Souvenir /ˌsuːvəˈnɪə(r)/ noun
A thing that is kept as a reminder of a person place or event.
Sewvenir is a dress that is kept as a reminder of a place, region or location. Inspired by travel, photography and aesthetic, the clothing brand, Sewvenir aims to empower women from all walks of life through its modest wear collection.
My mum
Growing up, I would watch my mum design her own dresses, from visiting fabric stores all across London, to buying matching Motifs, eventually executing the design in the comfort of our own home and sewing them herself. Without realising, my love for designing and creating outfits was born. From Eid wear, to wedding outfits, just like my mum, I would love having the autonomy of visiting fabric shops, choosing my own material, buying motifs and then getting them created. Most of the time these designs would be tailored by her, and other times by a local tailor. This interest remained with me all the way up till my adolescence where I would design outfits for all different types of occasions. My mum always had a dream of running her own line one day, but as any mother would do, she prioritised raising 4 children, thus choosing to work her day job and provide for her family. I wanted to make sure that she didn’t give up on this vision, so I came up with Sewvenir.
Highstreet Fashion
I would be lying if I didn’t mention another major source of inspiration being Highstreet fashion brands from the likes of Zara, Mango, H&M and many more. However, like many other Muslim girls growing up in the west, I found myself having to alter dresses due to an ongoing list of issues including the length being too short, material being see through, layering tops underneath because an outfit was sleeveless, and so on. As a result, I would instead use these dresses as a sort of sample/template, and tailor outfits in a way that was wearable for me and my hijab.
Highstreet Fashion
I would be lying if I didn’t mention another major source of inspiration being Highstreet fashion brands from the likes of Zara, Mango, H&M and many more. However, like many other Muslim girls growing up in the west, I found myself having to alter dresses due to an ongoing list of issues including the length being too short, material being see through, layering tops underneath because an outfit was sleeveless, and so on. As a result, I would instead use these dresses as a sort of sample/template, and tailor outfits in a way that was wearable for me and my hijab.
Where does travel come into it?
I have always loved the adventure of travel as it allows one to experience different atmospheres, traditions and cultures. From discovering a new land, a new language or a new dish, I have learned that travelling broadens the mind immensely. Among the cities I have visited include Venice, Sylhet, Marrakech, Granada, Oludeniz and Lake Como. You will find that all my designs have been named after a specific place visited in a particular city. In other words, each design is a souvenir from a place I’ll never forget. Please check out my blog page to see the distinctive meanings behind each design and place!
Founder, creator – Tuffa