Lama Jouni founded her contemporary ready-to-wear label in 2013 with the aim of redefining the fundamental, effortless, refined, and meticulous present-day woman.
Using a discerning selection of materials and conscientious tailoring, Jouni has presented a series of collections inspired by music, travel and art compose structural silhouettes for the fierce, sensual, and understated woman. Born in Lebanon, Jouni pursued her degree at ESMOD Instituto Marangoni and finished at Parsons Paris with a well-built foundation in fashion history and tailoring. With an aim to redefine high-fashion ready-to-wear women’s wear at a comprehensible price point, Jouni is particularly concerned with striving to become a fully sustainable brand that produces long-lasting timeless pieces.
The past year has been unsettling in many ways – how have you been able to continue designing and what are the biggest challenges you have faced?
My journey throughout lockdown has actually brought me clarity towards the brand. I was already striving to make the brand more concise by aligning products with lifestyle and so during all that free time at home I was able to narrow down my vision to the true essence of the brand.
What is a lesson you have learnt from this year?
As a creative and as a human being, I have learnt how to appreciate living a slow, conscious life, towards myself and my brand. The slow-paced life has brought me clarity and gave me the opportunity to understand what is important today in the fashion industry, which is slow fashion and working collectively towards sustainability.
What can you tell us about your Essentials collection?
The essentials collection is designed thoughtfully for the fundamentally versatile and effortless silhouette. A collection of classic, timeless pieces using cotton knit for a comfortable fit. Preserving an elemental colour palette, the collection features buttercream and onyx black for the fierce, sensual and understated present-day woman. The collection keeps sustainability at its core by encouraging mindful shopping through pieces that can be transitioned from day to night, all year round.
How do you think Fashion Trust Arabia is helping to raise awareness of designers in the region?
The FTA initiative is raising awareness by having the most influential people in the industry recognise the work of emerging designers. It is important to shed light on the talent in the Middle East that is thriving and growing.
What would you like to see happen in the fashion industry in the region?
I would like to see stronger infrastructure in terms of suppliers and production facilities to help Middle Eastern designers grow locally. I would also like to see the industry grow more towards sustainability and taking steps into reducing the fashion industry’s footprint in the world.
What is next for Lama Jouni?
Lama Jouni is now working towards becoming fully sustainable and focusing on the Essentials collections becoming the dominant part of the brand, while reaching a wider global market.
What is the biggest challenge you face today?
The biggest challenge I face today is scaling production as much as I want to, while reaching new retailers on a global scale.
When are you at your most creative?
I feel most creative when I am done with my daily tasks and have all the time to be creative at night.
What is the motto you live by?
My motto in life, is that consistency is key, no matter if it’s in my personal life or career.
What is something that you’ll take away from the FTA experience?
I will take from the experience that humbleness that comes with it, while learning from all the creatives and influential people on board. In addition, this kind of experience is mind-opening in terms of seeing what kind of talent and new minds are developing within my region and culture.
