Flair Magazine An Egyptian up and coming fashion brand producing original pieces, Aitch by Habeiba is striving to reform classic silhouettes and designs, bringing chic back to Ready To Wear. We talk with the founder and designer of the brand Habeiba Soliman about her fascination with fashion from a young age and her aim to bring polished chic to casual wear.
What led you to pursue fashion as a career?
It was totally random for me. I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up other than a fashion designer. I remember watching Raghda, the actress, as a little kid talk about how her daughter studied fashion design abroad before it was ever a thing in Egypt. I remember asking my mom about it and the fact that I loved the hype that goes on backstage at a fashion show. I was really interested in the fashion industry but it’s not like I had a knack for designing to begin with. I finished school and I wanted to start applying to fashion programs abroad but my parents didn’t approve. They said I could take extra fashion courses after graduating with a business degree or something as solid. A month after graduation, I was attending classes at ESMOD’s Dubai campus.
Before travelling, I had started studying fashion from YouTube videos at home and put together a portfolio because I didn’t want to start from scratch at fashion school. I had a feeling everyone would be so much more advanced than I was, so I made it my business to discover my own talent before I even got there.
Who inspires you the most?
I love Victoria Beckham’s style, as a person and as a designer, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I would buy all her designs. I might admire how a piece looks and her creative thought process behind it but not go for it myself. I pride myself on making my designs as original as possible.
Describe your style aesthetic
I usually go for casual chic. When I was first launching my brand, I discovered that what was missing in the market is mainly casual chic. The only resort I had as a shopper was a mass-market brand like Zara, where I would find two other girls wearing my outfit at the same event because there no other options for the casual chic look. I also got that casual design mindset from ESMOD because it’s what we usually worked on there. I design customized evening gowns, as well, but I wouldn’t refer to them as my main focus.
Tell us about your creative process
I try my best not to be distracted with what’s going on in the market. I don’t want my mind to conform to the trends. I want to think for myself and figure out what’s missing in the market for me, as an individual shopper. I want my designs to be so different from what’s already being offered because this is how I grow as a designer. You know how velvet was everywhere last fall? I feel like we abuse trends like that because you’ll find every designer in Egypt basically producing the exact same thing and you really want to stand out in that context. Sometimes, I obviously do pick a few details from trends to be inspired by, but then again, I never have to. I put together a “mood board” to keep my team focused on where the collection is meant to go. Then, I experiment with the fabrics that would best embody that mood, and I start asking the suppliers for the chosen material.
In your latest collection, which pieces are you most proud of?
The green ruffled-up dress, which happens to be our bestseller, followed by a set of a skirt and crop top and white shirt.
What are the greatest challenges that faced you in your fashion career so far?
My clients usually have a certain idea of what they want when they come to me. They usually want a copy of what they already see on models and on social media. I like to encourage them to let me be more creative and original because I feel we as Egyptian need to become trendsetters for a change instead of following every single trend coming in from abroad. A challenge is definitely presented when it comes to my clients letting go of that mindset and allowing me to create something more special and more flattering to their body types.
Why did you to choose to incorporate unusual fabrics and inspirations such as menswear and scuba diving fabrics in your designs?
I thought that in order to establish the brand as something unique, I have to think outside the box, so this was like my differentiating edge. I saw those fabrics in the market and I was able to picture them incorporated in certain pieces so I just went for it!
How did you come to the decision to produce limited pieces per design? How does it affect your demand?
A friend of mine, who was actually the manager of Bambah Boutique, told me that in order to stand out as a brand, you have to give your clients a sense of exclusivity. At the end of the day, clients don’t want a million other girls walking around in the same outfit as theirs. She advised me to build that type of identity for my brand that would encourage clients to go for me instead of the mass market. I also like to treat my casual chic as haute couture, so I will make sure that my pieces fit you perfectly if you send me your sizes. If you don’t, we offer services that allow you send it back and have it tailored to your measurements within about four days after the order.
This is what affects my demand – the fact that my clients are confident that whatever they buy will be a perfect fit. Another factor is that exclusivity keeps clients on their toes in anticipation of the next collection. If they miss the chance to buy a piece they wanted because of limited production, they will be the early birds making orders for the next collection.
By Sarah Guirguis
Production | Maison Pyramide
Art Direction | Alia Dessouki
Photography | Bashar Galal
Styling | Mariam Gendy
Model | Noha Abul Fadl
MUA | Caroline Abdel-Nour
