When Emirati entrepreneur Mohammad Kazim and his four partners first came up with the idea of a made-in-UAE footwear brand about five years ago, they knew they needed to make a strong fashion statement to stand out.
“We had this amazing idea. But we wanted it to represent something bigger, something about our background, and at the same time create a buzz around a social cause,” says the 30-year-old, who, along with partner Ali Al Youha, quit their full-time jobs to focus on the project.
Tamashee, they decided, would have three main clauses: it would represent their Arabian identity, represent their culture and add a bit of colour to people’s lives.
“Many of us have lived abroad and we’ve seen a lot of growth in the UAE,” adds Kazim. “We wanted to show the world the wonderful, colourful items that can come out of this part of the world, represent the region’s culture and impact the society we live in positively.”
Inspired by sandals popularly worn in the Arabian gulf called zbairiya, but with a 21st Century twist, Tamashee was launched last last week at level Shoe District at The Dubai Mall, with collections available for both men and women.
Kazim and Al Youha, along with partners Priya Amarsy, Muneera Al Tamimi and Amine Mamlouk, will each handle various aspects of the brand.
The Directory spoke with Kazim about fashion, starting a brand in the UAE and where the direction the team wants to take Tamashee.
Q: How long has Tamashee been in the making?
A: We had the idea for some time, way back in 2008. But we were all were busy, we had full time jobs. Then in 2012 we sat together again and decided we were going to make it happen.
Actually bringing it to reality was not easy. We are working in different territories and we were going to do something that hasn’t been done before. I think the most difficult was deciding on the direction and the strategy. Once we had that down, we just went for it.
Q: And culture is a big element of it?
A: We’ve made the sandals very similar to the old design, and that links it with our strategy to have something that preserves our identity. There have been attempts to revive the zbairiya before but not quite on this scale. And because we’ve revamped it, it is a fashion accessory that can be work with the latest fashion trends, with which we cover our other strategy of representing our culture.
We also have a social element and have tied up with the UAE Down Syndrome Association who will receive a portion of each item sold. We’re still working out the details but this is a very important element of our business.
Q: Was it difficult to start your own brand?
A: I have been involved with a few start-ups, but nothing on this scale. Ali and I quit our jobs and used our personal funds because we truly believed in it.
The cost structure of doing this kind of business is a lot higher in the UAE for multiple reasons. But then again, I think we are in a great position because being in Dubai has not only allowed us to get great minds together but approach top fashion outlets. In a city that’s going to have one of the largest fashion-related districts, this is an exciting time to be a fashion brand coming out of the UAE.
Q: And you manufacture in Spain? Why?
A: We looked for manufactures in the GCC that could deliver the quality we were looking for. Shoe-making has a whole hub built around it and all that impacts the amount of time you take in making it. Our manufacturers in Spain were willing to change their technique to provide us what we needed. For instance, the technique of making the ring component is unique to the zbairiya, and that element as very important to us. These guys understood that.
Q: How many designs do you have in your first collection?
A: This is our pre-spring-summer collection, so there are seven designs for men and seven for women. Two from each of the men’s and women’s collections are limited-edition designs available only at level.
Q: What are the price points?
A: The sandals range between Dh1,100 to Dh1,600. We did a lot of market studies to compare to similar to high-end footwear brands around the world. We’ve tried to keep it similar to that, although our manufacturing technique is unique.
Q: Where would you like to see Tamashee five years down the line?
A: We are really focusing on making this not just a fashion brand, but something with a strong social element. Of course, we want to eventually go outside the UAE and to the world. But we first want to create a hub for a shoemaking industry over here.
For more on Tamashee, go to tamashee.com