American-born designer Tala Ardalan is a self-taught powerhouse with a fashion line, children’s books and now a kid’s collection to her name.

Having arrived in Dubai in 1992, the young designer went on to release a sophisticated range of eye-catching couture in 2012, after studying Advertising at the American University of Dubai. In 2013, she launched the Tala Ardalan signature collection for Spring/Summer 14, which was lapped up by the city’s socialite scene, and all this despite having no formal training in design.

Ardalan continued her success by releasing a children’s book, the “Adventures of Tutu and Tantan” on which she collaborated with her close friend Tanya.