The Future of Fashion series brings you interviews with emerging designers, from across the globe, who The New Edit believe will be the leading voices of Fashion in the Future.

London, United Kingdom

Future of Fashion: The Designer Short

ARSHYS is a homegrown Dubai based label which uses positive reinforcement messaging through digitally drawn typography and graffiti-prints.  Arshia Aslam creates bold and quirky garments inspired by pop culture for women with an artistic flair and those who look for uniqueness in their clothing.  The purpose driven brand supports slow fashion and creates small, modular collections which are all ethically designed.  It is the designers ability to create unique, wearable pieces whilst being committed to giving garments meaning and spreading the message of positivity which makes ARSHYS the Future of Fashion.

Future of Fashion: The Interview

It is a difficult time. How are you? How are you coping?  Yes, it is indeed a difficult time but there is hope that this too shall pass.  My message is to not let your creativity lag behind due to the temporary setback.  The way I am coping is to use this time to reflect, make plans for when things get back to normal and spend the present with family, reading loads of books, being silly and just doing things that I would not usually get the time to do.

Have you always wanted to be a designer? If not, what made you?  Being a designer was definitely not on my mind from the very beginning, but I have always enjoyed being creative and making garments for myself.  I am self-taught and I am currently pursuing a masters degree in business.  It all started after I entered a few competitions and earned some awards and recognition that made me realise where my true passion was.

“I observe trends but my main inspiration is usually to send a message of positivity or to show a movement towards making a positive change”

Who are your biggest influences as a designer?  I respect a lot of designers and I truly appreciate when artists and designers push themselves and create conceptual avant-garde designs.  I take Influences from pop culture.  I observe trends but my main inspiration is usually to send a message of positivity or to show a movement towards making a positive change.  I tend to take creative inspiration from art and like to create designs that take a form of contemporary art because, like art, it aims at being perceived as intemporal; where each design is blessed by the hand of the designer.

What are the key values of your brand?  A brand that strives to make a difference visually and/or conceptually.  The core of my brand lies in using fashion as a platform to convey a thought process that provokes positivity - be it either in the state of mind or make the wearer do things that inspire people.

Who wears your clothes? Who do you design for?  I design for a woman who is not afraid to speak her mind and do things that matter to her.  She has an artistic flair and looks for uniqueness in the garments she wears.

What is your design process?  Everything starts with a story and a message which then gets translated into fabrics that take a focal point.  I use a lot of hand drawn illustrations creating my own fabrics which are bold and then the form which is usually minimal to let the message speak for itself.  It is almost a form of art and not a single design is produced without my touch.  I am involved in each and every part of the process be it sewing embellishment, making ruffles, painting, or draping. This requires time and effort and this is what gives me satisfaction as a designer to produce unique pieces.

What are your ambitions for the brand?  To have a signature label that is recognisable and be known as a brand that strives to create a meaningful difference in society.

"No matter how beautiful your designs might be, if you don’t have the reach and the means to showcase them to the right audience - it is all pointless"

We recently did an article for the New Edit on Inclusivity in Fashion. What are your views on inclusivity?  My ensemble is mainly designed for women but a lot of designs especially coats are gender fluid.  There are details, detachable, reversible things that give people different options as to how they could style a garment as per their individual personalities.  Inclusivity is important moving forward and this always remains at the back of my mind when I am designing.  In the future, more designs will be inclusive.

What have been the biggest challenges you have faced as a designer?  First, that I can’t be everything for everyone.  I know there are those who like what I do and those who may not have the slightest interest.  But with time I have acknowledged and embraced these individual preferences.  I design clothes that are a reflection of me rather than trying to please everyone.  This actually helps bring out the signature style of the brand.  Another challenge is reaching out to the right audience.  No matter how beautiful your designs might be, if you don’t have the reach and the means to showcase them to the right audience - it is all pointless.

How can The New Edit help?  The New Edit could help reach young designers' voices to the right audience and help them get discovered which is so important.

What do you think the future of fashion is?  Future of fashion is in the purpose of a brand. The purpose of creating a line, the purpose of just being. If there is no purpose there is no future and no fashion.

 

A member of Dubai Design & Fashion Council, ARSHYS has recently awarded as best new comer (designer category) at London’s inaugural world fashion awards. ARSHYS has been featured in publications such as Vogue Italia, Marie Claire Mexico, Condé Nast Traveler Middle East and Elle Arabia to name a few.

Written by Sahil Mallik, May 2020

Check out our recent interview with Daniel Pascal Tanner, Shivangi Sahni and Rose Danford-Phillips to learn more about the talented designers from The New Edit's Future of Fashion series.