Stitched With Purpose: The Riachi Sisters Inspiring Journey Into Fashion
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Lama: I had just come through my battle with cancer, and I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the support I had during my treatment. I wanted to channel that experience into something meaningful, and fashion became the medium. It wasn’t just about clothes; it was about resilience, about attitude, about purpose. At the same time, I was reassessing my role as creative director in a global advertising agency, questioning what truly mattered.
Lys: And I was the willing accomplice! I had stepped away from my corporate executive role to pursue a Global Executive MBA, and part of the program included an assignment in New York with Calvin Klein. That experience planted a seed. Around the same time, Lama and I were at a crossroads. If we were going to do something, it had to have meaning. Fashion wasn’t just an industry to us – it was a way to make a statement, to push boundaries and to create change.
Lama: BLSSD is a beautifully defiant act – against adversity, against limitations, against an often-indifferent world. It’s an antidote to the idea that fashion is just fashion. We don’t do ‘loud’ for the sake of it, and we don’t blindly follow trends. Instead, we challenge how fashion is worn, perceived and experienced.
Lys: Our pieces aren’t designed for social media likes – they’re designed for second glances. The kind that makes someone ask, “Where did you get that?” – it’s fashion that doesn’t need to announce itself but still leaves an impression. Directly for our wearers and indirectly for our support group, Blessed (together).
Lama: Fashion was always something we gravitated towards, but not in the traditional sense. We weren’t chasing runways or fashion weeks – we were drawn to the way clothes could make a person feel. Success for us was never about status or industry accolades; it was about impact.
Lys: Fashion and philanthropy weren’t always part of our lives, at least not in an obvious way. But when Lama’s battle with cancer became the catalyst for BLSSD, it reshaped everything. We realised that fashion could be a vehicle for something bigger. We don’t see BLSSD as just a brand; it’s a statement, a purpose and a challenge to what fashion can be.
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Lama: When we design, we start with a mood, an idea, a texture, a feeling, a silhouette or sometimes a contradiction that sparks curiosity. It could be a structure we want to challenge or a detail that holds a hidden narrative. Design, for us, isn’t linear – it’s instinctual.
Lys: We don’t follow a strict formula; we leave room for accidental magic. Sometimes, the unexpected becomes the defining element of a piece. Everything we create must have meaning – it needs to carry an attitude, evoke a feeling or challenge a perspective. We’re not here to follow trends; we’re here to create pieces that stand out in the crowd.
Lys: Being in Dubai also inspires us. It is a city of extremes – contrasts that shouldn’t work together but somehow do. Hyper-modern architecture sits next to raw desert landscapes; luxury and grit exist side by side. That duality is very BLSSD, structured yet fluid, refined yet raw. We take those tensions and translate them into pieces that feel effortless but intentional.
Lama: The best inspiration is often found in the unexpected. We pull from movement, stillness, architecture, music, industrial design, even silence. Sometimes, what’s not there is just as compelling as what is.
Lama: My favourite piece from the BLSSD AW25 collection would be our Bella Shirt with tie and slouchy suit pants. It’s effortless, sharp and a little undone in the best way.
Lys: Mine is the closing look, our Half Pleated Strapless Dress. It’s structured but fluid, minimal but bold.
Lys: I always get compliments on our Parachute Pants and Duotone Asymmetric Blazer – unexpected proportions, effortless edge. It’s one of those pieces that look different on everyone, which is what makes it special.
Lama: Mine has to be stacked belts because they disrupt expectations. Architectural, unconventional and always a conversation starter.
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Lama: If Lys and I shared a closet, we’d still wear things completely differently. I lean towards minimalism with an edge – silhouettes that speak without needing embellishment. I like pieces that feel effortless but confident, where structure meets ease. It’s about balance, refined but never rigid.
Lys: I take that minimalism and throw in unexpected styling twists. I love playing with proportions and layering in ways that make you rethink how something is worn. Tailored meets deconstructed. If Lama is ‘intelligent restraint,’ I’m ‘strategic unpredictability.’
Lama: A trend I’m excited to see this year is the return of precision tailoring – but done with a disruptive edge. Structure with subversion, clean lines with unexpected breaks.
Lys: Mine would be sculptural jewellery – bold, industrial, unfinished. Pieces that feel like wearable architecture, challenging the idea of delicate accessories.
Lama: A fashion icon who has helped shape my design philosophy isRei Kawakubo – pushing boundaries without explanation. In saying that, Dover Street Market is also my favourite retail experience. It's more than a boutique; it’s an evolving concept, an experience. Every visit feels different.
Lys: Phoebe Philo is timeless yet feels entirely modern.
Lama and Lys: Vanina is also a Middle Eastern brand that we admire and find inspiring.
Lys: A must-have piece when I travel is our BLSSD Oversized Vegan Leather Blazer with signature drawstring stoppers – effortlessly cool and endlessly versatile. And a particular accessory that I am hoping to add to my personal collection would be glasses from Phoebe Philo.
Lama: A biker jacket with chunky zips – because attitude is always in fashion.
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Lys: If we could collaborate with any other fashion brand/ designer it would be Jacquemus – his authenticity and free-spirited design ethos feel aligned with ours.
Lys: Our fashion guilty pleasure? Birkenstocks, ugly but irresistible.
Lama: Everything with a hoodie – comfort meets edge.
Lys: And a favourite everyday shoe that I would wear with a BLSSD look? The Margiela Tabi shoes.
Lama: I would pick Amiri trainers.
Lama: For anyone looking to get into the fashion world, my advice is this, fashion is not just about making clothes – it’s about telling a story, shifting perspectives and creating something that resonates. Don’t chase trends, chase ideas. Have a point of view, refine it and stay true to it. The industry doesn’t need more of the same; it needs originality with substance.
Lys: And be prepared for the long game. Creativity is one thing, resilience is another. The best designers are the ones who adapt, push through setbacks, and never lose sight of why they started in the first place. There’s no shortcut to authenticity.
Lama: As for BLSSD, evolution is always on the horizon. We’re expanding on the idea of understated disruption with new silhouettes and testing unexpected textural elements. Look out for more collaborations that challenge the norms. We’re also in discussions regarding new markets and how to bring BLSSD to a wider audience.
Lys: Expect the unexpected. We’re pushing deeper into functional luxury, finding new ways to balance, structure and movement. We are also expanding our accessories range, bringing more statement pieces that reflect our design ethos. Beyond that, we’re exploring more crossover projects. Watch this space.
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