Dubai-based, French-Egyptian designer Mariam Yeya of Mrs. Keepa, talks to MOJEH about her latest autumn/winter 2020 collection and shares how the pandemic has inspired her to be more creative
Word by Mariam Yeya
There is never one specific inspiration behind my creations. Instead, each collection is an outcome of so many stowed away ideas, shapes,silhouettes, cultures and anything that has left an impression on me. But if I had to describe the dominant inspirations behind my autumn/winter 2020collection, it would be as a modern interpretation of Japanese garments through exaggerated silhouettes. There is also a wide mix of fabric from leather, denim, tweed and cotton to faux fur, linen and feathers; this unique fabric mix is something Mrs. Keepa is known for.
The global pandemic made me eager to go back to the studio and play with fabrics again, but without rules, boundaries or restrictions. Even before Covid-19 retail had become a challenge, and like many others I had been pressured to consider more commercial offerings within mycollections. However I was able to reflect so much during the lockdown on both the personal and professional aspects of my life that if the pandemic did anything, it made me stick to my brand’s DNA more than ever. I was reminded of the reason why I started Mrs. Keepa: for a love of creating.
Designer Mariam Yeya, photographed for MOJEH issue 62
Mrs. Keepa’s AW20 collection is available at Gigi Concept Boutique; Gigiconcept.com
Read Next: Step inside Mariam Yeya’s calming home
