Founded in 2017, Nemozena was first conceived as a marriage of Arabic tradition and classic Italian style. Like the sky and the sea meeting on the horizon, together to create a single colour.

The word ‘Nemozena’ can be broken down into two words. Nemo, derived from Latin meaning Nobody, and Zena, derived from the Greek word for Living. The original Greek word could be translated as ‘belonging or sacred to Zeus’, the ancient Greek God of Olympus. And from that single colour that embodied those two concepts, the sacred living and the unknown, emerged Nemozena.

This creative vision emerged from the mind of a young girl, who at around seven years old was inspired by the classic children’s stories she surrounded herself with—all with a female heroine at their centre.

The Nemozena journey was born from that moment. This young girl would spend hours sketching her own gowns inspired by the fashion of the eras she would immerse herself in. Lace. Ribbons. Ruffles. She borrowed fashion catalogues from the library, sketching elaborate designs for herself and her friends. And at the age of 13 years old, she worked with a private tailor and cutter to bring her ideas to reality. The Nemozena vision was coming to life.

Her name is Elmariah Hamed. Originally from the UAE, Elmariah spent much of her life observing the vast array of international influences and diverse identities of her surroundings.

Now that Nemozena exists as something beyond her imagination, she has chosen to remain behind the scenes of her label. The name, Nemozena (meaning sacred nobody) reflects her personal vision — to keep the label itself discreet and reserved and allow the focus to remain on the creative spirit and free expression.