A natural dye made from plant leaves, henna has been for religious festivals and special occasions across South Asia, North Africa and the Middle East for thousands of years. Dubai-based designer Azra Khamissa's modern and minimalist designs take a more contemporary approach to the ancient art. Scroll through to see more of Khamissa's modern henna designs.
Azra Khamissa
Khamissa's designs include line drawings of faces, flowers and landscapes. Her simple, striking style has gained her more than 100,000 followers on Instagram.
Abdulla El Maz
Khamissa also puts a contemporary spin on traditional designs, such as the Arabic "rubeya" (disc in the center of the palm) and "rawayeb" (tinted fingertips).
Azra Khamissa
Henna takes around four hours to dry, and lasts for around 10 to 14 days before fading from the skin.
Azra Khamissa
Khamissa has worked with big-name brands on bespoke designs for events and photo shoots, including sports apparel giant Nike.
Azra Khamissa
Khamissa hopes her designs will show people that henna can be a casual, everyday accessory like makeup and manicures.
Azra Khamissa
Jagua is a blackish-blue dye made from the juices of the Amazonian jagua fruit. Khamissa uses this natural dye for some of her designs, which "look more like a tattoo" than traditional orange-brown henna dye.
Azra Khamissa
Henna is often used in Islamic and Hindu wedding celebrations. Khamissa's pared-back designs appeal to brides looking for a more contemporary look, while still engaging with tradition.
Azra Khamissa
Khamissa says she takes inspiration from nature, including the desert landscapes surrounding Dubai.
Azra Khamissa
Her grandmother loves her minimalist landscapes and topographical line drawings, even though she has a more "traditional eye," says Khamissa.
