She makes Muslim Fashion look so on point. Hafsa Mohamed is indeed changing the game. The former nurse who called it quits to pursue her love for fashion delights in creating elegant and modest outfits that her kind can feel fabulous in, without compromising their values. Her brand Hafsa Dollhouse brings to life some of the most colorful, trendiest and chicest pieces you can find in the Kenyan modest fashion space.
Why did you decide to become a modest fashion designer?
Why I chose to be a modest fashion designer is because whenever I visit any major clothing brand, I never get what I want. They have the best things but not modest, and as a Muslim girl, I’m to wear modest clothes with sleeves and the like. I decided to become a fashion designer to tailor clothes that my kind can wear: long sleeves, long dresses, done in an elegant, modest and trendy way.
What makes your brand unique?
What makes me unique is being aware of trends and at the same time able to refresh the 90s look and bring them to the table. I’m unpredictable, sometimes I go for the 90s, other times what’s trending – you can never tell. I also listening to my clients to understand what they want.
Scrolling through your Instagram page, you make modest fashion look so chic & trendy. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Knowing what’s trending, being creative and risk-taking. When it comes to fashion you should be a risk-taker. I’m not afraid of trying anything. I can wake up with a crazy idea in my mind, and I will make sure I bring it to life. And whenever I present to my clients, sometimes they might be like ‘this is mind-blowing’, other times they might be disappointed. Either way, I get my inspiration by trying everything. I invest in my creativity and go for whatever it is that inspires me, be it from the internet or in my mind or crazy ideas my clients come with.
What has been the best experience so far in your line of work?
The fact that I have a workshop and a place that I can do a photoshoot is a dream come true. So far I can say that is the best thing. Getting a workshop and a place that you can do a photoshoot is not easy, especially when you rely on your income.
Who’s your fashion icon, and why?
When it comes to fashion, the people that I look up to keep changing: from Kim Kardashian, she’s very business-oriented, I look up to her due to her business savviness, not as a socialite and all that. I changed from there to Halima Aden and now currently, I’m crushing on this big icon overseas Diane Von Furstenberg, she has masterclasses on her website. I’m learning a lot from her because she’s teaching tips and tricks on fashion to other fashion designers.
What advice can you give to anyone looking start a modest fashion brand or line?
The only advice I can give to my kind or anyone in the fashion industry is to focus. If you are not someone who focuses on the things that you are doing, the probability of you not getting where you want is high. Also, be someone who is determined to go after their dream or else why are you dreaming? People tend to focus more on not having money to realize their ideas but do more research and trust in the process of God.
