Open up & inspire: Fariba Soltani

“open up & inspire”

FARIBA SOLTANI

interview by Karolina Barnes, photography by Fariba Soltani

1. What has been your journey so far?

While working within the architecture field I nurtured my long passion for pattern creation that was seeded long back by being alongside my mother, a Persian rug designer and maker. In my spare time I was working on designing patterns as a hobby. Those days were the best days, as I could let my mind to go free, there were no boundaries to my self-made brief, and there was no budget, customer or market to think of.

As I was feeling more confident with my design I looked into turning the ideas to a tangible product. Textile, and silk in particular, looked to be the most promising material to work with as it brings all the details out beautifully. I always loved to accessorise my look with bold patterned accessories so it was natural for me to explore scarves as a suitable product.

Quality of the material and the fine tactile feel had always been very important for me so when looking for a factory to produce my scarves these traits were the first things that I looked for. My search led me to Italy and country famed for their know-how and high quality. I had my first set of samples from my chosen producer and I was over-joyed by the results. It was such an amazing feeling seeing my hand drawings and flat images on my computer turned to a product that I was very proud of.

I decided to test the market, so presented my first collection at Scoop Fashion Show in London in 2014. There I met Fenwick Bond Street, who bought the entire collection. That gave me the approval I needed to progress further. The brand looks and design style has evolved a lot since then. But the core principle is still the same. Bold design and superb quality. My range of products cover women’s and men’s scarves and pocket squares. The biggest part of our range is the unisex jacquard virgin wool scarves that work very well with geometric patterns that is very much my focus.

2. What’s different about your brand?

The brand’s aim is designing well-crafted and timeless pieces that can be relevant to our customers for much longer than a season or two. I invest in artisan production and our design language is individual and bold. My creations hold a story that is a direct reflection of who I am, my heritage and what I stand for.

Italy is the cradle of high quality craftsmanship and production of artisan textile. I would like to help preserve the tradition and legacy by continuing to be “Made in Italy”.

My brand is social, I am supporting the work of War Child charity. Their work is a cause that is very close to my heart. Growing up I had a first-hand experience of war, living as a young girl through seven years of the Iran- Iraq war. From each purchase from our website we donate 3% of the sale to the cause to provide a better future for these children.

3. How important is sustainability to you and your brand?

I rise to anything green. As we all know fashion is one of the most pollutant industries. The world of fashion does not need another brand, it is saturated, but we are here, lets do what we can to reduce the damage to our environment by being not just another fashion brand but a conscious one. We all need to do our share for the cultural and social change to happen.

I am working with a family owned production house that have put ethical and ecological production at the forefront of their work. As part of my production process I do on-site visits to the factory in Italy to follow up on their environmental and sustainability work. Their proven environmental benchmark and unravelled premium quality are a source of relief and pride for us, and we can confidently say, we are not fast fashion and our style is synonymous with ethics.

We am also introducing sustainability further to all the levels of our work, from packaging to greener shipping and delivery options.

4. What is your mission with FARIBA SOLTANI?

With my accessories I would like to promote the sense of individuality and to encourage people to play and be bolder with their style and be more personal. By using our accessories to bring out their inner creativity. One can carry a scarf in many ways all depends how you pair it with other outfits, so the entire look can change with a simple accessory. Your look is very much an indication of your personality, let it be shown.

5. How would you describe your typical customer?

My clients are located all over the world but they all share some common characteristics. They are all curious with an interest in alternative design, great quality and stories. They care deeply about their personal style and individuality.

6. Running your own business is not easy. What would be your 3 top tips for anyone thinking about or starting business now in your industry?

1/ Know your customers and market, who are you designing for and your product positioning. This is the number one most important issue in starting any business. There is no point in spending thousands of pounds on Google and Facebook ads when you do not know who you are trying to sell to. What is their age, where do they shop and what is their style. If you attend an event to promote your brand make sure your brand sits well alongside other brands. Do a thorough analysis and really dwell deep on this topic.

2/ Know your numbers from day one. Have a budget plan and be smart about spending - do a good research and get value for money, from photoshoots, styling to website. It hurts when I see people spend huge amount of money they do not have on expensive photoshoots. There are tones of great photographers out there, they do it for much less.

3/ Without sales you have no business, that is the brutal reality. Try to get out as soon as you have a tangible product and get your products seen. Depending on your product it might be pop ups, private events or market places you go to. Just go and do it. You learn tonnes about your customer and your own product. You speed up your progress, by hearing first hand customer's feedbacks, from design to quality and pricing.

“Try to get out as soon as you have a tangible product and get it seen. That way you learn tonnes about your customer and your own product.”

FARIBASOLTANI.COM | @FARIBASOLTANILONDON