As the country we call home celebrates its inspirational women on Emirati Women’s Day, MADAME Arabia highlights a new company that's run by an Emirati and Lebanese woman.

Ibrah Innovations was founded by Emirati designer Moza Saeed Al Junaibi and Lebanese entrepreneur Nerveen Al Jabban. More than just a business, Ibrah promises to be a tool for change.

The name itself carries weight. Ibrah meaning “needle” in Arabic is essential when crafting clothes. For Al Junaibi, it’s more than a metaphor... “I was just eleven years old when I sat beside my mother at the sewing table,” she recalls. “I discovered that sewing wasn’t just a skill, it was a passion. That tiny needle became a symbol for me: a small, simple tool with limitless potential. Fashion, to me, is memory, identity, and belonging. Ibrah Innovations is the continuation of that emotion, proof that simplicity can make a powerful difference.”

Al Jabban shares the same idea, although from a different angle. Her background is rooted in business and education, having founded NAJ Academy to support aspiring designers and later developing NAJ Tags, a platform which combines fashion with technology. “I’ve always believed that fashion isn’t just decoration, it’s a vehicle for expression and transformation,” she says. “The needle may be invisible, but it shapes everything we wear. How many small details have changed lives? How many simple moments sparked great stories?”

The two women’s paths crossed through their shared passion for design and entrepreneurship. The idea came up as they were discussing the challenges young designers were facing. “We met through our mutual passion for design and entrepreneurship,” they explain. “We realised that by combining our strengths, we could build something meaningful that would empower other designers and reshape the creative fashion ecosystem in the region.”

It is this unique combination of Emirati innovation and Lebanese creativity that defines Ibrah’s identity. “Our different cultural backgrounds are one of our greatest strengths,” the founders affirm. “The Lebanese artistic flair and openness to experimentation, combined with the Emirati spirit of innovation and precision, create a unique harmony. This blend allows Ibrah Innovations to appeal to diverse designers while staying rooted in cultural authenticity.”

Al Junaibi’s journey into fashion is outside the norm. After spending two decades of her life as a nurse, she decided to return to one of her childhood loves, design. Though influenced by global maisons, her aesthetic is firmly rooted in the Gulf. “It’s essential for a person to be honest with themselves, because uniqueness doesn’t come from copying others, but from discovering the beauty hidden within one’s own personality and soul,” she says.

Al Jabban, meanwhile, has made it her mission to empower through education and business. Whether through the Fashion Leadership Program at NAJ Academy or her ventures connecting brands to consumers, her focus has always been on giving creatives the right tools.

As a platform, Ibrah is a full-scale production house, offering everything from consulting and prototyping to branding, marketing, and distribution. It has been created to give designers confidence, resources, and to turn sketches into collections and ideas into sustainable businesses. “We would describe our design style as modern yet rooted in heritage,” the founders note. “Our style celebrates individuality, authenticity, and storytelling. We want each piece that comes from Ibrah Innovations to reflect not only aesthetics but also identity and cultural depth.”

Looking ahead, Ibrah Innovations is focused on collaborative collections with emerging regional designers, sustainable practices and mentorship initiatives that prepare young talents for long-term success. “In five years, we envision Ibrah Innovations as the go-to platform for designers in the Arab world,” they say. “We see ourselves expanding globally while remaining true to our roots, empowering designers to tell their stories and positioning Arab design on the international stage.”

From a humble needle to a bold vision, Ibrah Innovations is proof that sometimes the smallest details carry the greatest power...

Follow @ibrahinnovations