The most powerful empires often rise from the most unexpected places. For Muse, the Dubai-born label that has captivated a global audience, its headquarters was a spare room in a family home. Its boardroom was the dining table. Its most cherished focus groups were two little girls draping themselves in swaths of fabric. Sisters Maryam and Sarah Fizel sit together, in their now famous HQ surrounded by moodboards, fabric swatches and shoot images as they tell the story of how they built an international brand, while navigating the beautiful, chaotic symphony of motherhood.
Muse emerged in 2021 from a pure, personal yearning. “It started from our own need,” Maryam recalls. “We were looking for abayas that were modern, elegant, and truly reflected our personal style, but we couldn’t find them.” Dissatisfied with the modesty wear available, the sisters began experimenting, their initial creative process a whirlwind of swatches and prototypes that overtook Maryam’s room. What began as a solution for their own wardrobes quickly resonated. “We made a few pieces for ourselves, and the response from friends and family was immediate. They all wanted one,” says Sarah. “That’s when we knew we were onto something.”
Their instinct was right. Their Instagram reels, showcasing unique prints and coordinated abaya-and-sheila sets, struck a chord far beyond their immediate circle, captivating fashion-conscious women worldwide. “It was surreal. One day we were packing orders on the living room floor, and the next, our notifications were exploding with orders from the US, the UK, Australia,” Sarah recounts. Almost overnight, their following expanded to over 90,000, and their Dubai home was inundated. Each garment was still packed with care from their now-famous spare-room-turned-global-headquarters, a testament to their hands-on ethos. “We were determined that every customer felt the love and intention we put into each piece, even if we were working around the clock to do it,” Maryam shares.
The Fizel sisters’ partnership is the bedrock of Muse, a study in complementary contrasts. Maryam, the older sister and a gifted mathematician, provides the structural integrity – the logistics, budgets, and operational spine. Sarah, the younger sister, is the creative visionary, driven by psychology and narrative, who gave the brand its unfiltered digital voice. “We balance each other out – she’s more creative, I’m more logical,” Maryam explains with a laugh. Their dynamic thrives on a friction that fuels innovation. “It’s the tension that makes it work,” Sarah confirms. “I dream, she decides. That’s how Muse survives.”
This delicate balance was profoundly tested and ultimately strengthened by motherhood. Maryam with her two daughters and Sarah with her one found their personal and professional worlds merging completely. The atelier became a nursery; business meetings were conducted with toddlers playing at their feet. “Motherhood stripped away the luxury of time,” Sarah reflects. The pressure of managing a viral brand with less than two hours of dedicated work time a day forced a crystalline clarity. Failure was no longer an option; every decision, from design to dispatch, became an exercise in profound intention.
In a digital era obsessed with polished perfection, Muse’s ascent was fueled by radical authenticity. Sarah’s approach to social media was to treat it like an open diary, sharing not only the flawless final products but also the messy, beautiful reality of their journey. “I never wanted to present a facade. We showed the late nights, the fabric spills, the kids running through the background. That was our real life,” she says. This vulnerability became their greatest asset. Followers weren’t just customers; they were confidantes, bearing witness to the real-life challenges and triumphs of two sisters building a brand while raising families.
Their designs, bold prints, unexpected textures, and elegantly coordinated sets, did the rest. The aesthetic, a masterful blend of timeless modesty and modern elegance, proved irresistible. It was a language of style that spoke to a generation of women seeking to express their identity without compromise, turning their Instagram feed into a destination for discovery.
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For the sisters, strength is defined by quiet perseverance. It is the daily choice to move forward, even amidst doubt and exhaustion. This ethos is woven into the very fabric of Muse’s legacy, which extends far beyond beautiful garments. From its inception, the brand has been rooted in a powerful mission of empathy. A portion of every collection’s proceeds supports orphans and humanitarian causes, a commitment that forms the brand’s unwavering moral compass. “This isn’t a marketing strategy; it is the very reason we push forward,” the duo affirm. As Sarah revealed, they share a “bigger vision with the belief that we could build a global brand with its heart in giving back. That gave us a reason to push when it felt easier to quit.”
The Muse woman embodies this spirit. She is confident without being performative, modern and intentional, not a blind follower to trends. She is the woman who sees herself reflected in the brand’s authenticity and finds a quiet power in its pieces. She is, as Sarah envisions, someone who “chooses what feels true to her, not what she’s told to wear.”
Looking forward, the sisters envision an expanded universe for the brand with plans to add modest dresses, co-ords, and perfumes into the mix – all created with the same unwavering ethos. But the core will remain. Muse is a testament to a different way of building: slowly, together, and with heart. It stands as proof that true influence is not measured in viral moments or revenue, but in the quiet impact of a garment made with intention, the strength of a community built on authenticity, and the profound hope offered to a child an ocean away.
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