Time for Business campaign – Meet the NYAS Studio team
Time to lead, time for business. Our new ad campaign is in full swing! You might have seen it on buses, on your commute or on a billboard at the corner of your favourite local shop. Just like everything we do here at Tide, our members are once again front and centre of this campaign. We’re thrilled to introduce the six brilliant businesses involved through our Member Spotlight series!
The next members we’re introducing you to are NYAS Studio, a South Asian fusion clothing brand created by two brothers in 2020. We spoke to the co-founder, Ismail, about his inspirations, how he cultivates creativity whilst running a business and how NYAS Studio is an ode to the women in their family. Learn more about the serial entrepreneur in this new Tide Member Spotlight!
Hi Ismail, tell us more about NYAS Studio and where the idea came from?
I was 12 years old when I started my first screen printing business. Although my customer portfolio did not extend above family members, I knew then that I wanted to have my own business and be my own boss.
Growing up, I loved design and economics. I have also always been very connected to my culture, so it only made sense to me to create something that combined all of these interests. I started the business with my brother Yaqub during lockdown in 2020.
My mother and the other women in my family have been major influences on who my brother and I have become today. This brand is an ode to them.
Your designs are a fusion of South Asian and British cultures. Can you tell us more about your creative process?
Our designs originate from traditional South Asian silhouettes such as the (a typical draped garment) or kameez (a long tunic).Taking inspiration from trends not only celebrates our culture but also adds a modern twist to our South Asian heritage, personalising the taste of fusion fashion with meaning.
As a busy business owner, how do you cultivate your creativity?
Running a business means you’re never really clocking in or out, so I think the way I maintain balance is having a routine that allows room for spontaneity and change. I’m always looking out for inspiration and staying open to new experiences. As a creative, it’s increasingly difficult to allocate a certain time to ‘being creative’, in most cases you have a spark or a new idea when you least expect it – for instance, just before going to sleep. When I have a new idea, I like to allow time for the concept to sprout before putting it to paper.
You have a huge community on social media. Can you tell us more about your community building and its importance for NYAS Studio?
We started during lockdown when everyone was at home and spent a lot of time on TikTok. That’s when we started going viral – one of our first videos got a million views, and from that, we instantly sold out.
When running our social media, we consider it to be a form of engagement with the world rather than primarily seeing it as a medium to sell. We like to curate content that’s useful, inspiring and entertaining, whether you’re interested in purchasing an outfit from our brand or not. I think people come to social media as a form of escape, so we like to play into this and may result in followers naturally thinking about purchasing.
What’s your top advice for young people looking to start a fashion business?
As saturated as the fashion industry may be, it’s vital for you to be unique. There’s so much pressure to be ‘perfect’ – but my advice is to be professional, perfection comes with time. Make sure you can find a balance between being different and commercial. As beautiful as a design can be, it also needs to be commercially viable.
Quality over quantity – one well-designed product can outsell hundreds of average products.
What’s next for NYAS Studio?
We’re definitely working on our product range to reach more customers. We pride ourselves in individuality, so we’re working on a service that will allow customers to customise their clothes. Expanding our team is something that we’re also looking forward to!
