Hijab Style Exclusive: Inayah Collection Interview

Today Hijab Style brings you an exclusive interview with Alisha, the 22-year-old founder of The Inayah Collection, which launched in July 2010. Read on to find out more about this London-based fashion and accessories company:

Jana: Tell us a little about yourself?

Alisha: Having graduated from university not too long ago, in a completely different field, I wanted to pursue a few of my hobbies in the arts, crafts, and fashion field, which had been neglected for years. I wanted to experiment making accessories, and handpick unique items, offering people something different. My hobbies are quite varied and I enjoy all sorts! Traveling, reading, art, cooking, sports, socializing and networking, and spending lots of time with my family and friends!

Jana: How did you come to start Inayah Collection?

Alisha: Essentially, I wanted to do something I really enjoy and have a passion for. I started off with some planning, discussing ideas, doing lots of research and took it from there. As a versatile individual, who appreciates various forms of fashion, images, cultures and art, it made sense for me to incorporate a range of ideas and labels within Inayah itself. My collection, which provides bespoke services in fashion, homeware and stationery, is currently divided into three primary labels and styles – Vintage, ethnic and contemporary. It therefore caters for a diverse market audience, so whether they prefer something hand picked with a hint of history and age, or something classy, elegant and sophisticated, or even girly and cute, they are bound to find something to suit their tastes.

Jana: What kind of things go through your mind when you're designing/selecting a piece to include in the collection?

Alisha: When I’m designing a piece, I look for ways I can make it different. Whilst I am working on one piece, I try and think about ways in which I can develop the product for another time too. When it comes to selecting items, I include them in the collection if they are unique, bold and hard to find. The current selection of rings and cuffs have been very popular for this reason; they are vibrant and different. I get my inspiration from various periods in history and distinctive cultures – I am a big fan of Indian and Middle Eastern art and fashion, so I love experimenting with these looks, and merging them with Western ideas and concepts.

Jana: What are the best and worst things about running your own business?

Alisha: The best thing about having your own business definitely has to be doing something you enjoy and being your own boss. It gives me more flexibility with regards to how I allocate my time, allows me to focus on studies, my family and my social life too. It also allows me to meet so many different people, from various countries and backgrounds, which I really love. It’s nice sharing experiences and stories, even having general conversations! The worst thing about having your own business is when people fail to communicate with each other or they don’t communicate properly, responding to important matters, it slows the whole business process down. Another down side is not always being able to identify whether someone posing a project is being serious or not – this can be very time consuming - nobody wants to be wasting hours on people/companies who are not serious.

Jana: What can we expect from Inayah in the future?

Alisha: There are various projects and ideas I would like to take up and explore in the next few months. I am looking to expand my product range, bringing in my own signature collections for rings, cuffs and brooches although this will still take some time. I am also looking to expand my clothing collection, which is currently made up of maxi dresses, as I would love to provide a range of modest and elegant clothing women can comfortably wear everyday. I would also like to collaborate more with other companies and people in various fields, from photographers, stylists, boutiques, etc. I have a few projects lined up, so let’s see how things go!

The coming April giveaway will be kindly sponsored by The Inayah Collection, so keep an eye out for your chance to win one of their beautiful pieces!