designing sandra woman today july

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JULY 2009 38

Designing Dreams

Sandra Wilkins, Associate Professor at the

Fashion Department of

Virginia Commonwealth

University-Qatar has half

a decade of experience

working in this arena

and is the best person to

speak about fashion and

how it is perceived here.

She talks to Sindhu Nair

on the prejudices she sees

and the fashion bloopers

that people make...

stylewise



JUly 2009 39

A

t ve, she was busy playing with

old clothes, at nine, she started

making clothes and selling them

for money, and now close to 60,

her passion remains the same –

fashion designing. Meet Sandra Bell Wilkins,

Associate Professor at the Fashion Department

of Virginia Commonwealth University-Qatar

(VCU-Q), who has been there and done that,

with years of experience and an ardour that is

almost infectious.

She talks about the fashion scene in Doha,

some discernible changes in perceptions and

some that are still rigid and prejudiced.

“I always wanted to do this”Sandra’s grandparents recognised the inher-

ent talent of cutting and sewing clothes in the

ve-year-old and got her a pedestal to go with

the pedal of an old sewing machine. Since then

there has been no looking back.

“I don’t think I ever wanted to do anything

else. The whole family was musically inclined

and they did try to get me involved in piano

classes but I had no interest whatsoever. I

always wanted to get into fashion.”

The turning point was when Sandra received

a Lions Club scholarship to pursue higher stud-

ies in music... And predictably, she used this

scholarship to study fashion!

“Well, nobody ever had to know. The music

and fashion class were in all in the School of

Arts,” she says smugly.

And so continued her passion...

Fashion...and in Doha?!When Sandra arrived in Doha in 1999, there

were just two students enrolled for the fashion

programme at VCU-Q. Both these were given

scholarships by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah

bint Nasser Al Missned, and were excellent in

studies, she claries.

“I couldn’t gure out why they (the authori-ties) wanted to start a fashion programme here,

because nobody was interested in making this

a career and there was no awareness of the

possibilities of taking up this as a profession.

“I was wondering why they wanted to start

a fashion programme in a place where there

was no industry. Then I found out that in the

Industrial Area there were around 10 shops

that were making clothes for some the popular

Western brands like Gap. At that point, it was a

very positive thing for me since I thought there

were possibilities for our girls here.”

What Sandra didn’t know then were the rules

of the place, of the Industrial Area in particular,

where girls still do not venture out alone and

hence no remote possibility of them ever going

to work there. Soon the companies operating

in those areas too closed down but, by then,

the fashion programme at VCU-Q had made

an impact on the students and things started to

look a bit more positive.

But fashion is still not considered the best of

career by locals.

“For some strange reason, in this part of the

world, they (the nationals) see fashion as some-

thing that is meant for the less privileged, theless educated. I have even heard some say that

only Indians and Pakistanis pursue fashion as a

career option.

“All this while in the rest of the world, fashion

is considered as the ultimate career, a rened

choice! I was recently at the London Fashion

Week – this is an event where all the Univer-

sities come and participate, students show

their portfolio’s, fashion shows are organised,

people from all over the world come to recruit

– it is the most happening event in the country.

Fashion is a big business but you have to be at

such places to know how big it is.”

And has the recession taken a toll on this

glamourous industry?

“Times are bad but the fashion business

around the world is still booming. Contracts

are being signed and recruitments are made at

such times too. When you come back here, you

again see the lack of enthusiasm to fashion as

a career, which is sad.

“To tell you the truth, it is not the students

who show this lack of interest, it is the parents

who don’t want their kids to join this stream.

And the reason is simple, the Qatari Govern-

ment doesn’t have any job for fashion design-

ers, and so they feel this career is useless.”

Sandra feels that culture has a lot to do with

the way people in the region perceive fashion.Taking students’ interest into consideration,

VCU-Q has started a double major programme

where students can major both in fashion

and graphics or fashion and interiors as they

choose.

“Four years ago, because of the demand, we

started this and there was an overwhelmingly

response. This is the rst time this double major

course is being followed in the whole world.

We have about 30 students doing this, which

is quite impressive here. It is a stressful course

that requires dedication and commitment.”



JULY 2009 40

stylewise

Culturally conscious?Trying to nd answers to the

question of why a career in

fashion is still not perceived

as hip, Sandra feels it is a

kind of paradox. In a country

where people are enthusias-

tic about high-end fashion

and don’t think twice before

spending whopping amounts

(and in dollars) buying brand

names, fashion as a career

choice isn’t encouraged.

“There are talented youngpeople doing our course and

we might nd students who

will start something spec-

tacular on their own, only

because there is a strong

expatriate population who will

support anything that is local

and has cultural relevance"Now that brings another

fascinating, if disappointing

facet, of the mindset here.

Students have told me that

Qataris are just not interested

in buying anything that is

made by Qataris. And that

is a revelation. It could be a

matter of quality as they think

anything made locally would

not be good or that they are

so brand conscious that they

wouldn’t buy anything other

than a Gucci or a Prada.

“Fashion students have

to decide what they re-

ally want to do. They need

to explore and nd new

avenues to make a mark in

their profession. They have

to get the exposure, move

out and see the world and

then come back with loads

of experience to educate the

rest here. It is only then that

fashion, in its pure sense, willever be appreciated for what

it stands for in this part of the

world.”

“Fashion shows are

successful” VCU-Q holds two major

fashion shows and they are

immensely popular.

“It is a great opportunity

for the students within Qatar

Foundation to collaborate.

We get the students in-

volved in everything, from

set designs to selecting theevent ow, to the clothes.

They work on budgets and

I try and get the students to

do everything on their own. It

is an event to showcase their

talents on all levels – from

interior designing to fashion

designing to coordination.

Since our institution is small,

we showcase the work of all

the students – the seniors

and the sophomores. It is a

big event for them and very

popular. We have had to turn

people away due to limitedspace.”

What I stand forWhen fashion is such big

business, does she ever

feel left out or regret her

decision of coming to Doha

and working in the teaching

profession?

“I love teaching and I lovebeing here in Doha. I give

the right message to my stu-

dents; to set an example of a

strong woman who is serious

about her business.

"When I see the recog-

nition and respect in my

students’ eyes, and when

students come up to me and

say “I want to be like you,” I

feel sure of my decision of

staying on here.

“I also nd a lot of time to

give vent to my creativity. I

have been working on the

kimonos – a combination

of the traditional Japanese

costume and the abayas – a

marriage of the two. I mightdo a fashion show soon.

Earlier, I was working more

for the money and now I

am doing more stuff that

adds value. My focus has

changed.

“And this is the ideal place

to work; you have all the

resources, the money and

the space. I might even retire

here, or they might have to

kick me out of here....

Sandra’s list of eight fashion faux pas:

“My philosophy is to make a good personal presenta-

tion. Fashion likes and dislikes are very subjective, so

my list should be common knowledge.”

Wearing clothes that are just too small. If it pulls or

binds or if the buttons are screaming, it is time to give itup or to someone else.

Clothes should always be clean. No make-up, hairy un-

derarms or food stains. They don’t have to be the latest

trend but dirty clothes are unacceptable.

Put your best foot forward. Shoes that have seen better

days, run over or frayed heels, scuffed or sandals that

are just not your size. No chipped polish and no rusty

heels. I really hate socks with sandals, too.

Dark hosiery and light shoes. It might be a fad at times

but it is just not fashionable.

Short pants. If they are supposed to be long pants make

sure that they are the right length. Oh yes! Capris are

NOT for everyone.

Underwear. No panty lines, no visible bras, and the thong was meant to be hidden and not on display.

If several people come up to you to inquire about your

health and you are wearing the latest colour trend, that

colour is probably not for you.

Make-up like clothing should be age, occasion and time

of day (unless you live so north that the sun never sets

at certain times of the year) appropriate. Rhinestones

anywhere on the face while the sun is up is a no, no. Oh yes, eye makeup should not be mistaken for sunglasses

from a distance.

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