Simply Abu Dhabi XXXV

“Exquisite, artistic and timeless” – those are the words used by Gyunel Rustamova, founder of bespoke luxury label Gyunel Couture, to summarise her creations. Artisanal craftsmanship is at the heart of the brand. With perpetuating age-old skills handed down from generation to generation, it takes hundreds of hours of work to produce a single couture piece. Painstakingly delicate embroidery forms the main part of the making process that brings her creations to life. “The specialists in my in-house team have spent years perfecting their craft and, by implementing my playful embroidered designs, they bring an extra touch of luxury to the dresses. The more one looks at them, the more one can appreciate the unique details,” she says. As an artist, Gyunel is motivated by a desire to create an object or image that is timeless; a work that transcends trends. But when designing clothes there is a careful balance that needs to be observed between consumer taste and her own preferences. “Embracing this ephemerality and merging it with my art and creative ideas outside of seasonal trends is the golden ratio that has allowed me to evolve as the couturier I am today,” she explains. Hailing from a family of economists, and with a solid economics and business degree foundation, it has been both a labour of love and conscious decision for Gyunel to pursue a creative route. “Since childhood I have been in the presence of women, namely my grandmothers and mother, who paint, design and create in two or three dimensions as a hobby - I just happened to take it to a professional level,” she says. “I am immensely influenced by those childhood memories, my paternal grandmother with her librarian career, the hours she would dedicate to perfecting her carpet-weaving art and the ones I would spend immersed in her wardrobe. Not to mention the ever- important roles of historical fashion, surrealism and my own imagination in honing my craft.” The result is an unwavering motivation to create pieces for women with a sense of feminism in her heart – “smart, stylish and independent”. Actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, the great, late architect Zaha Hadid, film director Nayla al Khaja and costume designer Eiko Ishioka have also all played their part in influencing the Gyunel Couture collections, as has modern society’s desire for refined, bespoke luxury. “I believe creations should be able to speak for themselves, allowing the inner strength, confidence and individuality of those wearing them to shine through,” says Gyunel. “Each detail is of essence, be it the strength of a seam or the versatility of a Couture’s BestKept Secret b y J u l i a Z a l t z m a n