Prestige issue 255, October 2014
© Rania El-Bort Kettaneh
Why did you choose this name for your brand, and since when do you do this kind of products? Sarahudgens is the name of my American mother, who is my hero in life and to whom I owe all my talent. I wanted my brand items bearing her name during her life, as a sign of love, appreciation and esteem. At school, I had a particular interest in handicrafts .I was 12 when I started to draw and make accessories that I sold to friends of my mother. In 1990, I took a scholarship to Parsons School of Design, but because of the war, I did not travel. Finally I studied graphic design at USEK, and found myself realizing my passion, fashion, starting with the beachwear. In 2013, I launched the brand.
What does your production include apart from bags and shoes? My creations are not limited to bags and shoes. I also manufacture caftans, easy to wear clothes, jogging suits and all beach accessories, without exception. We find crochet in most of my designs. The bags are in lace, shoes too, combining classical and modern styles. I created a clothing fabric in lace that I treated to be suitable for shoes. Crochet is worked with an imported and tough wire, like Egyptian cotton and Indian raffia. The colors range from basic like beige and black or beige and gold or the gold and silver, and neon colors that are successful.
«Luxury is not an object we buy; it’s a lifestyle based on our own individual aesthetic.»
© Rania El-Bort Kettaneh
What distinguishes you and where do you draw your inspiration? Three features distinguish me from other designers: my creativity which is unequaled anywhere else; my finishing that is perfect, because I like selling a product similar to those I like to buy, namely high quality; and finally, quick customization of my products. As for inspiration, I get it from my travels, of a particular theme, flowers that are present in most of my clothes and bright colors of nature.
