Nasra Mustofa Mohammed is a Fashion and Accessories designer; she started her journey at Addis Ababa University studying Civil Engineering but then decided to join NEXT Fashion Institute, graduating with honors. Her family believed in her potential and started encouraging her to push further and with that momentum, she went on to join the Addis Ababa school of Fine Arts and Design, majoring in Fashion Design.
As a Muslim woman, Nasra grew up in a conservative community but she felt, that there could be a way in which clothing for Muslim women could still follow trends, whilst staying true to the Islamic culture. In this way, Nasra began to draw inspiration from Islamic patterns, which often lean towards geometric shapes and patterns. She also looked for inspiration from different cultures, both locally and abroad.
Her designs always begin with intensive research and seeking inspiration which leads to visual exploration in the form of sketches and finally on to execution, which involves material selection (mostly leather and different fabrics choosing what is most readily available locally), cutting of patterns and finalizing the product or clothing.
“Although I believe our fashion industry is growing, we as a society are yet to see the full potential of the industry. On the ground, we still see a lack of range of materials, raw materials, fabric choices, facilities for mass production, and the list can go on. As I see it right now, the hustle for the shortcomings outweighs the hustle for the creative. We are often seen associating patterns and motifs as a sure sign of whether or not a design is African/Ethiopian, I believe that we should look deeper and see how that design was conceptualized and realized. I feel that if a project is conceptualized, designed and produced locally, it is an authentic African or Ethiopian design, regardless of the patterns and motifs associated and attached to that specific niche.” Commentary by Nasra.
Instagram @precious_by_nasra
Facebook @Nasri Mustofa
