Let’s admit it. We all want to travel more in 2016. And when we travel, we want to look really good doing it! For the best vacation experience, it helps to dress up more than dress down. I don’t necessarily mean fancy, but I personally like to stand out in a fashionable, non-touristy way. That is where Coconut Couture comes to your wardrobe’s rescue. The new resort wear line includes clothing for evening, for tours, the beach or for just hanging out and relaxing around your vacation resort.
Inspired by wanderlust and the feminine silhouette, Coconut Couture specializes in captivating dresses, alluring beachwear and enchanting accessories for the discerning global traveler. Based in Dubai, this chic line offers unique pieces that can be mixed and effortlessly blended as to reflect personal style and to suit each occasion. From handcrafted statement pieces to one-of-a kind dresses and beachwear items, Coconut Couture invites you to relax, explore and indulge in style.
I had a pleasure of interviewing Mia Gee, the Founder and CEO of Coconut Couture. She is not only a designer, she is also well-traveled and extremely gorgeous!
Plus, her Instagram page is amazing.
I hope you enjoy this interview as we get to know a little more about Mia and her amazing new resort wear collection, Coconut Couture!
1. Tell me a little about yourself and your background.
I grew up in Pittsburgh, went to college in DC, dropped out at 21 and moved to Dubai. I was unsure where my life and career was heading but I had the opportunity to move abroad and didn’t want to pass it up. I moved to Dubai and worked in a few different companies before realizing I was not meant to work a 9-5 office job.
2. What inspired you to start Coconut Couture?
I love traveling, shopping and getting dressed up. Creating a resort wear line allowed me to combine these passions into a career. I also live in a country with a desert climate where the term hot is an understatement! So I wanted to make beautiful, light, flowing pieces that would be suitable to wear both here or when traveling to other warm climate destinations.
3. Describe your line in 3 words.
Feminine, elegant, versatile.
4. Do you design the pieces yourself?
I design the pieces myself and I choose the fabrics myself to ensure the best quality.
5. You are definitely a world traveler. What countries have you visited that inspire your designs the most?
Bali, Indonesia has inspired me the most. While I was shopping there, I found pieces that were made from such an incredibly soft, breathable fabric. I discovered later on that this material was made from bamboo which is kind to the environment but also has a wonderful light and luxurious feel to it. I knew the moment i felt it and wore it that I wanted to design my clothing with this kind of fabric in mind.
6. Who are your fashion icons?
That’s a difficult question. In order for someone to be an “icon” for me I would have to like everything that they make. I like to pick and choose what I like from different designers. I feel the same way about music. I just like what i like, it’s not about the person who makes it. I cant say I’m fiercey loyal to any one brand or designer. Although if you asked which designers I have a preference for I would say Mara Hoffman, Hale Bob and Missoni.
7. Which celeb would you like to see in your designs?
Mbatha Raw. I think she’s exotic, elegant and well spoken. She’s defintely the type of person I could see wearing our clothes.
8. Who is the Coconut Couture customer?
The Coconut Couture customer is someone with a busy lifestyle. She travels, she socializes and she wants to look her best without spending a huge amount of time staring into her wardrobe wondering what to wear. She can put on one of our pieces along with some accessories and easily transition from day to night or flats to heels.If she’s going away for a vacation, she knows that if she’s wearing Coconut Couture that she’ll be able to pack light, stand out from the crowd and turn heads wherever she goes.
9. What is your absolute favorite design so far?
So far, my favorite is the Isabella dress. It was the first dress that I made and it’s versatile enough that it could be worn in a few different ways.
10. Do you plan to expand outside of dresses and resort wear?
We may expand into menswear next year.
11. Do or will you offer customs?
We’re not offering customs at this time but if we are sold out of an item and a customer would like to order it, we will do our best to make more of that same piece.
12. How has living in Dubai changed the way you look at fashion?
I’ve become more exposed to how so many different cultures dress here. And while each style is different, they all manage to do it in such a glamorous way in this city. I’ve found myself looking at traditonal Indian and Arabic dress styles and thinking I would love to wear that!
13. What else can we look forward to from Coconut Couture?
You can definitely expect a western take on eastern fashions such as the Sari and the Abaya.
14. Where can we buy?
You can buy on our website www.shopcoconutcouture.com. We ship worldwide.
15. What fashion tips and advice would you give to other women who wish to travel the world?
If you want to travel the world, the best advice I can give is don’t be afraid to move abroad for a year or longer, especially when you’re young. It’s not as scary as you think and there tends to be a large expat community in any major city so its easier than you think to meet people. Not to mention, it can be a shorter distance to travel and as a result much cheaper. Additionally, most countries allow more vacation days than the U.S. which allows more time see new countries. For instance, in UAE we are given 30 days vacation in any job, as opposed to U.S. where the standard is 2 weeks. If I still lived in the U.S. I wouldn’t have been able to visit half the countries I’ve been to.
Be sure to visit www.shopcoconutcouture.com and follow @mia_dubai and @coconut_couture_ on Instagram!
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