Wit Noiz A Contemporary Wear by designer Dana Al Misned

Contemporary brand Wit Noiz was founded by multi-disciplinary designer Dana Al Misned who conceptualizes her designs by reinterpreting stylistic fashion, layering them into simplified yet meaningful silhouettes that directly respond to our changing times. Shunning bulk production standards and working with 100% sustainable fabric, Wit Noiz creates functional pieces that have become the launchpad for the brand's expansion into furniture and lifestyle product design.

1. I feel privileged to share the stage with 20 of my fellow local designers for the CR Runway. When I started Wit Noiz, I was fulfilling a life-long dream to create clothes that reinterpret stylistic fashion layering into simplified yet meaningful silhouettes that directly respond to our changing times. I love creating pieces using traditional materials and applying them to modern silhouettes.

2. I consider Rei Kawakubo as my biggest inspiration with how she focuses on expressing values and it would be a dream to collaborate with a brand like COMME des Garcons.

3. In the next five years, I would like to see my brand break through the international market and one of my ultimate goals is to have my pieces sold in Dover Street Market Ginza & London.

4. I would describe Wit Noiz as a conceptual, sustainable, and inclusive lifestyle brand.

5. My advice for young designers would be to believe in the possibility of everything and to focus on having multiple goals that you can work towards to ensure you continue to grow.

6. I graduated with a BSc in Communication from Northwestern University and did not have a traditional fashion education. When I first launched my brand, I struggled to find the right manufacturers that aligned with my values and with navigating the business side of the industry. Since then, I have taken multiple short courses in UAL and spent countless hours scouring the internet researching sustainable production, sourcing the right suppliers and visiting trade shows to ensure I approach every custom piece, collection and idea with the right mindset and tools to make them a reality.

7. I find inspiration in the unexpected. I can be on Instagram and see a table that has an interesting silhouette and consider how it might be applied to a trench coat. I could also be listening to my mother’s stories about my grandmother and how she would refuse to remove her battoulah since it served as her traditional ’safety blanket’. This was ultimately the inspiration behind my piece for the CR show.

8. The preparation process for the CR Runway has been exciting as I was able to experiment with both the materials used and the construction process. I came up with an idea to use the egal and battoulah in my design and it was a struggle to get the materials to cooperate. After some trial and error, I can happily say that I used 300 meters of the egal rope to construct a jacket and incorporated the battoulah element in a dress that can be worn and appreciated anywhere around the world.

9. My favorite part about being involved in one of the biggest fashion shows in history is being able to represent my country, my culture and make my 8 year old self's dreams come true.