In the modest neighbourhood of Dean Park, the makings of a remarkable fashion designer were in play. Faten Lawn learned to live a modest life with her Egyptian parents, who taught her to value simplicity over material possessions. Faten recalls her mother, who worked in a factory, often sewed dresses for her, despite Faten’s demeanour being more of a “tomboy than a girly-girl.” Faten was always impeccably colour-coordinated, thanks to her mother’s inspiration.
“I learned about textiles and fashion through my mum, who was a seamstress. Because I was such a tomboy, there was no chance I was going to sit down with mum and learn how to sew dresses. I was more outside with dad mowing lawns and building things from timber. But being around mum and her influence all the time influenced the way I was dressed – my bow matched my dress, my shoes matched my dress, everything was colour coordinated. I’m still like that now – once I passed the tomboy stage. It happened after 40 – a lot of things changed after 40, maybe a mid-life crisis! [laughs]”
Fatan says she has always had a unique and stubborn personality, and this is reflected in her designs and pieces. Faten says, “I want to incorporate my own designs into the material, and my ambition is to push the boundaries of fashion.” Some of her designs were drawn from emotion, inspired by the strict control her mother exerted over her appearance and presentation to the Arabic community they were involved with at the time. This inspired Faten to show vulnerability in her designs and express her desire for freedom.
Faten’s style is bold and daring, featuring a lot of skin and seductive colours such as gold and black, coupled with emerald green. She takes inspiration from ancient Egyptian culture, which was renowned for its liberal attitudes towards sex appeal and exposed bodies. Faten also hopes to challenge the traditional concept of fashion among men and encourage them to be more confident and embrace individuality. She believes that fashion is about expressing oneself and celebrating one’s unique personality.
Keeping to theme, Faten’s designs are called Horus Designs. “I also have loungewear, swimwear and jewellery lines being released,” says Faten. “I’m changing the images of runways. You can expect theatrical performances when these lines are released! I want to completely change the perception of runways. We are all different sizes, and I want to change the stigma of models. I want to do a disability runway, a runway with a purpose. I want to change the way people expect models to look. We’re all humans with different looks and abilities, and I want to bring that to the runway.”
Faten’s remarkable designs and talent has received local and international recognition. She has already participated in numerous Sydney-based fashion shows and is in the process of launching her own fashion show. An international fashion magazine has shown interest in collaborating with her, and the positive reception to her designs has been overwhelming. “My surprise is definitely how people reacted to my pieces – I didn’t expect that. I know where my interest stands and I want to do what I envision, but I didn’t expect the outcome I got, and the outcome I have received is very positive. I’ve done a lot of multicultural shows, but this wasn’t the right fit for me, and that’s why I want to do my own thing.” Although she never expected to be in the limelight so soon, the inspirational designer remains focused on her vision and is excited about the future possibilities of her designs. Faten’s audacious and prominent nature are evident in her designs and is a local girl to watch in international spaces.