Asc Friends.
So to start with, yes this is a new account. I do have another one but I've never posted here nor there so this is my first post on this site.
I've been thinking recently about starting a side clothing business. I've grown a deep appreciation for our traditional attires. But I can't help but think we are lacking in the variety department. A lot of our older clothes (Sadex Qayd for example) are rarely worn in my experience. Though keep in mind I do live in the west (UK) so it may be that I simply don't have much exposure. I think it would be nice to revive older clothes like the Sadex Qayd and Jouke (which I've seen people doing lately) as well as creating new pieces based on traditional fabrics and sewing techniques. Or even just reinterpreting older styles to suit modern tastes. After all, all fashion started somewhere and evolved overtime. We easily have the power to become a fashion and textiles powerhouse in Africa. Whilst it may seem insignificant, our country needs to boost it's economy and this is a good way to utilise soft power to start exporting fabrics again. I know that's thinking a bit too far into the future but I can't help but want to have a greater impact for our country inshallah. If this does pick up, I'd like to find tailors in Somalia and hopefully help provide careers for people. If we as a generation did more of this in different sectors, I think it might help our people back home at least a little bit. Of course this is all based on a barely finished high school education so these are all just the dreams of an uneducated idiot without any real basis.
That being said, I'm not sure where to start. My knowledge on our textiles history is quite limited. I've come here to see what opinions you might all have. Are there any fabrics you think you'd like to see more widely used in our fashion? Perhaps you've got some ideas that could help me out. Anything you have to say would be appreciated. I do not know many Somalis in real life so I want to hear opinions from people on forums such as these. Asking my Aabo's friend's would be absurd.
Similarly, if anyone has any experience on how to run a clothing business that would also be helpful too. Right now, I'm working on designs. I will look into making clothes and selling later. Right now, I need to focus on getting into University and passing my national exams but this summer I'd really like to kick this idea off. I have zero experience here but I've always been a budding artist. It's time to use those art skills for good use. I will keep you updated on if this works!
Please share any ideas or thoughts you may have. Thank you for reading all this!
-Nur
So to start with, yes this is a new account. I do have another one but I've never posted here nor there so this is my first post on this site.
I've been thinking recently about starting a side clothing business. I've grown a deep appreciation for our traditional attires. But I can't help but think we are lacking in the variety department. A lot of our older clothes (Sadex Qayd for example) are rarely worn in my experience. Though keep in mind I do live in the west (UK) so it may be that I simply don't have much exposure. I think it would be nice to revive older clothes like the Sadex Qayd and Jouke (which I've seen people doing lately) as well as creating new pieces based on traditional fabrics and sewing techniques. Or even just reinterpreting older styles to suit modern tastes. After all, all fashion started somewhere and evolved overtime. We easily have the power to become a fashion and textiles powerhouse in Africa. Whilst it may seem insignificant, our country needs to boost it's economy and this is a good way to utilise soft power to start exporting fabrics again. I know that's thinking a bit too far into the future but I can't help but want to have a greater impact for our country inshallah. If this does pick up, I'd like to find tailors in Somalia and hopefully help provide careers for people. If we as a generation did more of this in different sectors, I think it might help our people back home at least a little bit. Of course this is all based on a barely finished high school education so these are all just the dreams of an uneducated idiot without any real basis.
That being said, I'm not sure where to start. My knowledge on our textiles history is quite limited. I've come here to see what opinions you might all have. Are there any fabrics you think you'd like to see more widely used in our fashion? Perhaps you've got some ideas that could help me out. Anything you have to say would be appreciated. I do not know many Somalis in real life so I want to hear opinions from people on forums such as these. Asking my Aabo's friend's would be absurd.
Similarly, if anyone has any experience on how to run a clothing business that would also be helpful too. Right now, I'm working on designs. I will look into making clothes and selling later. Right now, I need to focus on getting into University and passing my national exams but this summer I'd really like to kick this idea off. I have zero experience here but I've always been a budding artist. It's time to use those art skills for good use. I will keep you updated on if this works!
Please share any ideas or thoughts you may have. Thank you for reading all this!
-Nur
