Sara Elemary, the Queen of Harem

With the summer in full swing, Sara Elemary can’t stop wearing (and designing) harem pants.

“The thing about harem pants is, they’re comfortable, flattering, and stylish,” she said.

“They cover up while making a true fashion statement, and that’s what our brand is all about. We cater to hijabis and non-hijabis who want to look attractive without showing skin, and that is so rare to find these days.”

And that’s why she’s the self-dubbed Queen of Harem.

But things weren’t always smooth sailing for the 31-year-old fashion designer from Cairo, Egypt.

In fact, she launched her fashion line back in 2009 with absolutely nothing but a dream, and being one of the pioneers to break through the Egyptian fashion scene in the early 2000s was both challenging and rewarding.                               

“A few designers and I were the only brands that existed at the time,” Sara told us. “It was easy to offer something that was unique, distinct, and of high quality. Nowadays, in the ever-growing fashion market in Egypt, everything is a copy of something. I see designers who start off really well but lose track down the line. A lot of brands are struggling to stay true to their brand ethos, and it shows.”

THE KEY TO SUCCESS? FAILURE

For Sara, a lack of knowhow and industry knowledge when she started out may have done her a favour in the long run.

“I called up a friend of mine who had a little workshop in Cairo and asked him to help me produce the designs I had drawn for my first collection,” Sara recalled. “I went and spent hours on end watching every little detail being sewn into place. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough. My first collection failed and I lost almost all the money I had put into this.”

She decided that she perhaps wasn’t cut out for this, but her husband persuaded her to keep going. “I started on the wrong foot, because I had no experience,” she admitted. “I would produce winter collections in the winter and by the time they were marketed, it would already be too late.” For her second attempt, Sara decided that she needed her own workshop.

“That’s when I built my own space in 2010 and learned things I never thought I would even imagine learning,” she continued. “From pattern-making to material shopping and switching my production schedule to fit international fashion calendars, this shop taught me everything I never got the chance to learn before.”

SECOND TIME’S A CHARM

Having graduated with a major in marketing but with no background in fashion whatsoever, Sara says that in retrospect it was hard for her to get it right the first time.

“Second time’s a charm. My second collection was a huge success and was almost completely sold out, which was the reason I kept going strong. Having my own workshop helped me oversee every minor detail that went into the manufacturing process, and so everything was made with the highest quality standards that I had imagined for my own label.”

And she hasn’t stopped there. Fast forward a few years later, and Sara has her own e-commerce website. “The website helped me reach out to international customers who came across Sara Elemery Designs on social media,” she continued. “Not only did it help me with online exposure, but it also helped me reach customers who lived far away from our studio.”

The designer has also expanded further to include her own printed fabric and denim line. “Whether it was finding the right stone-wash or a distress I liked, I always felt that there was something missing, and that’s when I realized I can’t be the only one who feels this way.

“I went to several local factories here in Egypt, but it was definitely a challenge to find a factory that would meet my expectations in terms of quality and quantity of garments produced,”

she said and added, “After a few failed trials of manufacturing in Egypt, I travelled to China to explore the option of producing my denim line there.”

HOME-GROWN WITH A TWIST

With over 200 styles now designed, produced, and manufactured annually, the designer has transformed from amateur to pro in no time. “I remember in 2012 when I got the news that Egypt’s first and largest luxury multi-brand store Beymen, located at the Four Seasons Nile Plaza, wanted to carry Sara Elemary Designs; it was surreal.”

Sara’s enthusiasm was met by Beymen’s then-buyer Ines Gohar, and later on, Sara learned how to present her product like the luxury brand that it really is. “Ines taught me everything from packaging, to display, even to chic delivery. She also helped me organize my production schedule to fit international fashion calendars and to market my label as a home-grown brand with an international luxury feel.”

STRUGGLES VS. PLANS

Despite the struggles Sara is facing, from “crazy US dollar prices” to “finding the right zipper to use,” the designer plans on expanding to Canada and the rest of the world soon. “My original story was to prove that beautiful doesn’t mean revealing. I want to continue telling that story through my designs; I want to show the world what it means to be stylish yet modest.”

With everything in free-size, suitable for both veiled and non-hijabis, Sara has certainly found a successful recipe for modern, comfortable, modest clothing in the region. So what’s the next trend after harem-style pants?

“I don’t follow trends; I set them,” Sara replies confidently. “I close my eyes and picture a woman wearing one of my designs; if she looks good in it, I produce it.”

“For my Winter 2017 collection, I’m introducing a new design that I’ve been working on for a year. It’s a new; yet challenging concept that I’m sure will take a lot of effort to push in the Egyptian market.” The collection will be released in mid-September.

© MySalaam.com 2016 All rights reserved