bespoke collection highlights Arabic calligraphy as an art form that goes beyond paper as it adorns hand embroidered kaftans in this collaborative project.



About the Collaboration
Speaking to press, Essa states, “This collaboration, between a fashion designer and a calligrapher, is not a traditional one as my designs acted as the canvas to Wissam’s creations. He used different letters using different Arabic calligraphy styles for each and every piece.”



Wissam Shawkat was once Essa’s teacher and inspired her to create an Eid collection focused around Shawkat’s art, which is deeply rooted within Arabic culture. Essa said of her collaboration, “I was and still am inspired by the famous Arabic calligrapher Wissam Shawkat. His work transcends and truly depicts the work of a modern yet traditional artist. Wissam Shawkat, was once my teacher and I always thought of adding a special touch to my designs so I thought who better to collaborate with than my teacher. The Ramadan/Eid season seemed like a perfect time to blend two different yet beautiful forms of Arabic art.”



Shatha Essa is an Emirati designer who is no stranger to Arabic calligraphy and talks about what a major part of her lifestyle it is, “Arabic calligraphy fuels me. I have artworks all around my house showing beautiful works of different artists. I’m amazed by how it has been passed down over generations and how it was able to withstand the test of time, which inspired me to play a part in preserving this traditional form of art through my designs.”



About the Collection
From the Shatha Essa x Wissam Shawkat Eid collection, you can expect to see the usage of Shawkat’s calligraphic art hand embroidered across capes, dresses and kaftans in rich hues of yellow, and green and soft pastel shades of pink and blue.



With every piece from the collection being a work of art, Essa speaks fondly of her collaborative work with Vogue Arabia, “Wissam’s work exudes elegance while boasting minimalism. This complements my Eid collection as I have fused Wissam’s beautiful artwork into my hand embroidered kaftans; it’s like you’re wearing an art piece made out of love. Those feminine silhouettes and the delicate color palette with exclusive calligraphy form a graceful aesthetic which is perfect for an Eid look.”