Starting a fashion line is often a risky move that even some of the most talented barely survive. Contrary to what the majority believe, brands are scarcely built on talent alone.
Many recent research studies have proven that fresh talents face international obstacles when starting their own business right after graduation. However, a few names are currently working day in and day out to prove this conclusion wrong.
Dubai is the Middle East’s up-and-coming fashion capital. The main reason behind the city’s increasing popularity in the international scene is regularly attributed to its impressive number of fresh talents and new brands.
Talar Nina, the brain child of Talar Bilemjian, is one of the region’s success stories among the fresh-out-of-school brands. Bilemjian is an ESMOD graduate who has redefined the boundaries of bomber jackets, proven the diversity of unisex fashion and showcased the willpower of young talents just in one year.
The brand’s first collection features a wide range of intricately detailed bomber jackets which cater to men and women. Despite the design’s vivid sporty reference, the fabrics are luxuriously embroidered.
Talar Nina’s show-stopping jackets are currently available in Egypt through the online-shopping website, Coterique.
Bilemjian met with Daily News Egypt ahead of her Egyptian debut to learn more about her aesthetic as well as her experience.
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How would you define your label in just one word?
Wearable.
Tell us more about your bomber jackets; in terms of inspiration, embroidery, fabrics, and why bombers in particular?
For me the bomber jacket has always been one of my favourite “go to” pieces, and it is a wardrobe essential. Some of the bomber jackets that I wear today actually belong to my mother. She has passed them down to me from the 1980s.
Sportswear has also been a big part of my fashion sense. My grandfather loved his Fila tracksuits, and later my older brother introduced me to new brands and styles, from the K-Swiss all white Classic 96 trainers to those beige suede Timberland boots.
I think the one element that makes my jackets different is the fabrics used to create them. Interesting and beautiful textiles are the foundation of my brand. I build around that with wearable and fun silhouettes.
How would you describe your clientele in terms of gender, age, and characteristics?
My client base ranges from chic 70 year-old ladies to art students in their 20s, but, the majority, both men and women, have an eye for fine textiles with unique patterns.
When I was showcasing my collection at London Fashion Weekend, a 25-year-old man bought the black and olive bomber because he felt it was well-cut and the fabric certainly interested him. It meant a lot to me because he had trained with traditional tailors in Savile Row; a street in London, where the best bespoke tailoring for men is found.
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Why did you choose to start your label in Dubai? What makes it different from any other fashion capital?
Dubai is my second home. I studied here and automatically started working in Dubai after I graduated. Many of the people I have met through work have become my friends.
Dubai is a great melting pot of different cultures and it has the potential to become one of the world’s fashion capitals. There are so many amazing brands and designers coming out of the Middle East nowadays and it is very exciting to be a part of that.
How difficult is it to establish a new fashion label in Dubai? Is being fresh out of fashion school an advantage or a burden?
I think the only difficult part of starting a brand in Dubai is being taken seriously. There are many emerging brands and designers coming out of Dubai. Sometimes it is easy to get lost in the mix.
However, I think if your brand has strong roots and remains true to its original vision, you can go above and beyond.
The Arab world tends to further appreciate couture, why did you favour ready-to-wear?
I wanted to appeal to a wider customer base. More and more young Arab women are working, and trying to make careers for themselves so they need timeless and wearable clothes. Clothes that can be worn season-to-season, year-to-year.
There will always be a place for couture, as it is an art form, which I truly admire. Nonetheless, I wanted to make things that more people can wear and afford.
Does the Arab market fully grasp the diversity and practicality of unisex fashion?
I think in the past few years the Arab market has truly embraced the street-wear/unisex movement.
In my opinion, it has always been there. But, now it is really taking shape. In Dubai, it is now apparent as there is a bigger spotlight shone on urban culture, art, and street-wear thanks to amazing events like Sole DXB and all the new pop-ups in galleries and industrial workspaces.
