How One Footwear Designer Turned Plants Into Wearable Art
Dubai-based Katrine Hanna used her love and knowledge of plants to design sustainable footwear.
5. Inspiration in the Discarded, Katine Hanna x Google Art _ CultureDubai Culture & Arts Authority
The plant from down under
Australia's common Banksia tree held more than just beauty for Aboriginal people. Its flowers were used as brushes, while its nectar offered sweetness and medicinal benefits. Katrine, however, found inspiration in another part of the plant.
Portait of Katrine by Dubai Culture by Dubai CultureDubai Culture & Arts Authority
Along came Katrine
Katrine Hanna, a Dubai-based Australian-Lebanese designer, discovered a unique way to blend her love for plants with her passion for footwear.
2. First-Hand Footwear, Katrine Hanna x Google Art _ CultureDubai Culture & Arts Authority
Inspired by her homeland Flora
Katrine's Australian heritage fueled her fascination with the Banksia plant. During her studies at LCF, a late-night inspiration struck, sparking a creative vision to bring her botany-fuelled design to life.
1. First Steps, Katrine Hanna x Google Art _ CultureDubai Culture & Arts Authority
The Banksia's new purpose
Katrine collaborates with an Australian supplier who handpicks Banksia only after it has reached its natural end, extending the plant's use as a beautiful, wearable piece of art.
4. Dress To Impress, Katine Hanna x Google Art _ CultureDubai Culture & Arts Authority
The path to footwear
Katrine's journey to becoming a footwear designer started with a foundation year of exploration at London's Central Saint Martins. Footwear design emerged as her calling, offering a platform to blend her love for music, plants, and fabric into wearable art.
3. Opportunities in an Emerging Scene, Katine Hanna x Google Art _ CultureDubai Culture & Arts Authority
New Beginnings in Dubai
Katrine saw an opportunity in Dubai's evolving fashion landscape. Eager to contribute her skills and expertise, she embraced the challenge of shaping the city's style.
6. Fungi Fantastic - Katine Hanna x Google Art _ CultureDubai Culture & Arts Authority
Celebrating Fashion Individuality
Dubai's fashion scene has undergone a remarkable evolution over the past decade, witnessing increased visibility and demand, especially in women's wear and accessories.
7. Cindarella and Her Grandmother - Katine Hanna x Google Art _ CultureDubai Culture & Arts Authority
Fantasy in Every Design
Immersed in her grandmother's enchanting garden, she discovered a passion for fantasy. Penning letters to fairies and illuminating a whimsical lamp post nightly, she felt transported to a world of magic, laying the foundation for her enduring fascination.
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