Three months following the tragic death of Sharjah royal Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, his sister Sheikha Hoor announced she will be taking over his eponymous fashion line.
The brand - QASIMI - has been operating without its founder and creative director since the 39-year-old's passing in London earlier this summer. Now, his sister is set to head "all creative and business responsibilities alongside the brand’s head of design, Adam Rice."
In a statement on the matter, the brand stressed that Sheikha Hoor aims to honor her brother's vision and make sure his memory is kept alive.
"While bringing her artistic sensibility to Qasimi, Hoor will seek to maintain Khalid’s aesthetic, which was centred around the idea of an urban nomad and built upon the pillars of architecture, colour, military details and social-political messaging. She will strive to stay true to this messaging," it read.
The royal will present the brand's autumn/winter 2020 collection during London Fashion Week Men's in January 2020, as Khalid's last show. Sheikha Hoor will then present her own inaugural collection for spring/summer 2021 in June 2020.
The royal, who's the president and director of the emirate's Art Foundation (SAF), is one of the driving forces behind Sharjah's bustling cultural scene.
According to Harpers Bazaar Arabia, "she is passionate about the preservation of Sharjah’s heritage buildings and historic character." Over the course of her career, she has worked with international artists, historians, critics and curators is largely involved in the UAE's creative industries.
Al Qasimi's death shocked millions in July
In July, Al Qasimi was found dead at his home in London. Local police stated that his death was treated as "unexplained." A post-mortem examination performed at the time was inconclusive and authorities said additional tests needed to be carried out.
The UAE announced a three-day mourning period in the wake of the royal's passing. The Emirati prince was laid to rest in Jubail graveyard shortly after his death. Weeks after his death, officials in the UAE announced that a charity would be set up in Al Qasimi's name.
At the time, QASIMI announced the passing of its founder in a statement shared on its online platforms. The brand highlighted Sheikh Khalid's fruitful career, noting he had showcased his work on men's fashion at the London Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week.
According to the label, Sheikh Khalid was born in the UAE and raised in the UK, where he studied both architecture and fashion design at Central Saint Martins, a public tertiary art school in London.
"The design world has lost a great philosopher and artist," the statement read.