Kévin Germanier Founder – President & Creative Director, Germanier

“To be a great designer isn’t necessarily about following trends but about being authentic and being true to your own vision.”

ion designer with roots in couture and a love of making things, so learning to run a business with employees, production runs, and complicated financial situations was a hugely steep learning curve for me. Thankfully, I have been able to be surrounded by brilliantly smart people who really know the ins and outs of this business to help me grow my company to where it is right now. The MATCHESFASHION Innovators Programme will help strengthen this path even more.

What is the bravest decision you have made?

The bravest decision I think any designer can make is to start their own company. Running a fashion brand is an enormous responsibility in a market that is constantly volatile, so putting yourself out there is a huge risk. Thankfully, we have been so wonderfully received over the past three years of business, so continuing to grow and design the types of collections I love is something I am so grateful for.

What can we look forward to from Halpern next?

At Halpern, fantasy and glamour is at the heart of where I design from. Whether that fantasy is wearing a fabulous dress or suit out at night or hosting at home in a zebra print caftan by the pool, that sense of whimsy and luxury is what we will continue to present. Optimism and hope are really important factors for me, and these ideals will be always represented in the collections.

Thebe Magugu – Founder & Designer, THEBE MAGUGU

What is the greatest value of The Innovators Programme?

I think The Innovators Programme equips its designers with support across all the critical departments. Visibility I think is an important aspect of building a brand, and MATCHESFASHION – with its sophistication in logistics and high digital foot-traffic – can allow for massive application of any brand it focuses on. As we are at the beginning of our journey, programmes like this are worth their weight in gold.

Did this support give you the confidence to take Magugu to the next level?

In times like this when one continues to operate in uncertain times, I think it acts as a slight relief that one of the stockists – particularly one as big as MATCHESFASHION – will commit for 12 months to buying the collection and providing opportunities across marketing and mentorship. This would certainly make one confident – because confidence is brought on by a sense of stability. I also enjoy the learning component brought on through the mentorship this programme will offer

How do you balance the creative and the business elements of growing a brand?

I think the two cycle into one another. If fashion as a business is about selling product, I think creativity allows you to differentiate what it is about your product from the rest. That being said, I think creativity also gives the brand a sense of soul – without the aesthetic propositions, the new approaches and out-the-box thinking – the brand will have nothing that drives it or even determines its values. Creativity in large part is problem solving and business without it renders a brand stagnant. I always try and make sure whatever I do has a creative integrity because that allows people to connect with it, thus encouraging a sale.

What is the bravest decision you have made?

Starting a brand. Breaking into the fashion industry is still as tough as ever and often students are discouraged from starting their own business and rather steered toward working for another company. Simply telling myself ‘whatever comes’ and marching down to South Africa’s business registration company was the bravest moment of my life.

What can we look forward to from Magugu next?

Thoughtful projects. I’ve been thinking a lot about my impact within my community over and above employment. I have been looking at making socially conscious projects and initiatives. I am also excited about the Summer collection, which is based on a series of interviews I conducted with confessed female spies.

What I am strongly interested in is the mentorship not only to work with the buying team but also social media and marketing teams. I love learning from experienced people. This programme is unique as we are able to communicate and share ideas closely with each other, that human side that sometimes we miss in the fashion industry, this transparency is healthy and will only benefit both sides of a partnership. We, as Innovators, are breaking the rules and it is such a nice feeling to know that people are supporting our businesses.

What is the greatest value of The Innovators Programme? Did this support give you the confidence to take Germanier to the next level?

Definitely. It is always easier to go big and adapt your creativity to more commercial pieces. Knowing that MATCHESFASHION celebrates creativity helps innovators to be even more creative. I feel extremely motivated and I feel like I can take some risks, as I know that they will be by my side and guide me in order to create the best products.

How do you balance the creative and the business elements of growing a brand?

I’ve found myself loving making commercial pieces. I do enjoy problem solving, limitations and challenges. Therefore, it is always super tricky to adapt my creativity to a more commercial product. Retaining your DNA and creativity whilst making a commercial product is a great challenge. That is the essence of this programme to be honest. After each season you are learning what is working and what is not, what to keep and what to drop. But also, surprisingly enough, what you think will work might not.

What is the bravest decision you have made?

Learning to say ‘no’. It takes courage to say ‘no’ as a new designer because you are terrified that the opportunity will not come back again. However, if you are looking to build a sustainable business it is vital that your base is strong.

What can we look forward to from Germanier next?

More drama and more colour! We have amazing products coming up and strong accessories and we will work by drops and not collections anymore, which will allow us to be more flexible and even more creative.

In 2016 Sheikha Amal Al Maktoum decided to launch her own luxury fashion brand, Azzalia. Specialising in couture abayas, gowns and eveningwear, four years on this brave leap of faith is paying off. Emirates Woman sat down with Sheikha Amal to find out about the growth of the brand, the inspiration behind the label and to ask what bravery means to her.

You started Azzalia in 2016. Why did you want to launch your own fashion label?

I have been in this industry since 2007. I had another fashion brand with a partner in 2006, but a decade later I decided to launch my own brand with it’s own DNA. I always had a passion for fashion although I studied business, but happily these two spheres sit well together.

How have things developed and changed in the last four years for the brand?

I think the brand has evolved and managed to build a strong presence in the region because when I first launched it I insisted that the brand ran three different lines dedicated to three different types of woman in mind so there is an element of the bespoke.

What was the inspiration behind your label?

I was always passionate about fashion and it was just a continuation of this passion. Azzalia stands for Azalea, which is a flower, but I spelled it with my children’s names Azza and Alia who are the joy of my life and this brings a personal touch.

Other than representing my girls’ names, Azzalia is a representation of my love for fashion.

What does Azzalia represent? What sets Azzalia apart from other clothing brands?

Azzalia with its three lines offers women a large selection of different styles. When we design we consider a lot of elements – the silhouette, fabric, trend, quality. We have access to suppliers worldwide to ensure that our fabrics and embellishments are unique and of the best quality. We keep up to date with the next season’s emerging trends and I travel extensively, visiting textile exhibitions worldwide to source the best materials.

The name of your brand takes inspiration from your children. What has it been like launching a brand with young children?

Well, I have always been a working woman and my children always have been the push and inspiration to continue developing my brand also with the continuous support of my husband and parents.

You originally studied business at university, what led you to going into fashion?

I think a fashion brand without a strong business acumen can’t survive. Nevertheless, I took few courses in Central Saint Martins, London to enhance my skills.

How have things changed for you, your brand and the way you work since COVID-19?

COVID-19 has changed the world, and the fashwith

ion industry has been highly affected, but we already have a strong well-established online presence so we focused on that. In addition, we launched capsule collections to accommodate the new changes in shopping trends. It has been a tough time but we are very positive and focusing on growing the brand and being part of the industry’s recovery.

What excites you about the fashion industry in the UAE and the GCC region?

I think the UAE has a very central location in the Middle East and is a great hub surrounded by different GCC markets such as Saudi Arabia. During the past few years the fashion industry has evolved and the clients have definitely become more aware and selective which gave an opportunity for our brand to grow and get appreciated as the style and quality have caught the eye of the trendy customers.

I have been supported greatly by my family, they encourage and push me to excel and create.

Where do you get your motivation from? What advice do you wish you had received on the beginning of your journey to success?

When I launched my brand I already had over 10 years’ experience in this industry. I’m a fast learner and I believe you learn from your mistakes, so it’s all a process of trial and error.

I never see hurdles only challenges and they are all learning experiences that make you stronger.

Firstly,

What hurdles have you had to overcome? What are your top career milestones?

I was Vice Chairperson of the Sharjah Business Women Council for six years, where I got to work with business women and develop programmes to support them. I also won a Dubai Fashion & Design Council award and got to showcase my brand at London Fashion Week. Finally, I won an Arab Women Award – Designer of the Year in 2017.

When it comes to the future of Azzalia, what are you most excited about?

The brand has great potential and we are now focusing on international expansion because I feel the brand is ready to move to the next level.

This is ‘The Bravery Issue’ – how do you define bravery?

It is the courage to survive when others can’t.