Celebrating Emirati Women’s Day: An Interview with Alia bin Omair

By Rasha AlSabah

Launched in 2015, Emirati Women’s Day aims to celebrate Emirati women from the past generations to the future generations to come. It sheds a light on the successful women that are shaping the UAE. Women in different fields are important to the development of the UAE and they are celebrated annually on August 28. Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak launched Emirati Women’s Day for the first time in 2015.

She is referred to as the “Mother of the Nation” and she paved the way for Emirati women of today.

This year, on Emirati Women’s Day, we wanted to highlight an Emirati female designer who has made a name for herself already, winning awards and showing in galleries and exhibitions not only in the UAE, but around the world as well.

Alia bin Omair is a talented Emirati designer who won in the Jeweley Designer category at Fashion Trust Arabia in 2021. She would soon remember that day as the most rewarding moment in her career as is being a part of the FTA family.

She designs her jewelry pieces with the most intricate and artistic details. The names of the collections usually resonate with Emiratis as they include names of traditional words, such as Satami and Touminah. “Contemporary, traditional and bold,” are the three words Alia uses to describe her brand. The words perfectly define her brand as her jewelry is evidently traditional to its core with a modern edge to it. You can easily tell when looking at her pieces, that Alia is a genuine artist, through and through. She not only cares about the aesthetics of the jewelry she designs but the quality is also very important to her.

Alia has another significant role; she is a board member for the jewelry sector at Sharjah Business Women Council.

I wanted Alia to talk about the early years of when she started her brand and if she faced any difficulties in the beginning. “I did face difficulties and dealing with factories at the time required greater patience on my part. I am very fortunate to be working with the same factory where I first started; it is amazing to have someone who understands your brand.” As for the best advice she has received, Alia remembers her English teacher, who told her, “It is never too late.”

As the Emirati Women’s Day theme for 2023 is “We Collaborate for Tomorrow,” I asked Alia who she would want to collaborate with in the future. “I'd like to work with Shaikha Almazrou. I think it would be interesting to turn some of her sculptures into wearable tiny objects.” Alia continues to work with different materials as she experiments with special and unusual designs.

What does it mean to be a successful woman? And who are the women Alia looks up to?

“To be successful is to always set a goal, be proud in what you do and have confidence in your abilities. I am extremely proud of all Emirati women who are making history.”