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WRITTEN BY ELLE TIMMS
”WE ALWAYS DESIGN WITH A YOUNG LADY IN MIND; SOMEONE EDUCATED SOMEONE WHO PAYS HER OWN WAY”
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Reem, left, and Natalya, right
STYLE SISTERS EW LOVES...
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eem and Natalya Kanj have had a busy year. Let’s start with the launch of their fashion label, House of Rena, a refreshingly feminine debut collection, with the perfect amount of youthful edge – a project they have funded entirely by themselves. Then there’s an of-the-moment fashion blog site, www.fivefivefabulous.com, founded and edited by Reem, with Natalya’s contribution; which has earned a steady acquisition of followers that now number in the thousands. And last but not least, the recent invitation to become spokesgirls for global beauty brand Sunsilk. It’s enough to see most early twentysomethings take a wellearned breather. But not these two. The style, and business, savvy Kanj sisters – based between their native Lebanon, London and Dubai – are looking forward to taking their fashion journey on to the next exciting level and speak exclusively to EW… DID YOU EVER HAVE A DEFINING ‘DESIGNER’ MOMENT WHEN CONCEPTUALISING HOUSE OF RENA? Natalya: The moment we decided to do it was in a swimming pool when on holiday in Dubai. We were talking about how amazing it would be to produce a fashion show and design all the dresses we wanted to own but couldn’t afford to buy. We just looked at each other and thought, ‘why don’t we just do it’? It’s definitely a moment that we will never forget. NOVEMBER 2010
EMIRATES WOMAN
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