About

Dara Hamarneh, a cosmopolitan nurtured in diverse Middle Eastern locales, developed an eye for fashion from an early age, musing over the range of luxury bags that were part of her mother’s closet. Today, those vintage treasures, with enduring shapes and timeless designs, inspire Dara's commitment to 'clean and seasonless' silhouettes through her own brand.

As an inspired young designer, having started the brand at 23 years old, Hamarneh is part of a new wave in fashion dedicated to a "doing better" ethos, embracing a return to the principles of 'slow fashion' that prioritizes quality design, modern aesthetics, and sustainable materials.

A graduate of the multidisciplinary fashion program at the Florence based Polimoda, Hamarneh draws inspiration from the natural wonders of the Middle East, blending the clean minimalism of the 90s with futuristic 60s space-age silhouettes. Influenced by design luminaries like Issey Miyake and Pierre Cardin, she envisions a contemporary world founded on quality design, social responsibility, and environmental consciousness.

Initiating her brand with signature shapes – the Valletta and Tube – Hamarneh has expanded her collection to encompass a range of luxury bags, seamlessly combining elegance with functionality. These products are meticulously crafted in limited quantities by hand, at a small factory in Italy, where an appreciation for craft still thrives. This deliberate limitation ensures impeccable craftsmanship and leaves a lasting impression, reflecting our commitment to creating products that transcend trends and endure a lifetime.

At the heart of our philosophy is a commitment to crafting products of high quality at a fair price, making artisanal excellence accessible and appreciated. We are devoted to creating not just accessories but enduring pieces of art that stand the test of time.

The Essentials in Taupe - darahamarneh

Ethics

Social responsibility and sustainable consciousness for the environment, labour and materials, from idea to execution, stands at the heart of the Dara Hamarneh brand: in a time when the term ‘sustainable’ is often loosely used, Hamarneh explains brand practices all under one umbrella of ‘ethics.’ 

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Designer Dara Hamarneh is focused on creating an environmentally responsible company. ‘I can’t imagine a world where everything is disposable. I am happy to be part of something that reshapes how people think, even subtly.’ (Forbes) Our collections are based on ‘slow fashion’. We produce in limited quantities and take as many pre-orders as possible so that no product goes to waste.

Materials

  • All raw materials are 100% traceable. 
  • Zero Waste Policy: we make use of all materials and do not waste any fabric in the design process. 
  • The 925: this new model was launched using only surplus material leftover from previous production. 
  • Leather Working Group: the leather used by Dara Hamarneh is only sourced from particular suppliers, the tannery used is gold standard certified by the LWG, which demands the highest standards for water conservation, energy usage, traceability and chemical management, from rawhide to finished leather. 
  • Leather: all leather used by Hamarneh is 90% bio-based and certified by USDA. 
  • Hardware: All chrome free and sourced in Italy.

Production

  • We continuously research styles, shapes and colours, influenced by vintage designer collections (See About section) that will stand the test of time without being trend led. 
  • We utilise 3D rendering techniques where possible to realise colour schemes and new models, where possible, to reduce waste and leftover material. 
  • We continue to evolve with new developments in sustainable practices – to ensure a transparency throughout all levels of the supply chain.

Labour

It is of the highest importance to Hamarneh that all factory workers get paid above average, even though this means higher production costs, to ensure we don’t profit at others expense.