Mariam Yehia: Mrs. Keepa Official on fashion take, Entrepreneurship and Motherhood

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Descending from a prolonged à la mode family- Mariam Yehia, the Egyptian born prestigious designer, has set a remarkable footprint in the lines of the clothing design. Not only did she take the risk of leaping into the fashion industry at the age of thirty, but she also took it to heart to master the manufacture after studying the notion of fashion artsy at Esmod, the French fashion university in Dubai. Combining the notorious fan-base on Instagram with her professional technical side of the industry, she launched her atelier and pre-a-porter line known as Mrs. Keepa, in May 2016 while raising a family of two kids.

Exclusively with her most recent collection, C H A M P S-D E-L I B E R T É just dropped on July fifteenth, and let’s say – it’s nothing mediocre.  Adapting to the new norm attitude, Mrs. Yehia has utterly re-oriented her fashion approach to meet up with the latest happenings. Taken to the literal conception of “unsteadiness”, her line indicates this time’s disarray & chaos. She celebrates life through fashion freedom and encouragement to “Carpe diem” regardless of the uncertainty.

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In an in-depth interview, we sat with the fashion sensation to discuss her fashion perception, how she manages a competitive business, and running family life.

How did you approach the concept of your brand?

Let me start ahead by telling you that mode never interested me as a career in itself. It was a part of my Mom’s daily activity; hence I took it for granted. I grew up in a family of designers from my French side, starting from my grandmother to my mother, whom I watched while growing up, making the most sophisticated elegant designs. The idea that my mother has practised design for the love of it and never commercialised her talent made me perceive it for a prolonged period as a hobby.

What sparked your interest in fashion?

Since I was seven years old, I had a say on the pieces my mother created for me. I would comment on the pattern and choice of the fabric and explore other options for an edgier outcome. Hence, I grew up having my very own specific DNA assorted style that didn’t serve me later on in my career. 

When did you go full tilt into fashion?

I was assigned the position of the Executive Director for Emaar Malls Group at the age of twenty-five, where part of my responsibilities was to present Media strategies quarterly to a high-level Local Executives. The challenge of finding appropriate corporate wear that would still reflect my personality and give me the confidence needed was a harder challenge than working on the strategies. I needed to feel both comfortable and confident, that is when my journey began.

I started designing my corporate wear that would get a lot of compliments as well as order requests that made my Career Shift a few years later the right decision.

Did you face any challenges when starting your label?

On the contrary, I had a decent slick launch as I received extensive industry support; I was lucky to be initially introduced by some of the industry’s most prestigious and authentic production. I have to say regardless that, finding a publication house wasn’t that easy, we had to invest in our atelier from the beginning of the brand ‘s journey.

How did you make your brand stand-out from fellow designers?

Dressing up is much more than looking fashionable or following predefined seasonal trends and fads by a group of people for commercial reasons; It’s about having your style that speaks who you are before you even talk.

So, what makes it remarkable is that it’s very organic and personal, it tells my story and the specific state of mind I am in with every collection drop. The brand holds my husband’s Nickname, who was almost the only one who believed in me. That’s how personal it is!

Mrs. Keepa celebrated the opening of its third branch not so long ago, how did you find the persistence to the longevity of the brand’s success?

I love what I do so much, which makes my efforts and devotion towards the brand so organic, and as we say, “hard work and genuine efforts eventually pays off.”

You are a mother of two; how do you find the balance between motherhood and entrepreneurship? Any keys to a healthy balance?

Hoho! It’s a pang of nonstop guilt feeling towards the children. I have an extraordinary strong bond with the kids as I was working from home (had an in-house atelier) when we first started the business. For them to get used to the idea of me being around most of the time, especially Isabelle. And this led to a mild case of separation anxiety when we travel on business trips.

I always make sure to convey the message to working mothers; there is no such thing as a perfect balance. Life has become so fast and competitive. For one to keep up, it’s a bit challenging to work on a schedule, as you would miss on the opportunities that would come along the way. Being a working mother is a tough choice that requires a lot of physical as well as emotional strength to be able to cope and make the journey worthwhile.

As a very well-established Egyptian designer, do you think the general perception of Arab designers has changed?

Happy to see more personalised brands reflecting the artist’s differences and cultural background, not fully abiding by the international’s seasonal trends.

During this difficult time, how did the lockdown reflect on you?

I was inspired so much during the lock-down. It was a period of silence and self-reflection that led to so much pent up creativity such that I translated on papers to designs. I would proudly say, some of the most vital designs within the brand journey are launching as we speak on July 15th.

What has been the best/worst fashion trends in the past five years?

I resent everything trends. It lacks personal style and flavor, and everybody looks the same on social media because of blindly following trends.

How do you want women to feel when wearing your clothes?

Two words: Confident and powerful, I like them to own the clothes and feel confident in it. My worst clientele is anyone trying to change their style to a more daring direction but not sure whether they look good in it or not; their look Result: ERROR!

Three must-have pieces in your wardrobe?

Let’s see: Oversized white T-shirt, shoulder pads, and moms’ jeans.

There’s so much pressure for designers to come out with their significant collection season after season. What advice would you give to young designers just starting and hoping to make it in the industry?

Follow your path and don’t get distracted by what’s happening around you; because the second you lose focus; your offering will be affected by the surrounded conditions.

And also stay true to yourself and don’t ever compare, that’s the tea!