Layal AlRaee
Fashion Design BA Hons
Regent's University London
Specialisms: Menswear / Womenswear / Apparel
Location: London, United Kingdom
Layal AlRaee
First Name: Layal
Last Name: AlRaee
Specialisms: Menswear / Womenswear / Apparel
Sectors:
My Location: London, United Kingdom
University / College: Regent's University London
Course / Program Title: Fashion Design BA Hons
About
Layal, a 20-year-old designer from Bahrain, grew up immersed in fashion through her family’s fashion house, “Al Methaleya.” Inspired by her mother’s work and shaped by IB Art studies, she developed a strong visual voice early on. Naturally creative and hands-on, she also explored event planning and marketing, which helped hone her leadership and branding skills.
Influenced by designers like Rick Owens and Issey Miyake, Layal’s work is defined by a bold, conceptual aesthetic, using volume, distortion, and construction to shape and transform the body. In 2020, she co-founded “Social Diary” with her sister, a label focused on chic, comfortable designs for an outgoing lifestyle. One of her proudest moments was curating a fashion pop-up in collaboration with a local coffee shop.
As she graduates in fashion design from Regent’s University London, Layal is focused on refining her creative direction and expanding her presence within the industry. Her practice continues to evolve through material exploration, structured silhouettes, and a balance between concept and wearability. Alongside growing “Social Diary,” she aims to take on a leading role within her family’s fashion house, Al Methaleya, carrying its legacy forward while shaping it through a contemporary, global perspective.
This collection is a tribute to my grandmother and her experience with illness, where the body gradually shifted into something unfamiliar, quietly reshaped, and overtaken by an unseen force. It reflects on that slow loss of control, where presence remains, but the body feels altered and no longer entirely its own. The garments translate this through exaggerated, encasing silhouettes that compress, distort, and envelop the body. Inflated volumes create a sense of internal pressure, while uneven structures disrupt natural proportions. Yarn appears throughout the collection as a quiet reference to my grandmother’s knitwear, carrying a sense of familiarity and care. Once associated with warmth and protection, it is reworked here into something more restrictive, wrapping and extending across the body.
My design deconstructs the classic suit to challenge binary oppositions such as inside/outside and strength/vulnerability. Drawing from Jacques Derrida's theory, I revealed what is usually hidden-exposed seams, frayed edges, visible shoulder pads-subverting the suit's traditional role as a symbol of control and professionalism. Rather than repairing or refining the garment, l embraced fragmentation. Features like a hanging sleeve, collapsing waistband, and intentional gaps make absence and instability central to the design. This reflects Derrida's idea that meaning emerges not only through presence but also through what is disrupted or missing. The suit becomes a space for questioning identity, gender norms, and structural expectations. By reversing the logic of traditional tailoring, I challenged the binaries embedded in fashion. My piece isn't just a broken suit-it's a critique of systems we take for granted, showing how deconstruction can reveal new forms of expression through the exposure of what's normally concealed.
Tackle System redefines utility with bold, expressive design, where function transforms into fashion. Pockets become central elements-not just practical features, but sculptural statements. Oversized silhouettes, inspired by hunting vests and modular architecture, evoke both structure and freedom. Built for adaptability, the garments feature foldable elements and detachable parts, allowing sleeves to become bags or accessories-turning a single outfit into multiple styling possibilities. This interactive design encourages personal expression and versatility. A grounded palette of black, green, and brown roots the collection in earthy tones that emphasize form without distraction. The balance of utility and style blurs boundaries, offering garments that are as functional as they are innovative. Tackle System speaks to individuals who seek adaptability in their wardrobe-clothing that evolves with them. More than something to wear, the collection is an experience in movement, transformation, and bold self-expression.