Linen is Luxe

Who doesn’t love being wrapped in a luxe fabric? And, when it’s made from linen, it’s all the better!. There are many reasons why linen has draped the shoulders of humankind for millennia, from its longevity to its health properties. At ZALXNDRA, the premium fashion label born in Dubai with global roots, exquisitely embroidered garments of uncompromising quality and luxurious comfort are crafted using this miracle fabric.

Linen is one of the oldest known fabrics in the world. Made from fibres of the flax plant stem, linen gets its name from the Latin for the flax plant, which is linum, and the Greek, linon. Throughout history, it has been a favorite of those in power. Priests and kings used it for ceremonial dressing. Egyptian mummies were often found wrapped in linen for its durability and symbolic meaning attached to wealth. Today it is personified with luxury and used in five-star hotels for bedding and kitchen linen.

Linen fabric is cool and breathable making it perfect for summer. This is due to the natural properties of the hollow flax fibre that allows air to circulate freely and move around the moisture that builds up. The more it is washed, the softer it gets. In the winter, when wearing linen clothing or sleeping under a linen duvet cover, you will notice it keeps you cosy and warm because linen retains heat from the body.

Linen is known to be the strongest natural fiber in the world. It is 30% thicker and stronger than cotton, which makes it super durable and contributes the linen items’ longevity and is also the reason why some of us have some linen heirlooms passed down in the family for generations.

Beyond its natural aesthetic appeal, linen is also known for its healing properties. Because it wicks moisture and dries out much faster than cotton, it does not let bacteria build up. People who suffer from allergies report feeling relieved when using linen. Not only can it help regulate body temperature, but it is also hypoallergenic and a natural antiseptic that can kill bacteria, reduce inflammation and, as a bandage, even help heal abrasions more quickly. Being 100% natural, totally biodegradable and recyclable means it helps keep the earth healthy too.

For those of you who are environmentally conscious and want to do your bit to save the planet, linen is the perfect choice as it is one of the greenest fabrics around! Linen is made from the resilient flax plant, which can grow in poor-quality soil and requires far less water than plants such as cotton. The flax plant is also used to make various types of products, from linseed oil to food for livestock, and even wood-finishing products. Linen is completely biodegradable, so once you decide to finally retire a linen garment, you can be confident you won’t be creating long-lasting waste. All ZALXNDRA clothing is made in an ecologically friendly way using highly ethical, zero-waste manufacturing methods, with fine linen sourced from a certified environmentally friendly and safety-conscious European supplier.

It is easy to see why linen is ZALXNDRA’s fabric of choice. It only gets better with age, becoming softer and more supple with every wear, while holding its original shape. From hand-embroidered linen dresses showcasing a creative and playful twist on traditional stitching, to machine-embroidered linen garments, contemporary linen pieces without embroidery, and other lighter options – each garment tells its own story, makes the wearer feel good while looking good, and keeps the planet healthy.

An excellent addition to your wardrobe, its naturally beautiful wrinkles, anti-static quality and ability to repel dirt make it a low-maintenance piece to pull out and wear with no fuss.

One historical fashionista who was drawn to the undeniably easy-going charms of linen was Marie-Antoinette, who popularised simple, white linen dresses in the 1780s. Seeking a more relaxed look from the cumbersome and ornate high fashion of Versailles, she took inspiration from the clothing of country women to create the linen robe en gaulle to be worn in private and the robe en bergère, which she favoured at her bijou palace, Petit Trianon.

ZALXNDRA harmoniously unites innovation and modernity with a rich heritage of handicrafts in embroidered linen garments. For creative minds, intrepid souls and connoisseurs of the exceptional, these special pieces are the result of passion and creativity, made to explore and complement the magic of the world alongside its wearer.

Working with a highly skilled team at a boutique atelier, each piece is hand-crafted by a woman who is filled with care and passion for the craft, hyper-focused on details. At times taking up to two months to complete a dress, each is handled by only one talented and experienced embroiderer to maintain a consistent needlework style. Materials are sourced from around Europe, all of it sustainable and biodegradable, to create limited runs of finely produced dresses that eschew the waste and impersonal quality of large cookie-cutter productions.

There is also a beautifully crafted array of hand embroidered and machine-embroidered children’s pieces to choose from, with highly anticipated men’s options set to be unveiled very soon.

Worn by intellectual women who are artistic, open-minded, and adventurous souls; who value the most exceptional qualities that life has to offer and appreciate the effort put into a lovingly created garment, ZALXNDRA is for the aesthetically mindful.

ZALXNDRA’s unique designs can be purchased at the Zalxndra.com online boutique and at Ounass.ae.