Interview with Ms Humaira Faheem — Director, Hijabi.pk
PAGE: Can you please introduce yourself?
Humaira Faheem: My name is Humaira Faheem and I am the director of the company Hijabi.pk which was launched in Feb 2022
PAGE: What led you to start a business?
Humaira Faheem: All my life, I’ve had this passion for fashion and design. So I went after my passion and got a degree in arts. At the start of my career, I used to design clothes and sell them in shops, from which I got wider experience of the field, but then as life happens, things got in the way.
I got married moved abroad, although I was working and balancing my life with family, and then work took a toll on me and I had to put my passion on the back burner. As time went on, I always felt the urge that I need to do something, for myself. So, I then decided to leave my job to pursue my passion and here I am with my own brands.
PAGE: Why did you specifically go for a modest lifestyle brand?
Humaira Faheem: Modest lifestyle is a brand that speaks volumes and has come a long way. Nowadays women like to look, fashionable yet modest in their attire, it gives them confidence. In our times, I believe we can be fashionable and modest hand-in-hand. This provided me to use my creative skills to explore and create modest dressing whilst keeping modesty intact.
PAGE: What makes Hijabi unique from others?
Humaira Faheem: It’s the ethics. I believe that integrity is one of the most important ethics someone needs to have in fashion. While designs may be similar, directly copying another designer’s work is unethical and one of the biggest mistakes you can make. I would rather produce something that consumers didn’t like than copy another person’s work.
PAGE: What are your favorite trends in the fashion industry, past or present?
Humaira Faheem: Some of my favorite trends are from the 90s, a time when you see clean designs and simple lines. This is reflected in my own designs, although I add some innovative elements and keep today’s current trends in mind.
PAGE: What is your vision for Hijabi.pk and your alternative brand YBMB?
Humaira Faheem: I believe that there is always room for improvement so we are always exploring and creating new ideas to improve our business. Eventually, I would like to see Hijabi be a brand that is known to everyone. Hijabi ‘merai andaz mai’ that is spoken about in every household.
As for YBMB (Your Brand My Brand), we aim to reach the masses, where we give people freedom and affordability to buy high quality branded clothes for a fraction of the price.
PAGE: Whom do you aim to focus on with your contribution to society with these brands?
Humaira Faheem: I am very much in support of supporting women, appreciating those who are running their own businesses to support their families. We have in the past collaborated with a few of those marvelous women of our society and will carry on in every way we can to make a difference.
PAGE: How did you manage to successfully run your business in these tough economic times?
Humaira Faheem: We understand times are tough and the best way to tackle inflation is to keep our costs low so that we can keep have competitive prices for our customers. Something that is affordable to the masses and accessible to all.
PAGE: How do you keep work-life balance?
Humaira Faheem: I personally believe that the best way to keep a balance between work and life is never to bring the work home. To unload the bags of work before entering home and the vice versa.
PAGE: What did you learn as an entrepreneur?
Humaira Faheem: I believe that learning is an ongoing process which bring new challenges every day. I take those challenges positively. Over the last couple of months, I have learned never to give up. There were times, I faced difficult situations but managed to keep focused and determined and these will eventually pay off your hard work.
PAGE: Your advice to women entrepreneurs/startups.
Humaira Faheem: If you are passionate about something then go for it, there will be hurdles but never give up. There’s no ‘right time’ to start something you’ve always want, every day is a new beginning and to start new things, we just have to go for it. Behind every successful man there is a woman. But don’t forget that behind every successful woman is also the same man and their family. So always value your family, cherish the moments and keep healthy life balance.