Fashion’s more than skin show

Farheen Hajira quit her job as a top executive to launch her own line of modest fashion.

Tell us about your clothing line.

It’s called F&F Creations and my biggest inspiration is my religion and culture – I am from India. A lot of my stuff is customised and is made-tomeasure. I get fabric and embellishments from India.

A lot of it is hand-made by workmen who have been associated with our family for years now. I like working with them because I know it is all ethical and they are taken care of. What is fashion?

Fashion is not about a skin show, it’s about style.

I want to show the world even covered women can have trendy clothes.

Ultimately it is about how beautiful a design is and the most important thing is how you carry yourself.

A lot of woman are not comfortable showing their skin, not just Muslim women, and the options in New Zealand are very limited.

What are your plans?

I want my designs to be featured in New Zealand Fashion

‘‘One day I would like to be one of the designers for New York Fashion Week’’

Week in the next five years.

One day I would like to be one of the designers for New York Fashion Week. I don’t know when that day will come, but I know what I want.

I am really inspired by Indonesian designer Dian Pelangi’s designs with hijabs. She was recently featured on the runway of the New York Fashion Week. I thought ‘this can be done’. It gave me confidence.

But will your modest designs win over the fashion capital of the world?

You don’t have to reveal your skin to look nice.

It is really about how something is designed and how beautiful it looks.

The way something is cut and draped has a lot to do with how something looks in the end.

What did you do before launching F&F Creations?

I was a production manager for one of the country’s top designer brands. My office was on High St and I had a really good salary. I was doing a lot there, but then I kept feeling something was missing. I had this dream of launching my own brand.

How did you career begin?

I got a three-year fashion degree in India, but when I came to New Zealand in 2003 I did not get a senior enough job. So I started work as a sewing machinist and and it took me years to prove myself. I even went back to study to upgrade myself.

What made you quit your job as production manager?

I got a top position and I was like what next? Is this it? I had worked hard, but I wanted to do more.

How did it feel to hand in your resignation?

It was nerve-wracking.

Some of my staff and colleagues were a bit upset but they were also happy for me.

I had done all that I could and it was time to pursue my own dream. I have been approached by other companies but I think it’s near impossible to make me go back. Although, it also depends on the kind of working relationship it will be.

And tell us about your set up.

I have plans to open my own outlet but at the moment I have converted my six-year-old daughter’s pink bedroom into a workshop. She was not very pleased about it, but she is a good kid. She understands mummy needs to do this.