Some might say that the market is saturated while others will argue that there’s always room for a new brand to thrive (so long as it’s not just another glorified Instagram handle with merch.) In today’s day of age, launching your own label has become the creative equivalent of starting a podcast— everyone’s doing it, but only a few are actually worth paying attention to. Fortunately, we have plenty of the latter in our region.
That’s not to say the Arab world’s fashion scene hasn’t been hit by the quantity-over-quality plague—where brands rarely make it past a cryptic teaser and a dimly-lit lookbook. But a few homegrown names are breaking the cycle, building labels that actually hold their own—worthy of our scroll, our spend, and maybe even our loyalty.
Young, gifted, and doing the most—we shot over some questions to a few of our favorite designers to find out what made them take the leap. Below, seven regional creatives share what pushed them to launch their own labels—and what keeps them going.
Trashy Clothing
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What initially made you want to launch your own brand?
Trashy Clothing was born out of frustration. We didn’t see ourselves represented in fashion. We were either fetishized, politicized without nuance, or completely erased. Starting TC was our way of reclaiming the narrative — using satire, culture, and fashion to speak our truth.
Was there a specific gap you noticed that inspired you to take the leap?
We saw a huge gap in authentic representation. Brands were co-opting cultural symbols without context, and most “inclusive” efforts felt like marketing ploys. We wanted to fill that void by creating a label that’s rooted in lived experience and regional craftsmanship.
What do you think your brand does differently?
With our background in film, we approach fashion as an art form deeply rooted in storytelling. Every design choice we make—whether it’s a zipper, a cut, or a print—carries a narrative and contributes to the world we’re building with each collection. Our design process is inspired by Palestinian tatreez (embroidery), where each motif tells the story of a village, allowing Palestinian women to quite literally wear their histories on their thobes.
Our way of storytelling is intentionally satirical—because the ironies that surround our daily lives are too absurd. Satire becomes the sharpest tool to expose the ridiculousness and contradictions of the political world we exist in.
Where do you see your brand in 5, 10, 15 years from now?
A proudly Palestinian fashion house.
The Front Row Studios
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What initially made you want to launch your own brand?
I felt as though there was a huge market gap in Egypt and within the region in general for cool yet sexy occasion wear. I wanted to build a brand that would satisfy my desired target audience as well as build a community through brand identity and recognition.
Was there a specific gap you noticed that inspired you to take the leap?
Quality and design for sure! I felt like the products in the market were too repetitive, and impractical. I saw a huge desire and need for new, interesting, statement pieces as well as high quality essentials with a twist.
What do you think your brand does differently?
I think my brand blends sexy and chic differently than any other brand in the region. I like how we balance simplicity with cool statement pieces that are timeless investments. The brand really plays on the relationship between masculinity and femininity, in the sense that we provide items like the black oversized power suit but also cool sexy mini skirts.
I think our communication is also interesting and effective in the sense that it really resonates with our target audience, through a mix of creative content that is both cool and sophisticated.
Where do you see your brand in 5, 10, 15 years from now?
In 5 years, I want to have different showroom locations — very specifically, I want to purchase an old vintage Villa by the Nile and revamp it into a showroom/cafè for my customers where they can shop, custom order, and then sit for coffee by the Nile.
In 10-15 years, I want to have destination locations, like Paris, New York, Greece, and Italy, and start creating collections based on where they’re being distributed around the world, while still maintaining our brand identity and recognition.
Medina
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What initially made you want to launch your own brand?
North Africa is poorly represented, especially where I’m from: Libya. I had a vision for what I wanted Medina to offer through clothing and community that I felt was unique to what was out there at the time. These are the main factors that made me want to launch the brand.
Was there a specific gap you noticed that inspired you to take the leap?
I felt people started brands for the wrong reasons, taking shortcuts and producing things everyone sees over and over again (i.e basic printed t-shirts and hoodies), and often glamorized the industry as an opportunity for a quick payout. I wanted to build something long lasting, sustained, rooted in community, and offer my ideas and perception of fashion through the lens of being a Libyan growing up in and around London. I’m just starting on my journey and already feel the impact I’ve made.
What do you think your brand does differently?
Medina transforms conventional garments into pieces that embody vision, creativity and personal expression. Through blending distinctive aesthetic, culture and originality, Medina creates designs that resonate, offering a sense of connection and individuality.
Where do you see your brand in 5, 10, 15 years from now?
I want Medina’s presence to be felt outside our immediate communities and tap into a more global audience through wholesale and other means. I’ve always had the vision of opening a communal space, a blend of a cafe, a store and a workshop all under one roof that really embodies the brand and its roots. I want to continue to be experimental, bringing production locally to North Africa and setting up a base there. I want to be more collaborative and consistently stimulate my people on multiple layers.
Chez Nous.
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What initially made you want to launch your own brand?
My brand is a medium that serves as a celebration of identity, heritage, and inclusivity. The brand is deeply rooted in my desire to craft a space that represents the richness of multiculturalism and diversity especially as a France-born Tunisian woman. Simultaneously, I wanted to challenge fast-fashion by creating meaningful, high-quality designs that align with environmentally conscious values.
Was there a specific gap you noticed that inspired you to take the leap?
I noticed a real gap in the industry when it came to representing multicultural and diasporic identities in a way that felt honest, without falling into clichés, orientalization or oversimplified narratives. I wanted to create a brand that reflects the complexity and richness of that experience, while staying true to my own roots. At the same time, I saw how limited the ethical fashion landscape was—not only in terms of genuine commitment to sustainability and transparency, but also in inclusivity. CHEZ NOUS. is genderless and designed for a wide range of bodies, from XXS to XXXL, because I believe fashion should be accessible without compromising on values or authenticity. It was important for me to offer something meaningful, conscious, and truly representative.
What do you think your brand does differently?
CHEZ NOUS. is rooted in quality, care, and intention. Everything is made between Tunisia and France—places that are both home and heritage—through ethical production that respects people and process. What we’re doing isn’t about trend cycles or surface-level sustainability. It’s about creating garments that last, that feel good, and that mean something. The brand is genderless and size-inclusive, from XXS to XXXL, because representation without real inclusivity isn’t enough. At its core, CHEZ NOUS. is a love letter to the in-between spaces, to diaspora, to duality, and to building something better in fashion without compromise.
Where do you see your brand in 5, 10, 15 years from now?
In five years, I see CHEZ NOUS. as a leading voice in ethical and culturally rooted fashion, with a stronger global presence, anchored between Paris, Tunis and New York. In ten years, I envision CHEZ NOUS. as a multidisciplinary creative house that blends fashion, cultural research and entrepreneurship. I would love to develop integration ateliers with mentorship programs particularly for emerging talent from North Africa. And in fifteen years, I hope CHEZ NOUS. becomes a reference not only for what we design, but as model for ethical fashion that is scalable, inclusive, and human.
Ahlam
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What initially made you want to launch your own brand?
Ahlam was born out of a desire to create something bigger than just clothing—it’s about inspiration and identity. Growing up, I saw how powerful brands could be in shaping culture and aspirations, and I wanted to build one that truly resonated with young dreamers, especially in the Middle East. Fashion is one of the most expressive forms of storytelling, and Ahlam is a platform to tell our stories—the struggles, the ambition, and the journey of chasing something greater.
Was there a specific gap you noticed that inspired you to take the leap?
I noticed a lack of authentic representation in the streetwear space—something that felt rooted in our culture yet globally relevant. Many brands tell Western stories, but few highlight the ambitions, resilience, and creativity of Middle Eastern youth. I wanted to create something that wasn’t just inspired by the region, but actually made for and by the people within it.
What do you think your brand does differently?
What sets us apart is our deep connection to real people and real stories. We’re not following trends; we’re creating a cultural dialogue that reflects the aspirations and struggles of dreamers in the Middle East. Through fashion, content, and creative collaborations, we’re making sure our voices are heard on a global scale.
Where do you see your brand in 5, 10, 15 years from now?
I see Ahlam becoming a recognized force in the Middle East and beyond, collaborating with creatives, artists, and athletes while building a strong online and physical presence through pop-ups, flagship stores, and immersive experiences. More than just a clothing brand, Ahlam will evolve into a cultural movement, using fashion as a vehicle for storytelling, representation, and ambition.
As we grow, we’ll expand deeper into content creation and media, producing documentaries, interviews, and original series that highlight inspiring journeys. The vision is to create a multimedia powerhouse—a platform that not only reflects the dreams of a generation but actively shapes culture through fashion, storytelling, and creative collaborations.
Ultimately, Ahlam will be a legacy brand—one that has amplified the voices of Middle Eastern youth, put our stories on the global stage, and built an ecosystem where fashion, media, and ambition intersect. Whether through clothing, content, or collaborations, Ahlam will always stand for the dreamers.
Suez
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What initially made you want to launch your own brand?
Like most in this space, I felt there was something missing in the fashion scape, in that, there wasn’t much in the way of Arab centric design. I had always loved fashion but more in the realm of “style.” Things changed when I started to study the “fashion” side of things. This is where I learned how to pattern-cut and sew as I felt those skills were necessary to launch the best brand I could.
From there I started to experiment, still being very poor at sewing but learning and trying nonetheless. I then made a bucket hat out of Keffiyeh scarves. Friends and even sometimes strangers on the street showed love, and from there Suez was born. Suez after the Suez Canal, metaphorically representing “A Passage Through The Middle East.” As the brand developed and the space evolved— with many toting similar taglines of merging tradition with “modern” clothing— I think innovation and progressive designs will start to shine as the space becomes more and more saturated with similar brands with similar goals, which is a great thing. Competition leads to innovation just like in any industry, so I think the present and future is a very exciting time for the Arab design space.
Was there a specific gap you noticed that inspired you to take the leap?
Definitely! My thinking back then was centered around a lack of representation for people like myself. It was a culture steeped in history and tradition that felt relatively untapped, and more widely, the history of our region deeply misrepresented. There was an arrogance in thinking that I would be able to design and create clothes that would resonate with people, but for sure I had a bit of confidence mixed with a lot of delusion that allowed me to take the leap. Definitely still falling, we shall see where I land!
What do you think your brand does differently?
We really try to create garments that are unique and that have never been done before. Our garments from the Keffiyeh jackets to the Khayamiya Crescent jackets are unique items that incorporate a ton of different influences. We also control and cover everything in house before we send any garment to the factory for production. So we will make the pattern, draft it, amend it, then sample the garment, and then finally send it to the factory for production. This allows us to have complete oversight and control over the process and allows for the best final product to come to life.
Where do you see your brand in 5, 10, 15 years from now?
I hope that Suez is a staple brand in the minds of fashion lovers, not just in the minds of fellow Arabs. A healthy D2C business supplemented by a strong wholesale business, working with artisans from Egypt, Iraq, and other countries where the crafts are rich and deep. I also hope to open a flagship store in the next 10 years as well, but I also hope to still be on my sewing machine, in my studio, creating and experimenting, this is where much of happiness is derived, which no amount of money could change.
R’mili
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What initially made you want to launch your own brand?
What made me want to launch my brand is the fact that I’ve always had a passion for clothing, and I couldn’t find a label that connected my culture (Moroccan) with streetwear — so I created this brand first and foremost for my own enjoyment.
Was there a specific gap you noticed that inspired you to take the leap?
For me, what was missing in the fashion scene was streetwear brands that actually reflect us. Moroccan and Arab culture more broadly is incredibly rich— our architecture, our art— they influence the world. That’s why I wanted to create a bridge through R’mili.
Before launching the brand, I made sure to have the right contacts to create products that are, above all, high-quality and built to last. I’ve always gravitated toward brands like Carhartt because their pieces are durable and well-made. Before even thinking about design, we focus on making sure we have the right network to do things properly.
What do you think your brand does differently?
A bridge between my Moroccan culture and contemporary fashion.
Where do you see your brand in 5, 10, 15 years from now?
In 5 years, sold internationally— and why not a collaboration with a brand like Daily Paper, Stüssy, Denim Tears, or Carhartt, Inshallah. In 10 years, a runway appearance at Paris Fashion Week, Inshallah. And in 15 years, to become the official sponsor of the Moroccan national team, Inshallah.
Gibraltar
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We launched Gibraltar because we didn’t see ourselves in the brands around us. Raised between North African roots and a French upbringing, we felt like our stories weren’t being told. We wanted to create a brand that speaks to kids from immigrant backgrounds, especially those who grew up in European suburbs, who never saw themselves celebrated in this space. We’re surrounded by artists, creatives, and voices that look like us, think like us, yet rarely have the spotlight. So beyond the brand, Gibraltar is also meant to be a platform for our community. A space where our narratives, our talent, and our pride can take center stage. We wanted to create something real and unapologetic, something that speaks to that dual identity we carry every day.
For us, clothes are just a pretext. What really matters is the message. We use fashion as a medium, but the real goal is to speak, to question, to represent. What sets us apart is that we’re not selling fashion — we’re sharing a point of view. One rooted in pride, identity, and truth.Where do you see your brand in 5, 10, 15 years from now?
Right now, it’s really just a passion project— something we’re doing out of love. We want to grow with the brand, evolve, learn, and give back everything that was passed on to us. We’re not trying to rush it. But if there’s a long-term goal, it’s to turn Gibraltar into a true cultural platform. A space that brings people together, sparks dialogue, and shines a light on voices like ours.
