Women may have cracked the glass ceiling, but there are still plenty of difficulties at the top of the corporate ladder. One often overlooked struggle for women in the business world is finding fashionable workwear that projects confidence but doesn’t leave style at the door to the boardroom. Fortunately, Dubai-based fashion house, BRIAR PRESTIDGE, has designed a solution with its inaugural collection of high quality power suits and accessories that set the standard for corporate chic.
The debut BRIAR PRESTIDGE 2020-21 collection translates the inspirational stories of six of the UAE’s leading female entrepreneurs into six power suits. Hand-crafted from high quality Italian fabric, the collection includes both evocative and more classic, traditional styles, such as the black tuxedo with satin lapels, and are readily available to order online.
The BRIAR PRESTIDGE House Ambassadors are serial tech entrepreneur Thea Myhrvold, founder of GetBee and TeachMeNow; Kelly Lundberg, stylist to celebrities and business mentor; Dr. Saliha Afridi, clinical psychologist and director of The Lighthouse Arabia; Nayla Al Khaja, the UAE’s first female film director/producer and CEO of Nayla Al Khaja Films; and Rosemin Madhavji, TV presenter and luxury brand ambassador. All of whom inspired the suit designs and named them, sharing alongside them their motivational and inspirational stories of inspiration, success and failures.
Briar Prestidge, brand founder of BRIAR PRESTIDGE, and CEO of PR and personal branding agency Prestidge Group, also created her own suit design for the collection – a modern reimagining of the classic pinstripe.
Speaking about why she decided to launch her fashion brand, Briar Prestidge said, “The idea came to me when I was struggling to find a suit that was designed for women in the business world. I reached out to my network of female entrepreneurs and business leaders and found that most women felt the same frustration. There is a real demand for suits that have style, fit and quality, and designs that are currently available in malls weren’t working.”
“For our 2020-21 BRIAR PRESTIDGE collection, I worked with some of the UAE’s leading entrepreneurs to create suits that project power and confidence, and yet are comfortable and stylish for all women. I believe this collection, and this brand, is the beginning of redefining women’s workwear,” she added.
The exquisite detailing showcases the brand’s attention to every aspect of the collection, which also includes handcrafted gold-plated cufflinks and classic white shirts. Featuring the iconic bull logo in an endless variety of motifs, the button – a signature of BRIAR PRESTIDGE style – also features a pattern inspired by the Koru, an unfurling silver fern fond which symbolises growth, strength and peace.
Not only is the brand dedicated to inclusivity, but also sustainability. The power suits are made-to-last in limited quantities to avoid over production, which reduces the brand’s environmental impact and maintains the high quality of each piece.
