Nasiba Hafiz has definitely been on your social media timeline if you follow fashion in Saudi Arabia. Her charming and always smiling on and off camera demeanor is a trademark for her fashion line. In the upcoming interview, we found out Hafiz is the epitome of delight, strength and adventure. Unlike many of her contemporaries, Hafiz is surprisingly humble, her unconventional spirit- genuine. She makes no fuss about the delayed start to our interview. Going through what interests and inspires her, she talks about fashion designing, family, meditating, art, traveling and also music. So what plays repeatedly on her playlist? “The Weeknd. His track from 50 Shades of Grey,” she admitted at that time, as we quickly moved on to her world of fashion. “Well firstly, I am a designer, mother, sister and daughter. I wanted to do fashion design since I was 12 years old. I went to university and then applied to Central Saint Martins in London,” she told Saudi Gazette. Having studied fashion photography and styling, the designer went on to launch her brand three years ago in Jeddah, which quickly gained popularity. Hafiz had identified the gap in the market and launched a contemporary ready-to-wear collection in Saudi Arabia. “There was no such thing as ready-to-wear in the region at the time. Nothing that I liked. I had the confidence due to my experience and so went ahead with it.” Her recent ‘Harajuku' collection, which is named after the famous fashion avenue in Japan, is a contemporary concept. “I was intrigued by the Japanese culture and the way they dress. It is conservative yet colorful, cool and eccentric. Harajuku is a shopping district in Japan where many young people shop. It is inspired by street style, which I love as well.” Having never visited Japan, how did she come up with the collection? “Well I am inspired by many things, including fabrics. I came across these Japanese fabrics and felt very inspired to create something. You will see there is so much Japanese influence in this collection from the weather to the flowers that bloom there- including the cherry blossoms.” She admitted Gwen Stefani, Madonna and the 90's inspired her to envision the collection. Hafiz is aware of her growing popularity and is excited to see its increasing international presence this year. But all of this did not come easy to her. Hafiz had her share of the struggle. She has gone through some life-changing experiences. Some so strong, that changed the course of her life. She fought back knowing it's how you handle adversity, not how it affects you. “Just like that, my work is a celebration of life and the present.” There were academic difficulties too, Hafiz mentioned. Going back to her Saint Martins application, Hafiz revealed that upon its rejection, she felt dissuaded and continued working for 10 years straight. “At 18, you get discouraged when that happens. But I still worked in the same industry. I went to London College of Fashion but I did not want to do fashion design anymore. It was either I got into women's wear at Central Saint Martin's or nothing.” But what seemed impossible at that time became a truth in the coming years. “Eventually after 10 years of doing everything, I did a fashion design course, studied ‘how to run and start your own fashion label' and then launched mine in 2012.” Her ready to wear collection was welcomed with open arms. “I wanted to find something that wasn't around. People were doing abayas and cupcakes.” Hafiz designed this collection for those who are working, have a busy schedule but still want to dress well. “So she could simply change the look by just slipping heels on if there is no time to change. I wanted it to be very feminine and still a little conservative. And also something suitable for the weather in the region.” If you are looking for unique ways to wear her pieces, just log on to her Instagram page to see how she styles each one. You will be surprised. Must-haves from Nasiba Hafiz Recollecting her thoughts, she said the 50's dress was the first thing she designed. “I wanted people to wear it and be comfortable even if they wore it with an open abaya. It was comfortable, a bit conservative yet feminine.” So what is a typical day in the life of a successful Saudi designer like? “Well, I have a beautiful son who is five-years-old now. As a mother, you always want to be your best. So I work from home and it can be a little challenging to be great at both. But I try. I absolutely love traveling and feel guilty if I ever have to be without him,” she explained. Conclusively, Hafiz described her brand as “colorful, feminine, fun, spiritual, just being alive and present.” What she does not realize is that, these terms truly sum up Nasiba Hafiz herself. In a way, her journey is a depiction of what George Bernard Shaw once said: “Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” We know she did. Find the Harajuku collection alongside her new bisht inspired ‘hub' abayas made with love at The Store in Jeddah. Website http://nasibahafiz.com/ Instagram @nasibahafiz
