My parents are definitely the biggest influence on my personality and philosophy. We were always careful with waste, for environmental and financial reasons. One of the things that I’m thankful for is that they never let us spend money on meaningless things. From very young, I was aware of the value of money and the value of everything I use. That’s why my brand always has a sustainable side to it. I always try to inflict less harm on the environment.
I always admire people that go against the stream and stand for what they are doing, whether that is professionally or personally.
I think the most fundamental difference between men and women (I’m generalizing here) is that women tend to be very careful with their decision making and think things through, while men tend to go with their first instincts; much more daring but also much more risky. I think the perfect balance is to have those two facets in a relationship and in a professional situation.
There’s this perception that some people are so fundamentally different that it’s impossible to solve our differences. I think that’s lazy. Everything is solvable.
Some people think this is a bit worrying, but I love reading about serial killers. I have this big obsession. It’s curiosity; I want to know the why, the how, and the why of the how.
What people wear is how they want others to perceive them; they’re trying to put a message out there. Even if it’s just a t-shirt and jeans, you’re still saying you’re someone who likes to keep things simple. So for me the ultimate form of expression is designing clothes. It just feels very rewarding. There’s this indescribable feeling when I look at my completed collection for the first time.
The school I went to was one of the most boring and strict schools in Lebanon. Everybody dressed the same. I wanted to stand out, wanted to look different. I started to wear these strange DIY outfits I’d cobble together. I was so bored on a daily basis, both visually and mentally, that I felt the need to start experimenting. So I guess you could say that boredom was my major inspiration to start designing. More people should allow themselves to get bored these days.
