Growing up between countries means constantly packing and unpacking pieces of yourself. You collect accents, memories, and rituals from everywhere, yet never feel fully rooted in just one place. When I spoke with Rima Rokh and Sally Batha, the duo behind Dukkan Avantique, it felt like all of that in motion — identity, nostalgia, politics, art, friendship, and a lot of hard work.

Dukkan Avantique is a storytelling project, a visual diary of what it means to be a third culture kid and a Palestinian in today’s world. Rima, an acrylic and digital artist who recently shifted from strategy consulting to full-time creative work, and Sally, who juggles a full-time job, the brand, and a dessert business, somehow manage to run a growing label and build a community around it.

Honestly, I was amazed by how much they do — and how grounded, thoughtful, and intentional they remain through it all. We spoke about what it means to belong to many places at once, why neutrality is not an option, and how a to-do list checked ten times a day can still be a form of self-care.

— First of all, I want to make sure I pronounce the name of the brand correctly (does in awkward French manner) — Dukkan Avantique?

Sally: Yes, correct.

— Great! Please tell me the story behind the name, and a bit about your background and vision.

Sally: The name is unique in terms of what we wanted the branding to be — this nostalgic feeling of home and happiness. You walk in and there are a lot of things you crave. It was never just going to be a clothing brand. We started expanding into playing cards, home accessories, frames as well.

It is your go-to place, where as a brand, we offer different items that our community wants — not just clothing — but things that give them that nostalgic feeling and happiness.

Rima: The name represents how, specifically as third-culture Arabs, we tend to mix languages. Dukkan is Arabic, Avantique is basically avant-garde and antique, which is a mix of English and French. You tend to see a lot of Arabs speaking bilingually or trilingually in the same sentence.

Our collections will evolve into series — an extension of our life stories and what we are going through, and our awareness and understanding of our experience as third-culture kids.

Our latest collection was From Every Culture to Every Soul, where weI highlighted regions that have impacted us as individuals. A lot of people resonate with that. Then we spoke about our essence as Palestinians, and hopefully our next collection will shed light on how we define “home”.

Sally: And I think we have found this isn’t just something between Rima and I, but a shared experience among many. That is why we are trying to build a community of people who resonate with (our stories, values) and the meaning behind every piece, creating a sense of belonging and a true deep connection .

— Do you feel like third culture kids share something in common? Can we see them as a community, even if they come from different backgrounds?

Rima: We have our openness in common. We are always open to changing places, and meeting different people. We actually look for and embrace different people, and I think that is the beauty of it.

Sally: Yeah. And I think no matter the nationality, it is a culture that isn’t tied to one language or one ethnicity. It is more of a feeling that moves with us through different phases of our lives, rather than a single culture linked to one place.

— How is this third culture feeling reflected in your storytelling and in the items you create?

Rima: It shows through the clothing. The story really impacts the art — from the choice of colours to the patterns that are made. I use a lot of layering, a lot of faces to tell stories. I use references of places, like inspiration from buildings in different cities I have been in or Sally has been in.

That is what sets us apart: we are storytellers — actually storytelling — not mood-boarding and following typical fashion industry formulas.

— And how do you balance your own interpretations with the audience’s?

Rima: We like to provide our interpretation, but we leave it to the audience if they want to go deeper. They can read it, look at it, understand it — or they can just wear it and interpret it in their own way. Both are valid.

— Do you have personal favourites — a collection or specific items that are especially close to your hearts?

Rima: I know mine. Sally, you can go first.

Sally: Our first ever collection, the reversible bucket hats. We saw a lot of people connecting to the bucket hats — we did them in a unique way where we combined subtle and bold features in a single design. I love them , but also recently I have been gravitating most toward the tank tops from our latest collection, Dukkan’s Essence: Falastine .

Rima knows this already — I am a big fan of the essentials. It is the essence of the brand, which is Palestine. We are originally Palestinian. In addition to what it represents, the fabric and the fit is something we are very proud of. It is definitely one of my favourites.

Rima: Our button down shirts! These are the pieces that, in five years or ten years, we would reintroduce and people would still love. They are the kind of items that become staple pieces in your wardrobe.

Sally: They really are staple and timeless pieces, regardless of how loud they are. They feel like a small part of history. Like a trend that might disappear for a year or two but then will definitely come back.

— I can see Rima’s eyes light up when we talk about this. Another big question for me: what is it like to work with your best friend? People say “never mix business and friendship” — how has it been for you?

Sally: A lot of people told us, “Don’t go into business with your friends, the friendship won’t last.” Knock on wood, we are four years strong.

I don’t think there is any other friend I would have done this with. It wasn’t just emotional — it was also strategic. We both have skill sets that complement each other. I may be strong in certain areas and lack others; and vice versa.

We also had a strong foundation: our goals and vision are aligned. We knew there wouldn’t be significant clashes that could break the business. Also, we have always made sure to differentiate our friendship from our business partnership: we have a separate group chat just for the brand, and one for our personal lives. It sometimes spill, of course, but we try to keep the friendship healthy while still having space to focus on the work.

Naturally there will be disagreements. hence, our number one rule is: when that happens, we communicate with respect. It is okay to disagree as long as there is always respect in how we talk and act.

Rima: Someone once said a business partnership is literally a marriage contract, and I believe that. The same things that break a marriage can break a partnership — lack of respect, someone outgrowing the other.

It is very important to put in the effort. If I am slacking, Sally will have my back, and if she is slacking, I will have hers. We also make an effort to have a good time together, not just focus on what needs to be done for the brand.

As she said, mutual respect and a lot of compromise are key. These are the same qualities you need to keep any close relationship going for a long time.

— Do you have a specific division of roles? Is one of you more business-focused and the other more on the creative side, or is it a mix?

Rima: Definitely a mix.

Sally: Yeah, it is a mix, I would say an 85/15 split. One of us takes the lead at 85%, while the other stays involved at 15% to stay in the loop and support where needed. It is more efficient than both of us doing everything together.

We know what our strong suits are and we focus on that. We have meetings twice a week to make sure we are aligned, plus constant communication on WhatsApp and email. Any major decision always involves both of us, but minor tasks — maintaining the website, small business operations — are divided.

We are at a stage where we trust each other’s judgment. We know we both have the brand’s best interest at heart, so it is fine if we aren’t fully involved in everything.

— Fashion and creative industries are very competitive. As young women connected to the Middle East, what has been the most surprising lesson so far?

Rima: From my end, I would say stay authentic and true to yourself. If you try to just hop on trends and compete with market giants, you will always lose.

We are focusing on selling a feeling, not a product. There are so many products in the market, but not many feelings that are being offered in the right way. One of the biggest issues in this world is loneliness. Selling people a feeling of being relevant, being part of a community, is the best selling point.

And something Sally knows too: when you hit the five-year mark in the fashion industry, you are basically at year zero. It is an industry that needs patience and determination.

Sally: I was going to say the same and add that we have learned to give ourselves grace.

We are competing with huge companies, platforms, and people with influence. We went in young and naïve, thinking, “We love fashion, how hard can it be?” Four years later, we know it is a whole different ball game.

We don’t have fashion backgrounds. We are a two-woman team. We are learning website development, tech packs, and different materials as we go. So we remind ourselves: we are doing the best we can, and we need to be patient and kind to ourselves throughout the journey.

— You mentioned the community: Club Avantique. What exactly is it, and how does it work?

Sally: Club Avantique is basically the community we are growing. We always look at them as our co-creators, not just customers.

The feedback they give us, the way they love and represent the brand — different pieces, different stories — will eventually be told through their shared experiences of being third-culture.

We like to do small initiatives and get-togethers to bring people together. If someone is third-culture and in a place like Jordan, for example, it can be easy to feel like an outsider. Through our events, they can connect with others who have similar experiences and feelings.

We always refer to them as our co-creators.

Rima: The nice thing is that it grew very organically before we even gave it a name. From day one, we were building close relationships with the creatives we worked with — models, photographers, people who help with the website, people who rent us spaces.

Even with the designs, we have people we constantly consult. We ask, “What do you think?” and test the waters with them. This close circle really became like a family.

As people who came from different countries, we never had one solid group of friends because we kept moving. They gave us that feeling of community, so we wanted to give it back. That is why we made it a bit more official — but it has been happening from the start, very organically.

— How would you describe the feeling you want people in the Club to have?

Rima: Resonating with other people’s stories. Feeling that every person is different, maybe a little weird in their own way, but understanding that this difference is something positive.

The community is very diverse and has people from different backgrounds. If someone is looking for, say, a photographer or a creative, they can find that through the network. People connect and help each other get their own work done too.

It is the feeling that you can call someone, and your back is covered.

Sally: Yeah, and because you are connecting with people who went through similar experiences, you feel more content in your own identity. It helps you embrace your culture more.

At the same time, you are excited to learn from others. No one has the exact same upbringing — they have shuffled through different places. So you are excited to learn, but also at peace with your own journey. You stop feeling like an outsider because you realise this is very natural and very normal.

— If you could collaborate with any artist, designer, or cultural figure — living or not — who would you choose?

Sally: From a photography or storytelling perspective, I love Sarah Bahbah. I would love to collaborate with her. The way she shoots and captures moments, telling a story in a single picture, is amazing and very creative. She would definitely be one of my top choices.

Rima: We actually have a collaboration in the pipeline that will be dropped quite soon with a restaurant that serves nostalgia, which we are excited about.

I like to have collaborations in the food industry — bringing the vision to full circle, from different perspectives.

As for dream collaborations, maybe Ali Cha’aban as an artist — he is a good friend and hopefully one day we will get to work together.

— You have said that as women with Palestinian roots, neutrality isn’t an option. What does representation mean to you in your work?

Rima: We have been asked to tone down some of our Palestinian designs, branding and opinions. For example, we have been asked to hide the fact that we donate to Palestinians in need, and to tone down our support on social media.

That wasn’t acceptable for us. We won’t work with people who in any way show support for injustice.

— Do you think brands should get involved in these topics? Why is it important that it isn’t only politicians who speak about this?

Rima: As normal human beings, if we aren’t taking a stance, then we are normalising what is happening. This topic isn’t political to us — it is humane.

If we lose our ability to say the truth and be truthful to ourselves, if we lose our ability to defend people who are going through the worst times, then what is the purpose of our lives, honestly?

Sally: Exactly. It isn’t political. It has never been political for us, so it doesn’t fall only on politicians to raise awareness. It is a humanitarian issue.

And unfortunately, even the politicians aren’t really doing what they are supposed to do in terms of raising awareness. So it is up to us as humans to be loud about it and to use whatever platforms we have.

Rima: I really believe we can make a change and a proper impact in this world by being truly part of being a community, instead of individuals who are only focused on our own benefit.

— You work a lot with nostalgia. Is there anything you feel particularly nostalgic about right now?

Sally: For me, it is places. Living in the UK, for example. I am nostalgic about my experiences there — the different seasons. Being in Dubai, you don’t experience that in the same way.

I am nostalgic for simple things like being able to walk almost everywhere, whereas in Dubai you need a car. So my nostalgia is tied to experiences that connect back to a certain feeling at that time.

Rima: My nostalgia is about simple pleasures. Being super happy to get your candy — that is why we still have candy as part of our packaging. Being happy when you get stickers. Stickers were definitely collectibles for us as children.

It is the simple joys: walking down the street to a tiny grocery store, having simple foods. These simple things make you truly happy.

— It has been four years since the launch of Dukkan Avantique. How has the brand changed since then, and where do you see it going next?

Sally: The first big change is that we have a website now. When we launched our first collection, it was entirely through Instagram. That showed us the impact we could have and the love from the community — we did so well at such an early stage without even having a website.

Now we have a full consumer journey from A to Z. We have done different collaborations and collections, and we are moving into more complex designs and pieces compared to the unisex accessories we started with. We are tapping into new materials and cuts, which is exciting. We are also working with more partners.

Rima: It has changed from being a small side business of two young best friends into a more legitimate business with its own strategy, vision, mission and processes.

The brand has become more specific and clear. We are working on clarifying and building it further through stronger campaigns, more activations and bigger collections.

In the future, we definitely aim to have our own physical space. I think nothing can replace that — no matter how advanced technology becomes, we will always go back to basics. A physical space gives a unique kind of experience that you can’t fully replicate online.

— Finish this sentence: Dukkan Avantique is for anyone who…

Sally: …is creating a culture of their own.

Rima: Yes. Exactly.

— Rima, I can see artwork behind you. Could you tell me about your art practice?

Rima: I am an acrylic painter and a digital artist. I do expressionist art that is heavily related to storytelling. It talks a lot about emotions, experiences, and abstract concepts that I feel as an individual and as part of a collective culture.

I explore mental health, depression, functional depression, duality of experiences, my feelings as a Palestinian in exile — different thoughts and states.

It is my sacred space to create, to stay creative, and to keep expressing myself.

— Sally, do you have any artistic outlet outside the brand?

Sally: I think mine would be through cooking and baking. I have a dessert business as well. I pour a lot of my creativity there, playing around with flavours and recipes.

It is very therapeutic — similar to how Rima feels with her art. I just experience that in the kitchen rather than on a canvas.

— Final question, because I am personally very curious: how do you manage your time and do all of this?

Sally: Personally, I am almost dying! I have a full-time job and then the other two businesses. It is a struggle, but after four years we have figured out a routine that works.

We know which hours are for the full-time job, which are for this business, which for the dessert business. Things shift depending on priorities — if we have a pop-up or an event, that gets more attention that week. It isn’t one fixed schedule, but there is a structure that we work around.

And Rima’s favourite thing is the to-do list — a to-do list that you look at ten times a day.

Rima: Definitely. Being an early riser has made a huge difference for me. It makes it possible to finish more in less time, because the mornings are calmer and more productive.

I was doing strategy consulting for the longest time and only recently switched to full-time creative/artist. That flexibility helped.

Like Sally said: adaptability in the schedule, a solid to-do list, and waking up early.

— So no magic secret weapon — just time management?

Sally & Rima: Pretty much.