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Dutch Moroccan Egyptian model Imaan Hammam has teamed up with Moroccan eyewear brand Port Tanger for a collection of two silhouettes which are inspired by the singer Umm Kulthum and Hammam's mom.
“Composed of two unique silhouettes, Hammam’s frames are an homage to two of the strongest women she knows. ‘Umm,’ a cat-eye frame, draws its name from legendary Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum. ‘M’Barka,’ a wide 70s-style frame, takes the name of Hammam’s mother,” a description on the brand’s Instagram account read.
The model explained her inspiration on the Port Tanger's Instagram post, "‘M’Barka’, a wide 70s-style frame, takes the name of Hammam’s mother. “It comes from the word mabrook”, she says, “which means congratulations. I also have that tattooed. But it’s also my mum’s name. And when I was making this collaboration, the first person that I thought of, who I love and who I think is my icon, is my mother. And back in the 70s and 80s, my mom was a fashionista. So she’s been a big inspiration for me too.”
The handcrafted eyewear brand was founded by Bilal Fellah and his creative partner Daniël Sumarna and takes its inspiration from the northern Moroccan port city of Tanger.
"I’m really proud of my heritage, so I try to put it into everything I do in my life and my career." Imaan Hammam
Recently, the brand also collaborated with NYC-based interior stylist and furniture dealer Michael Bargo, as well as American artist Marcus Brutus. Their shades have been spotted on quite a few celebrities lately, including US rapper ASAP Rocky, and model Nora Attal.
Hammam was photographed by photographer Bibi Borthwick alongside her mother and sister for the campaign.
The model admitted on Instagram that her life “has been a journey of finding my roots as a Moroccan-Egyptian. The older I’m getting the more I realise the importance of speaking out and sharing where I come from, and my people. I’m really proud of my heritage, so I try to put it into everything I do in my life and my career. For me, doing this was also celebrating the fact that Arabs are doing so amazingly at this time, and I feel like there aren’t that many people that come together and unite and support each other.”
Hammam, who is currently much in demand, was first discovered at Amsterdam’s Central Station before making her debut in 2013 by walking in the Jean Paul Gaultier’s couture show. As well as being a runway model, she has also been featured on the pages of Vogue and has appeared in campaigns for DKNY, Celine, Chanel, Versace, Givenchy and Giorgio Armani.
Check out the Port Tanger website to purchase a pair -- or two!
