Who Is SemSem? Abeer Al Otaiba and the New York Eveningwear House

SemSem is a New York eveningwear label founded in October 2015 by Abeer Shoukry Al Otaiba, who is still its creative director. It is known for pressed plissé gowns, hand set crystal, silk kaftans and a strong offer for modest dressing, and every season it supports a non-profit for women and children. Shop the house at SemSem at Coveti, browse our designer evening gowns, then read the SemSem dresses guide for the pieces to know first.

Key facts

• Founded: October 2015, by Abeer Shoukry Al Otaiba (founder and creative director)
• Based in: New York, with pieces made in New York City and in select cities abroad, some in Italy
• Name: SemSem means sesame seed in Arabic, a nickname for the founder’s daughter Samia
• Known for: plissé lamé gowns, Swarovski crystal, sequins, kaftans, the triangle and lotus motifs
• Sizes: US 0 to 14 for most gowns (UK 4 to 18); kaftans and shirt dresses in Small, Medium and Large
• At Coveti: dresses, gowns, kaftans, plissé separates and jumpsuits, shipped worldwide

What does the name SemSem mean?

SemSem is the Arabic word for sesame seed. It was the family nickname for Abeer Al Otaiba’s daughter Samia, and the house designs a girls’ line next to the womenswear. The family thread shows in the clothes. They are made to be worn at family occasions as much as on a red carpet, and they assume the woman wearing them wants to move, sit and dance in them all night.

Who is Abeer Al Otaiba?

Abeer Shoukry Al Otaiba was born in Alexandria and grew up in Egypt, went to French schools and took a degree in civil engineering before she ever designed a dress. She then spent years living in the Emirates before building SemSem in New York. You can see each chapter in the work. The engineering shows in the way the pleats are set and the bodices are built; the French schooling shows in the restraint of the cut; the Gulf years show in the generous kaftans and the long sleeved, high necked options that make SemSem a quiet favourite for evenings in the Gulf.

Where are SemSem clothes made?

The house says its pieces are made in New York City and in select cities around the world; some styles are made in Italy. Many gowns are made to order, and SemSem quotes two to three weeks from its New York atelier for those. At Coveti we show the delivery estimate on each product page, so check it there before you plan around a date.

The SemSem signatures

Plissé and lamé

Heat pressed pleats are the house handwriting. Look at the Gold Pleated Metallic Lamé Gown, a column of fine gold pleats that catches light at every step, and the Cape-Effect Plissé-Lamé Gown in Silver, which adds a cape to the same idea. The pleat gives these gowns a natural stretch across the body, which is why they are easier to fit than they look. Our pleated and plissé dresses puts them next to pleated gowns from other houses.

Crystal and sequins

SemSem sets Swarovski crystal along necklines, cords and straps rather than covering a whole dress. The Silver Plissé Dress with Crystal Rope uses a single crystal rope; the Stretch Crepe Mini Dress in Black keeps the crystal to the bust line of a black crepe mini. When the house does go full sequin, as on the Pleated Gold Sequin Tulle Gown, it pleats the tulle underneath so the dress still moves. See more in our sequin dresses edit.

Kaftans

The SemSem kaftan is closed, floor length and cut like a gown, so we file it with dresses. The Gathered Viscose Jersey Kaftan Dress in Emerald in emerald jersey and the Navy Silk Chiffon Kaftan Dress with its cape back are the two to know. Our kaftan dresses edit compares them with kaftans from Taller Marmo and Oscar de la Renta.

Triangle and lotus

Two motifs recur in the jewellery like details: the triangle and the lotus flower. They appear as crystal shapes, as buttons and in the line of a neckline.

Is SemSem good for modest dressing?

Yes. A large share of the collection covers the arms and the legs: kaftans, long sleeved gowns, high necklines and floor lengths are standard, not a separate capsule. If you need full coverage, look at the kaftans, the Pleated Metallic Maxi Dress with its long sleeves and V neck, and layer a slip under the sheerer pieces. Our modest evening dresses and modest wedding guest dresses guides go further.

Philanthropy

SemSem pairs each season with a non-profit that supports women and children. Partners have included Every Mother Counts, Women for Women International, Angele.H International and The Afya Foundation.

What to buy first

• For a black tie wedding: the Engineered Plissé Bustier Maxi Dress in Navy, a sculpted navy plissé bustier column. More ideas in our black tie dresses guide.
• For New Year’s Eve: the Gold Sequin Sunray Gown in gold sequins. See our New Year’s Eve dresses.
• For a cocktail party: the Draped Pleated Metallic Silk-Blend Crepe Mini Dress, a draped metallic mini.
• For Eid and family occasions: the One Shoulder Ombré Sequin Kaftan, one shoulder and ombré sequins in a kaftan shape.
• Separates: the Gold Sunray Plissé Maxi Skirt with the Gold & Silver Foil Plissé Top.

How SemSem compares

SemSem sits closest to Safiyaa for clean structure, to Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad for evening glamour, and to Taller Marmo for the kaftan. It is lighter on embellishment than the Beirut houses and more fluid than the London ones. Our brands like SemSem lays the options out side by side.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns SemSem?

SemSem was founded in 2015 by Abeer Shoukry Al Otaiba, who remains its founder and creative director. The label is based in New York.

What does SemSem mean?

SemSem is Arabic for sesame seed. It was the nickname of the founder’s daughter, Samia.

Where is SemSem made?

The house makes its pieces in New York City and in select cities abroad, some in Italy. Made to order gowns take about two to three weeks.

Is SemSem a modest fashion brand?

SemSem is an eveningwear label, but much of the collection is modest by design: kaftans, long sleeves, high necklines and floor lengths. It is a strong choice for Gulf weddings, Eid and Ramadan evenings.

How does SemSem sizing work?

Most gowns run in US sizes 0 to 14, which is UK 4 to 18. Kaftans and shirt dresses come in Small, Medium and Large. Our SemSem size guide has the full conversion.

Where can I buy SemSem?

Coveti stocks SemSem dresses, gowns, kaftans and separates with worldwide shipping. Shop the full edit at SemSem at Coveti.