Have you ever wondered what some of your favourite female figures get up to each day? MOJEH’s A Day In The Life series follows some of the region’s most influential female movers and shakers, from business owners and entrepreneurs to fashion designers and art gallery owners. As founder of fashion label Reemami, Reema Al Banna has made a name for herself thanks to her bold, playful and colourful designs that don’t conform to the traditional fashion rules. From an early wake-up call to a busy day of creating, designing and planning, Reema talks us through the typical day of a successful fashion designer.
6am. Ever since adopting my rescue dog Sunny, I am more motivated to wake up earlier to walk him, play with him and train him. Three times a week I go to train our horses at the barn. Other days I work out at 7am, which is either a HIIT workout or yoga depending on my energy levels, and then I get ready and go to the studio.
Planning the day for the team, following on from tasks and planning the production looks for the day or week, and designing, of course. I’m currently working on the next collection so it’s been exciting to see some of the looks come to life.
I walk into the office at 9, write my to-do list, check on the production team, check my emails and start working on my targets before lunch. Then I usually plan my meetings for the second half of the day. I’m thankful for Zoom meetings as it means I get to avoid traffic, then I’m back to production, checking samples, making adjustments and brainstorming. I normally finish between 6pm and 8pm.
The comfiest pants or dress, with sneakers for running around and creating, designing, and meeting suppliers. When I have an outside meeting I’ll throw on a nice blouse and Reemami denims, and occasionally a kitten heel.
I apply SPF and moisturiser first, and I often go bare-faced unless I have a shoot or am meeting someone outside the office. Then I’ll put on some under-eye concealer, bronzer, stick blush, mascara, and voila!
I've been vegan since April 2020, so it’s been a super exciting transition. I made the decision within half an hour of watching What the Health on Netflix. My lunch is usually a salad with dried tomatoes, olives, beetroot, spinach, cucumber, hemp seeds and some sort of protein, which could be an Arabic dish like molokhia [broth of Jute mallow leaves] or bamia [okra stew], and then I add some healthy carbs.
The process of creating a collection, which starts with a concept or theme, and goes on for around six months. In my next collection’s case, it actually went on for a year because of Covid, but I’m very proud of it. I love sketching and seeing the clothes come to life, but most importantly seeing my pieces on strong, intelligent women.
Dealing with supplier or manufacturing delays. However, this has helped me become more patient.
Go for a walk down the beach with Sunny while listening to a podcast or audiobook, and then I either work out or stretch, which is much needed after a long day. I might also watch a show, and have some dinner. I love to fall asleep by 10:30pm, which usually happens unless I’m going out. But since lockdown, I’ve become a person who enjoys hanging out at home.
My family and friends, creating, the beach, horses and my dog.
Go for a run, paddleboard or wake-surf. I also try to breathe and do some yoga.
Some sort of inventor, definitely in a creative field. Or perhaps a horse trainer or even a marine biologist, since I love the ocean. Reemami.com
