Interviewer: Merna Fouad
Editor: Salma Hanno
About Mariam Azab:
Mariam Azab is an independent young woman and entrepreneur who pursued her graduate studies in business administration then went to Italy to study fashion designing and illustrations. She started working at a very young age in a multinational bank along with starting up her own business. She comes from a house shaped with art: her dad was the dean of faculty of fine arts and her mum is an interior designer, so art sort of runs in their family. Mariam has other hobbies such as horse riding and reading.
THE INTERVIEW
1- HR Revolution Middle-East Magazine: Mariam, how do you manage to work at a multinational corporation in the morning and as a fashion designer by night?
Mariam Azab: Working two jobs is not an easy thing, but with persistence everything happens. To be honest, I have multiple personalities; my character has diverse aspects. I love my morning job with all its stress, technicality, number charts, routine, suit and coffee. It provides me with the routine that balances my day, and at night dressmaking becomes my getaway. It’s where I let myself be free, creative, unpredicted and daring. I have a passion for fashion, fabrics and design. Both jobs sort of complement each other. If one drops, my character would lose its balance.
2- HR Revolution Middle-East Magazine: What were the difficulties that you faced while starting your fashion career?
Mariam Azab: At the beginning, communicating what I learnt in an Italian fashion school to my Egyptian crew was an extremely difficult task. Transforming a sketch into a dress was a miraculous act. It took longer than I expected and planned for. The terms and the techniques of sewing were entirely different than the Italian ones. To be able to communicate with my crew and get my assistants to understand my sketch and my vision, I was taught for 8 months, by an Egyptian tailor called Suzan, how to sew. I faced another problem with models who had issues with the pictures after finishing the whole shoot. As I was not that much experienced and had no contacts back then, I had to repeat the shoot all over again.
3- HR Revolution Middle-East Magazine: Have you ever considered giving up your banking career and devoting your whole time to fashion?
Mariam Azab: I think that when it comes to my career life, I regard myself as a very greedy person. I want both jobs, and I have plans for both of them.
4- HR Revolution Middle-East Magazine: Tell us more about how you are branding your name in the Alexandrian fashion market.
Mariam Azab: Alexandria is the easiest place to brand a name; only if it is done wisely. We, Alexandrians, love to talk and all people know each other. Thus, I try as much as possible to stand out with my own style, uniqueness and daring designs.
5- HR Revolution Middle-East Magazine: What advice can you give to Egyptian designers who are about to start their own fashion lines?
Mariam Azab: As I’ve learnt a lot from Milan fashion school, I advise those who are talented to study fashion in order to proceed. Starting a fashion line is not as easy as it seems. They will face plenty of obstacles, so they shouldn’t give up easily. Also, they shouldn’t care about the profit because it will come sooner or later. Therefore, they have to be more concerned with presenting something that stands out.
6- HR Revolution Middle-East Magazine: How come you’ve never designed formal wear although you’re obliged to wear formal clothes five days a week?
Mariam Azab: I have a habit of being out of dress code 5 days a week. Just don’t tell my boss. But I don’t think I’ll design formal wear in the near future. I’m currently focusing on couture.
7- HR Revolution Middle-East Magazine: What do you think of the banking system in Egypt? In what ways do you think it needs to be refined?
Mariam Azab: Banking is a major driver in the economic activity. Thus, any improvements and reforms in the banking sector will directly result in an improvement in the Egyptian economy as a whole. I think the banking system can be refined by eliminating bureaucracy and making the CBE more independent and allowing it to directly report to the president of the republic.
FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/Mariam-Azab-Couture-112063632195450/timeline