Egypt’s fashion scene has never been more eclectic, flourishing and full of exciting potential, thanks to social media mediating the success of young designers. One such example of Egyptian young talented minds is Nardeen Mamdouh, a GUC Graphic Designing student and the owner of her own brand of floral accessories: “The Trend.”
Nardeen seems to have tremendously secured her spot in the ever-growing handmade fashion platform, establishing a brand name that is like no other. I sat down with the creative designer to find out more about her muses, her new spring/summer ’15 collection (of which I luckily got to sport a design throughout the interview), and generally all about “The Trend” and what has made it successful.
What inspired you to start your own business?
It’s always been a dream of mine to one day work as a wedding planner and so I started reading books about flower arrangements and weddings and that served as my initial muse. Moreover, my mother happens to be a designer of wedding invitations and so she constantly inspires me to experiment with designs and crafts.
The talent definitely runs in the family. What are some day-to-day difficulties and challenges you face whilst working on your brand?
Time management sometimes becomes an issue given the fact that I’m also an undergraduate student, with a major that demands a lot of time-consuming projects. Moreover, when there are too many orders, it gets hard to keep a healthy balance between my social life, work and academic commitments.
Also, sometimes my clients would ask for certain designs or colours that may be out of stock, and it’s very hard for me to tell them that they’re unavailable because I know that they want them for special occasions.
Is the Egyptian market, especially the fashion industry, a tough one to enter and operate in? Do you think Egyptian clients are receptive to new fashion trends?
Yes, I think it’s a bit of a tricky market to manoeuvre given the fact that nowadays, with the viral spread of social media, so many people are selling their designs and there is a lot of competition. Thus, one needs to have a unique approach when it comes to what they can offer the market.
Also, yeah, I think Egyptian clientele really are becoming more and more open to experimenting with new trends- they always seem to want to get their hands on what’s new!
How has social media helped your brand grow and your client base to increase?
Social media can allow anything to spread like wild fire, and so for me, it helped spread the word about my products. People visit the accounts of “The Trend” and then share them with their friends by maybe tagging them in the pictures and comments. Moreover, I think that social media has actively helped break that barrier between the client and the designer, allowing me to communicate with my customers and share their pictures wearing my designs.
What makes your brand special?
I think flower headbands are not offered that widely in the Egyptian market, yet even so, I try to make mine as unique and different as I can so they still stand out. I also release a special themed collection with every occasion. Last year, I released exclusive Halloween and Christmas collections. Lastly, I try to keep my prices as reasonable as I can, to make them affordable for a lot of my younger clients with limited budgets.
Of all your flower headbands and crowns which one is your absolute all-time favourite?
I love one of my latest, which is a bright bundle of colours. It’s so big and colourful and matches a lot of different outfits.
If you could describe “The Trend” in three words, which would you choose?
Unique, fun and joyful.
Do you have any other hidden talents or passions other than designing and making floral accessories?
I just love helping people plan their weddings, it’s my ultimate passion. I also do a lot of graphic and project designing.
Can you tell us a bit more about your new spring/summer ’15 collection?
As requested by a lot of my clients, it will feature a lot of bold and colourful designs, with even bigger flowers. I have also incorporated a lot of green leaves into the designs.
Finally, do you have any advice for young designers who want to create their own fashion label?
First off, you have to be very passionate about what your designs, because despite the fact that starting your own brand can be a bit tiresome, it’s worth all the effort if you have your heart and soul into it. Also, never stop pursuing your dreams and doing what you love, even when things get complicated.
I cannot stress the importance of constantly educating yourself by reading books and asking more experienced people for advice. Lastly, make sure you find a distinctive edge that would make you stand out amongst the sea of other designers. Don’t just stick to the status quo of what is trendy right now, but break the norms and find your unique selling point.
