We are on the ritzy fashion avenue of Dubai Mall and as we step into Tory Burch, two women – apparently Lebanese, with a distant South Asian connection – start gushing over Nomi Ansari and how much they love his clothes. Not only do they recognise the Pakistani designer, they know that his sister Faiza (also with us) is wearing one of his latest digital prints. They want to know where they can buy these in Dubai.
We are in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the opening of the multi-label boutique Ensemble (where clothes from Ansari’s collection are available for sale) and Ansari appears to bask in the recognition he is getting. He has a radiant personality, a youthful spirit that is effortlessly reflected in his love for colour. He also has a delightful sense of humour that makes itself evident at the oddest of moments. He is a great mimic at all times, whether he may be poking a finger at a celebrity he has worked with, or a witch doctor he recently had the misfortune of dealing with when a cousin believed her bones could be hypnotised into elongating themselves three inches.
