As we celebrate International Women's Day this week, we want to highlight the many women who have been part of our Gentlewomen Series. Loujain is a mother, a renowned figure in fashion, beauty and lifestyle, MTV Lebanon personality and our recent brand ambassador in our upcoming capsule collection, Aldana. Originally from Lebanon and now residing in the United Arab Emirates, she embodies a true gentle woman, confident, kind-hearted and mindful.
When asked what she learned most during this past year is not to take privileges for granted, valuing quality over quantity and most importantly treasuring each moment with her darling daughters, "Spending quality time with my daughters and watching them grow by the day is priceless. Appreciating those little moments made me reconnect with myself and got me on a natural high."
Launching officially in Galeries Lafayette Dubai to celebrate International Women’s Day, this campaign was a beautiful creative collaboration of Middle Eastern talent, including not only Loujain Adada, but also Jeff Aoun styling it beautifully, the magic touch of Melanie Meyer, and captured by the talented Hosein DL and Alireza YA.
Motherly Instincts
What do you love the most about being a mother? How has this shifted during the pandemic?
Being a mom is a blessing and having kids is a full-time job. I always make sure to prioritize my daughters’ needs first and guide them throughout the right path. I can’t say I am a perfect mom but I do my best and sometimes, actually most of the times, I feel I am not doing enough. That is what keeps me motivated and pushes me to be a better person, an idol for them.
Motherhood is full of real, pure and unconditional love. They are growing to become my best friends. My girls are my biggest pride, my joy and my home.
How are you and your daughters getting inspiration these days? Do you have an activity you are all now fond of?
Everything around us is an inspiration; nature, movies, art, books, and one another. There is not one specific activity that the three of us are fond of, but recently, we mostly enjoy baking and dancing together. And they just love dressing up in my wardrobe and pretending they are the mommies.
What does being a gentle woman mean to you?
A gentle woman is a character, a personality, an attitude and a mood. She is mindful, sensitive, sophisticated, charming and motivated. She is the mother, the sister and the daughter. She is still this girl deep inside. Whatever her role in life is and no matter all the challenges she confronts, she turns to be more confident, kind-hearted, and keeps on seeing beauty everywhere. That is the definition of a gentle woman.
Who is your role model? Why?
Every woman is a role model in her own way. Leave alone the woman that has fought for herself, her family, her career, her beliefs, her dreams and her passion, that is for me, a true inspirational role model.
What is it that got your attention in our work?
I would say the unique and exquisite designs of MDLR is what captured my attention the most. I admire colorful pieces that have character, attitude, stand out and have a story behind it. It is just up to you to decide which story to tell and how to carry it.
What stands to you the most about MDLR designs?
Mostly MDLR’s values. These bags are a constant reminder that we, women, are strong and can do anything we set our minds to. It takes action, perseverance, it takes gaining confidence by facing our fears, and most likely to break our limits. The only limits are those that we impose upon ourselves. The gentle woman is a collection by strong women for fearless women. We rise by lifting one another and that is why empowered women must always empower other women.
Quality Over Quantity
What have you learned about yourself during this pandemic?
Patience, gratitude and inner growth are a must. Who would have thought that this pandemic would actually teach us this much!
I learned a lot during the past year, mostly not to take our privileges for granted. As much as this situation separated us from our beloved ones, it actually got us closer to them.
What is life like for you right now?
Colorful, positive, vibrant, and full of hope for better days. Quality over quantity. As one of my dearest friends always say “I am allergic to negative energy." I now invest my time more wisely and I am more focused on what is best for my family and myself.
What are your 2020 high and lows?
Spending quality time with my daughters and watching them grow by the day is priceless. Appreciating those little moments made me reconnect with myself and got me on a natural high.
As for the lows, what can I say... I cannot think of anything other than the pandemic that struck the entire world and put it at freeze. Nevertheless, the most saddening and painful was witnessing the third biggest explosion in the world, in my beloved home country, Lebanon... It left us all traumatized and heartbroken. God bless us all.
If you were to go on a vacation right now, where would you go? Why?
Anywhere I can feel free and disconnected. I want to walk barefoot, watch the sunrise and the sunset, enjoy the little things, and feel and flow with the energy that surrounds us. I just want to reconnect with Mother Nature that we have hurt so much. This is what makes us alive. The world itself has so much beauty to offer everywhere you go. It doesn’t matter where you are, as long as you have the mindset and the eye for it.
How would you describe your own personal style?
My outfits depend on my mood. When I have to dress up for an occasion, I am so down for it. But, on a normal day, you would see me in my sweatpants or in casual attire and trainers.
I love to make a statement with the accessories and especially with the bag that I am carrying. It is all about the small details, isn’t it?
What is your ideal “me time” session? How do you unwind after a hectic day?
My ideal "me time" is yoga, I feel a sense of harmony and connection with the world that infuses my consciousness.
Shopping could do me so good too to be quite honest. And I wouldn’t mind a day at the spa every now and then.
*This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
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