ABW Fashion Blog | Sponsor Feature: Sayran

We are honored to have the best sponsors be apart of A Blessed Wardrobe (ABW) productions.

Why did we choose Sayran to be our sponsor? Here’s what you need to know about Sayran:

Q) What does your company do? How has your journey been thus far?

SAYRAN is a jewelry line designed to create pieces tied to cultural roots, specifically from the SWANA region. I am a Kurdish woman, born and raised in the diaspora, and growing up I didn’t have imagery and tangible pieces to buy in a western market that made me feel seen. So far my journey has been something I am grateful for, I have been able to grow and heal through my work and have met so many inspiring women from the black and brown communities who appreciate my work for the reasons why I had initially started my line to begin with.

Q) What inspired you? What is your “why”?

My Kurdish roots are my number one inspiration. My jewelry is symbolic of those roots on top of drawing inspiration from many cultures and countries in the entire SWANA region. There is so much beauty and history in the region of my roots and I strive to highlight that beauty and bring positive awareness to that part of the world.

Q) What differentiates you from your competitors? What are some challenges that your consumers are facing right now and that you can help with?

To be honest I am trying to eliminate the concept of competing with other brands/companies. I find it to be unhealthy more than anything else. I only compete with myself, in regards to coming up with new concepts and ideas for my brand’s growth. You also eventually come to the realization that although people may be doing the same things, the vision is always unique if it’s true. There’s only one of each brain on the planet and so your ideas and the execution of those ideas is uniquely your own.

Q) How was your experience collaborating with ABW? How else do you practice charity?

I was beyond thrilled to collaborate with ABW and be a little part of the good work they are doing, much love and respect for them, and everything that they do. Practicing charity and giving back to important causes is a part of my brand and I try to do it as often as possible. A few months ago, for example, I was able to raise a good amount of money in a short amount of time to send to the Kurdish Red Crescent on the ground in Rojava (Northern Syria). I created a limited run of earrings and 100% of the sales went directly to the charity. In March I will also be vending at The Arab Conference at Harvard and will be donating 100% of proceeds to Drop Earrings Not Bombs, A Syrian refugee group of women making jewelry as well as to SEEFAR, the Kurdish Migrant Project. It’s both important and necessary to give back to our communities however we can, and will always be an important aspect of what I am doing.

Q) Who is your current favorite accessory?

Hardest question ever (haha). I have loved accessories since I was a little kid. I tell people that if you ever catch me out and about and have no jewelry on then I must be going through something/or having a bad day. Currently, I am back to being obsessed with chain layering around my neck and I love, love a good sunglasses chain.

Sayran, Founder & Designer of SAYRAN

The SAYRAN Collection

ABW Fashion Blog | Sponsor Feature: Niswa Fashion

We are honored to have the best sponsors be apart of A Blessed Wardrobe (ABW) productions.

Why did we choose NISWA FASHION to be our sponsor? Here’s what you need to know about niswa fashion:

Q) What does your company do? How has your journey been thus far?

Niswa Fashion is a modest clothing brand for women by women. Our humble beginnings were from the basement of my home and since then we've come a long way! We slowly built our brand from ground up and it expanded in a way we could have never imagined. Niswa has become a global brand alhamdulillah and we hope that we can continue to provide for and inspire women everywhere.

Q) What inspired you? What is your “why”?

Growing up I've always wanted to and aimed to dress modestly because of my faith. Going out to shop in mainstream stores was always such a challenge. I would have to add sleeves, hem skirts, buy lining and it was just so annoying to have to alter clothes so often. I wanted to have options of buying modest clothing without having to change it separate from the standard black abaya and hijab set. 

Q) What differentiates you from your competitors? What are some challenges that your consumers are facing right now and that you can help with?

Niswa's dedication to modesty and customer service really sets us apart. There are other brands out there, but they don't reach the standards that we set for ourselves. Some challenge we face is catering to consumers who can't spend a lot on products. Our production cost is usually at a certain level and we are trying to make it so people of all socioeconomic status can easily afford our products.

Q) How was your experience collaborating with ABW? How else do you practice charity?

Our collaboration with ABW was definitely quite a unique experience. We didn't really know what to expect but were happy to be able to give back to the community. Usually we donate a portion of our sales to charity organizations, so this was a different way to experience charity more actively.

Q) Who is your favorite clothing designer?

I appreciate and have a really nice feel for Kate Spade. The prints and silhouettes of the clothing are really fun and unique and the bags are great for the modern woman.

Niswa Fashion Clothing Line

Niswa Fashion Clothing Line

ABW Fashion Blog | Sponsor Feature: Zudo

We are honored to have the best sponsors be apart of A Blessed Wardrobe (ABW) productions.

Why did we choose Zudo to be our sponsor? Here’s what you need to know about Zudo:

Q) What does your company do? How has your journey been thus far?

ZUDO offers simple, yet meaningful jewelry that reflects our South Asian culture and Islamic faith. We design pieces that also support worthy causes. ZUDO is dedicated to breaking the silence on mental health and sexual violence through raising awareness and fueling cultural change. 

We launched ZUDO in June 2018 and since then, we’ve had the honor of adding thousands of people to our ever-growing family. We are learning and growing each day and are super excited for this year :)

Q) What inspired you? What is your “why”?

In the spring of 2018, I set out to find the perfect engagement present for my then fiance, now wife, Zuni. I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find anything that really fit what she wanted - something meaningful that she could wear everyday. Pakistani jewelry is gorgeous, but often worn with bridal dresses. Minimalistic Islamic jewelry can be hard to find. And don’t get me started on trying to find a necklace with her name...

Instead of giving up, I decided to take matters into my own hands and designed jewelry that I knew would be perfect for her… and in the process just ended up making an entire line of personalized & culturally inspired pieces. I realized others might like these too, and that’s how ZUDO came to be!

Zuni is getting her PhD in health and social psychology - she focuses on studying sexual violence and mental health in our communities. We often had discussions about her research and how these issues are prevalent but often ignored. We realized we could help make a difference by making it ZUDO’s mission to help raise awareness through education and build a safer, more inclusive community. 

Q) What differentiates you from your competitors? What are some challenges that your consumers are facing right now and that you can help with?

Wearing a ZUDO piece symbolizes a commitment to being an agent of change for a better community. We hope that everyone’s ZUDO piece reminds them to be a kinder person to themself and to those around them. Approach life with gratitude; love and accept everyone for who they are, unconditionally. 

Many people in our communities suffer in silence with mental health issues and trauma. We hope that together, we can create a community free from judgement and suffering. A community that strives to create a sense of belongingness, fosters positivity, and encourages everyone to treat each other with compassion, because we never know the pain and struggles they experience. 

Alongside our mission, our #1 priority is customer experience and offering our ZUDO fam the best service, product and experience possible! We listen to our family and take suggestions to heart. Many of our newest pieces have been designed after receiving ideas and feedback from ZUDO customers. We hope to continue with this approach so that we can keep creating jewelry for you, inspired BY you.

Q) How was your experience collaborating with ABW? How else do you practice charity?

Super honored that Mariam reached out to ZUDO for a collaboration! We believe in supporting members of our communities, especially those passionate about making a difference. Our experience has been nothing but amazing! 

At ZUDO, we partner with various organization to raise awareness on mental health & sexual violence in minority communities. With each package, we send home information that may shed some light on these important issues to help educate our community, giving our ZUDO fam tools to become agents of change.

Q) What is your current favorite accessory from your line?

Ibraheem: My favorite accessory is our Ayatul kursi necklace - not only because of the significance this verse holds in my life, but also the attention to detail and time (9+ months) that we put into this piece.

Zuni: My favorite ZUDO piece is our star moon ring - it’s inspired by our Pakistani heritage and is so cute and dainty! I love the little gems that allow it to give it that extra sparkle, and that it is also adjustable so I can wear it on any finger for any occasion. We’re planning to release necklaces and bracelets to match this design!

Zudo Founders: Ibraheen & Zuni

Zudo Accessories: Use MARIAM15 to receive $ off your purchase.

ABW Fashion Blog | Sponsor Feature: Nominal

We are honored to have the best sponsors be apart of A Blessed Wardrobe (ABW) productions.

Why did we choose Nominal to be our sponsor? Here’s what you need to know about nominal:

Q) What does your company do? How has your journey been thus far?

Nominal is a brand that provides the world with what we like to call “meaningful accessories”. The majority of our pieces are designed and engraved with a powerful word or quote, that is meant to resonate with you and serve as a reminder during your highs and lows.

Q) What inspired you? What is your “why”?

Prior to Nominal, I would type out and save the wise words of my role models as the background of my phone. This constant reminder kept me grounded, whether I was going through a rough time and needed some words of affirmation, or times were great and I needed to be reminded to show gratitude to Allah (SWT). This strategy became very healthy for my mental health. It changed my life, and I felt like the rest of the world can benefit from this strategy as well.

Q) What differentiates you from your competitors? What are some challenges that your consumers are facing right now and that you can help with?

We pride ourselves in our purpose, customer experience, giving back, quality, and attention to detail.

We’re not just a fashion brand. Our pieces don’t just serve as outfit upgrades. Our pieces are here to change lives, whether it be because of a word or quote that inspires you to do more, or a necklace with the shape of your hometown as the pendant, that allows you to be loud and proud of your identity.

Q) How was your experience collaborating with ABW? How else do you practice charity?

Our experience with ABW has been amazing! We are so honored to work with Mariam and her team.

Every single month, we have a “Deed of the Month”. We choose a charity and a few items that we donate 25% of the sales towards. It was once a dream to build a platform that can be used to raise funds and awareness towards important causes. With Nominal, that dream has become a reality. Throughout the last two years, with the help of our Nominal family, we have raised over $30,000 for people all over the world, including building a water well in Mali. To read more about our Deed of the Month campaigns, please click here: https://nominalx.com/pages/follow-your-dollar

Q) What is your current favorite accessory from your line?

My favorite Nominal accessory is the Core Values Necklace that we launched in November of 2019. This necklace is extra special to me because it holds my four favorite words: Peace, Love, Faith, and Patience. I grab and squeeze the pendant of this necklace every time I feel like I need an extra boost. It puts my mind in a positive place, every time.

Nominal Founders: Lina Sarsour & Akram Abdallah

Nominal Accessories: Use this link to receive $ off your purchase.