LIBYAN FASHION DESIGNER’S THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE PAYS OFF
Zahra, a 35-year-old mother of two from Libya, has been sewing clothing ever since she was a child. Over the years, she expanded her knowledge and design skills by attending a variety of sewing training courses. She later purchased a small sewing machine to put what she learned into practice.
Born in Sebha, around 600km from the capital Tripoli, Zahra graduated with a degree from the Institute of Engineering in 2014. While she focused on her studies and family life, Zahra’s passion for fashion design had to be pushed to the back burner. But in 2016, after much deliberation, Zahra decided to return to her beloved hobby.
“I began by designing and selling clothes to family and friends,” says Zahra. “Gradually, the number of buyers grew outside of my close circle. I decided to develop it into a small business because the number of buyers was rapidly increasing.”
LEARNING FROM THE SETBACKS
The decision to expand her project into an official start-up brought new challenges, mostly financial. The income was not generating sufficient funds to invest in business development while also supporting her family.
Zahra decided to enter a competition offered by SPARK and the BINA Business Incubator, part of the Tadamon program financed by the IsDB and ISFD. The competition featured training, coaching, and mentorship to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“My ultimate goal was to gain knowledge,” says Zahra, “because I believe knowledge is more valuable than money. Even if I had money, without the knowledge I’d lose it all.”
Despite making it to the final of the competition, Zahra’s business was not chosen for financial support. However, with great spirit, Zahra did not let this deter her. Instead, she started considering what her business lacked and launched herself into every available training she could find.
MARKET TRENDS
By focusing on market trends, Zahra was able to also expand her business throughout the country. She established what her customers were asking for and the types of clothing that were most popular. She was able to figure out that every region in Libya has its own style, whether in traditional clothing or modern clothing. She has now recruited representatives for her start-up in different regions across Libya.
Today, Zahra employs a team of 15 women and is planning to launch her own brand, called Libyan Lotus.
