The rise and rise of Australian-Afghan designer, Mariam Seddiq
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JO DUCK
WORDS BY MAGGIE ZHOU
“The brand hasn’t aged, the values haven’t changed.”
Even if you haven’t heard the name Mariam Seddiq, her designs have most definitely caught your eye. The eponymous brand from Sydney is responsible for some of the most showstopping runway looks Australia has seen in recent years. Bold, daring, extravagant and boundary-pushing, Mariam Seddiq is unafraid of standing out.
Local and international celebrities have donned her creations, including the likes of Kelly Rowland, Vera Blue, Iggy Azalea, Rita Ora and Jessica Mauboy – and recently, Kylie Minogue. It’s been an eventful eight years for Mariam, but she points to helpful industry leaders as part of the reason why she’s been able to build her label up from a pop-up atelier in Sydney’s east to a globally-recognised fashion name.
Discover more up-and-coming local designers in our Fashion section.
As one of Afterpay Australian Fashion Week‘s (AAFW) Next Gen participants in 2015, Mariam joins the ranks of alumni who’ve successfully secured their spot in Australia’s fashion scene. Next Gen (presented by DHL this year) has proved to be vital in uplifting emerging designers – and Mariam here is proof. As one of AAFW’s official media partners, we spoke with Mariam about her label’s past, present and future.
You launched your label in 2015 – it’s been a massive eight years. Tell us about the beginnings of your journey!
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I opened up a shop in Paddington, it was like a pop-up next door to Aje on Oxford Street. That was only meant to last for three months and [was] just kind of something to do over the summer. I remember I opened it on December 26 and everyone’s like, ‘Okay, everyone’s bought everything [for Christmas], what are you doing opening up a shop?’. I didn’t know what I was doing, pretty much.
I set [aside] enough money for two months’ rent and then I just made [enough] money for the third month – and then I ended up staying there for like two years. From that, I applied for [Afterpay Australian Fashion Week’s] Next Gen. Next Gen was good, it was you with six other people. I think if I didn’t have Next Gen, I would be completely overwhelmed because I wouldn’t know what to expect doing a solo show.
I think maybe [it] would have taken me longer to do a solo show if I didn’t do Next Gen. The shared experience was good. When I did my solo show, I knew everything; I knew there was an event producer, I knew there was casting, I knew every single thing because it’s a good program – they just show you everything and then that way you can confidently do a solo show.
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What was the process like getting into Next Gen?
I didn’t have a collection, I just submitted sketches. And so from the sketches, for some reason, the lady doing [the programming] at the time put me as the opener. The opener was such a long, dark moment for the audience because [I played spoken word by] Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie from Beyoncé’s ‘Flawless’.
[I] had no budget to create a video or film so [I] requested the sound and lighting to turn all the lights off and leave the audience in the dark [so they could] really listen to the words. I then opened with this chick [wearing] a mesh top and her tits out. Yeah, I was making a statement.
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How did your label get to where it is today?
I had a full-time job [so] I decided to just create a collection [and] build [my] social media. And then I was – during my work hours unfortunately – sending my lookbooks to stylists [and] magazines. I realised early on stylists were the middlemen from me to celebrities… I feel like that was probably the key; having those really great relationships from the start has been the secret sauce for [my] business growing.
What are you trying to achieve and communicate with Mariam Seddiq now?
I think the brand hasn’t aged. The values haven’t changed – even from the get-go, with Next Gen and my first solo show, we’ve always been diverse because I hate trends. It’s just like a natural thing to be diverse in size, colour, whatever it is.
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We’ve grown very slowly, even though people in the last few years are like, ‘Oh my god, you’ve blown up’ and it’s like no, this has been eight years of slow progression. I kind of pride myself on doing it myself rather than having help or backers.
As an Australian-Afghan designer, how inclusive do you think the Australian fashion industry is currently?
I think [it’s] catching up now… If you go through [some brands’] Instagram[s], you see that point where they stopped being inclusive. It’s interesting how everybody just kind of jumps on the bandwagon of trends… I hate all of that, [we] do our own thing. So a lot of people don’t know how sustainable we are as well… I just don’t preach it.
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From the get-go [we] have made everything here in Australia from machiners to patterns to all of it. Even the ready-to-wear stuff is made-to-order, [there’s a] two-week turnaround. We also have the option of customers (because you know, everyone’s got a BBL these days) sending in their bust, waist and hip measurements, so there’s no need for them to alter it. There’s zero waste and it’s good for my business.
What’s planned for this year’s Afterpay Australia Fashion Week?
Something different, so expect the unexpected. I don’t like to be predictable. Don’t expect what you think you’re gonna see.
Keep up to date with Mariam Seddiq here.
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