SVD x Ali Cha’aban: The Perfect Collab Ever?

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by Sophie She

SVD x Ali Cha’aban: The Perfect Collab Ever?

28 Mar 2024

Recently, beloved by many, SVD and Ali Cha’aban have presented their creative beast — "Habibi One Day.” “Habibi” is a collaborative collection that transcends the boundaries of mere style to embrace the essence of life itself. Rooted in the heart of Dubai's creative landscape, this partnership heralds a celebration of precious moments and the beauty that surrounds us every day.

SVD, originally from Barcelona and now with a vibrant presence in Dubai, serves as a beacon for emerging trends and cultural exploration and acts as a hub for the local creative community. This partnership with Ali Cha’aban, a Kuwaiti-born Lebanese artist based in Dubai, epitomises a fusion of art, culture, and fashion.

Reading through our interview, you will see how Cha’aban’s background in anthropology infuses his work with a deep understanding of Arab culture and language, translating it into a collection that speaks to anyone.

"Habibi One Day" is a heartfelt ode to the beauty inherent in everyday moments. From intricately designed jewellery to bespoke yet comfy attire. Each piece serves as a tangible reminder to cherish life’s small joys.

Through this collaboration, SVD and Ali Cha’aban invite us to pause, reflect, and find gratitude amidst the chaos. They remind us that even in the mundane, magic exists that is worth celebrating. Join us as we delve into the soulful synergy of this dialogue about our humble existence on this planet.

P.S. After savouring this convo — don’t forget to explore the collection on sivasdescalzo.com and rediscover the joy of the everyday.

Source: courtesy of SVD x Ali Cha’aban

— Can you tell me about the inspiration behind “Habibi One Day”?

Ali: I wanted to create a persona that is metaphorical. So, I was always using the word "Habibi", though the term is very much overused. And then also, “Yawman Ma” [one day] has such a strong meaning in Arabic. “Yawman Ma" is a very obscure answer, an obscure word. This is about having a final goal in everything, you know. This word has the power of space and time at the same time. “Habibi One Day” is always appreciating everything around you. In general, Habibi is just a mindset for everyone.

What is funny is that when we were shooting, we invited all my closest friends, and they were all called “Habibis” throughout the shoot. It is just a nice metaphor. The phrase has the power of “less is more”, and that is the beauty of it.

Asher: Obviously, Ali is a really good friend of ours [Ali is SVD’s habibi]. He has been a friend of SVD since day one. Ali is a creative director at YKONE agency and we worked with that agency and him before. And he has this insane energy.

The collection was originally called “Cream on Chrome.” And I really wanted to add substance to the collection because the design you saw, it is simple yet very impactful. But it needed some beef to the bone if you will. So we called it “Habibi One Day” because if you sit with Ali, he will say "Habibi" 10 times in a sentence. So I was like — why don't we just call it “Habibi One Day”?

“Habibi One Day” is basically a story itself. “Habibi One Day” celebrates the beauty of life and each moment that we spend. With our busy times, we always forget to enjoy what we currently have. And more than that, we forget to be grateful for what we have. These pieces [items from the collection] just talk about how we should appreciate the current or the present that we live in. That is what “Habibi One Day” is.

Source: courtesy of SVD x Ali Cha’aban

— Could you maybe give me some insights on how you collaborated to curate the collection? How were the pieces selected, and what criteria did you use for those?

Ali: I think Ash and I go way back, but there was always just a nice appreciation for each other. And when we started working with SVD, I was so hyped because I was going through this Renaissance.

When I was moving from Saudi to Dubai everything changed, my style changed completely. And I felt like my haven was SVD if you know what I mean. There was this catering to a certain cultural mindset for me, meaning like I would rather pay so much money on Martine Rose, or Willy Chavarria, or Needles, or KidSuper to feel like myself. I like the underdogs and I feel like that is what SVD was for me.

So literally, me and Ash just kept having these conversations back and forth [about working together and creating something together], and I swear to you, it was a spontaneous moment. Ash was like — do you want to design a collection? I'm like — yeah! That is how we came about it. Then the design aspect, I swear, I think he [Asher] gave me great freedom in design.

Asher: What is important to note is that we made this family bond between Ali and SVD, where we have a constant collaboration going on. We wanted to find a really nice balance between what is written, what is there in design and the story itself. So that is how “Habibi One Day” came about.

Source: courtesy of SVD x Ali Cha’aban

— Can you tell me more about the first pivot of the collection? The “Cream on Chrome”?

Ali: When I moved to Dubai, I was always timid and was not very outgoing with my character. So, as I started having more freedom and discovering who I am, I realised my affinity for piercings, tattoos, for a lot of things. And one of them is chrome. I love the idea of chrome, and so we called it “Cream on Chrome”.

But then, the whole point of the original collection is to show the beauty of Arabic language,when you design it. So I'm like, who has done chrome Arabic? Not anyone I know, so let's try it out. And that is what I eventually did in collection.

— Was there a specific vibe you were going for?

Asher: Our pieces look very comfy as if you can spend every day in them.

— Any insights on the production process?

Asher: We got the expertise from SVD for the optimal shapes, and we used great factories, like really cool factories, to make sure that the fit was right [Author’s notice — the fit is lit indeed]. In the beginning, we showed Ali a few T-shirts as samples, and he liked them. Then we went through it together. The whole process felt right and nice.

Ali: I would say, it never felt like I was working on a collaboration because it was just like two friends trying to do something. I'm telling you, it gave me a lot of creative freedom. Also, I haven't designed it in a while, and I really took a break from a lot of things. Like in the past, I designed the Nike sneakers back in 2017, I designed the Nike caps in 2018, I did a couple of collabs here and there, and then I just took a break from a lot of things. And with this collection, I felt like that was a good comeback for me. It felt right. It felt like a renaissance, like a rebirth or something. And like it is not a collab. It felt more like a community. That is what Ash and SVD always try to create: this friends-for-friends community. It is not just a one-off, you get me? So that is the thing. So there is community over anything else.

Source: courtesy of SVD x Ali Cha’aban

— How does this collection reflect the values of both the SVD and yours [Ali’s]?

Asher: I can say it from an SVD point of view and my personal point of view. I think the collection is so simple, yet it is so impactful. It is one word, but that one word has so many meanings to it, you know? And Habibi, like when we initially spoke, the Habibi design was there and yes, Habibi is used by multiple people around. Actually, a lot of people overuse it, and I told him [Ali] about it. But Ali was like — nah, we are going to use it in a different way. And I loved it.

Ali: It was 2018, and I was working on an artwork that had a mosque dome in it. One person came and told me — don't do this artwork because it looks like someone else's artwork. I know they were very serious.

But when the artwork came out, a lot of people appreciated it. It also went to the British Museum. It was actually good artwork. But the idea is that the subject is always challenged. The challenge is always there. And that is what I liked when Ash came to me with Habibi. I was like — we don’t own it, but we can coin it.

Like now when a person comes and does carpet artwork, people automatically think it was me. And I always said — I don't own carpets. It is not my forte, and it is a free world, so anyone can do carpet. And the same thing goes back to Habibi.

Asher: From an SVD point of view and from my point of view, I think Habibi, even though what it means, asks you to appreciate your life. We all live in a very busy life. It is moving too fast. So, take a second to appreciate what you have got and just embrace it.

Ali: Have I told you why I like Habibi? It is because that is the first word the mom gives to the child. Habibi. That is very sweet.

It is like you are telling it to yourself, like it is a message from me to myself. I don't know if it is vice versa, like from the past to the future or the future to the past, but it is something like that. Self-love is very important.

— How has the response been so far in the collection?

Ali: I really like the responses from my side. God, I am so happy with that. Everyone sends me pictures. I like that a lot of the girls are purchasing our Habibi bracelets.

— Okay, now I have a list of blitz questions for both of you. Just choose one. Offline or online?

Both: Online.

— Coffee or tea?

Both: Coffee.

— Pizza or pasta?

Both: Pasta.

— Jacket or sweater?

Both: Jacket.

— Sweet or sour?

Asher: Sour.

Ali: I love sweet things.

— Dine in or take away?

Both: Dine in definitely.

— Music or silence?

Asher: Silence.

Ali: Music definitely, I hate silence.

by Sophie She