Tell us a little bit about this line we are showcasing.
We created this collection for men getting married this summer. The inspiration came from heirlooms and artefacts that have been passed down to us over many generations, such as vases, rugs and tapestry that may have been sitting in our grandparents’ living rooms as centrepieces for many decades. Drawing from the motifs and textures of these pieces, we created a line of vibrant prints that will immediately transport you back to your childhood.
The prints are bold, colourful and fun. At first, we wanted to keep the silhouettes simple and classic, but then we took the liberty to experiment with patterns and colour combinations.
The looks were created with summer weddings in mind. A lot of the weddings are now intimate due to the pandemic, taking place in gardens and during the day – hence we wanted to present a collection that will work well for the present scenario.
Christian Louboutain says, “the concept is simple – to have fun with what you wear” – how much do you agree with that statement?
I agree with that statement a 100%. I think a lot of people take their appearance too seriously, and I really don’t see the point. The concept really is to take risks, experiment, and have fun during the process.
When I am not feeling my best, I always go for the most fun, ‘in your face’ items in my closet, and when I put them on, I immediately feel happier. That’s the kind of power fashion has over me.
You recently launched your ‘ready to wear line’ at the end of last year. What’s the reason behind expanding from bespoke tailoring to a pret collection?
The main reason for us to expand to RTW from our bespoke tailoring is to cater to a market bigger than our original clientele. Making bespoke garments take time and are always more expensive – and a lot of people don’t have that kind of time or the budget.
Now with our RTW offerings, we have tapped into a wider audience who love quality, design and fit. I think it’s one of the best decisions we have ever made!
It makes us extremely happy to see more and more people donning ZURHEM everyday, and quite frankly, this is what we have always strived to achieve.
If you were getting married at the end of this year, how would you arrange it? Who would do the decor, the food, etc.?
If you were getting married at the end of this year, how would you arrange it? Who would do the decor, the food, etc.?I would totally have an intimate wedding with only my immediate family and my closest friends, and I would for sure have a destination wedding in either Lisbon, Bali or anywhere where the weather is nice, the food is amazing and we have access to a beach.
I love day weddings by the beach and I would definitely design a wedding where the guests are as much a part of the wedding as me and my significant other.
I think I will do the decor myself and really keep it simple and classy. I would want the surroundings to be the highlight and steer away from things that are too extravagant and not timeless.
For food, I would want go with local cuisine of the destination but I would make sure the ingredients are fresh and everything is prepared on the spot. I am extremely picky about my food, and this area of the wedding that I would probably be the most controlling in.
Look at me planning out my dream wedding like I think about it all day! Maybe I do? *breaks into laughter*
What’s next in the pipelines for Zurhem?
With ZURHEM, we are looking forward to a lot more creative work this year – lots of collaborations with other like minded people and continuing to grow the business. I feel with the pandemic, we have not been able to be all that creative, but lately I am bursting with ideas… I feel like the only way we can come out of this difficult time is by creating more art and doing what I absolutely love.
Having said that, this pandemic has also taught us how to stay afloat commercially. We have decided to expand our RTW offerings to more things beyond clothing. We are extremely excited about the possibilities and I hope we can eventually become a luxury lifestyle brand someday.