Mataano
Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Fashion |
Founded | September 2008 |
Founder | Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim |
Headquarters | , |
Area served | worldwide |
Key people | Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim |
Website | www |
Mataano ("Twins" in the Somali language) is a women's fashion line. Founded in 2008, it is owned by Somali-American twin fashion designers Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim.
Founders
Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim were born in Alabama to Somali parents.[1] They moved to Somalia at an early age, and spent their first nine years there. When the Somali Civil War broke out in the early 1990s, they returned to the United States.[2]
Settling in northern
Fashion line
Mataano specializes in contemporary ready-to-wear pieces for women.[3][4] It began mainly with dress production, with an accent on comfort. Plans were also made to branch out into other areas of fashion.[4]
To establish a foothold in the fashion market, Ayaan and Idyl focused on ensuring their wear was ready for distribution. They then retained the services of a PR firm to help them advertise their brand, in the process sending out press releases and look books, as well as establishing a website.
Mataano showcased its premier collection for Spring 2009 in New York City.[3] Consisting of ten dresses, it attracted attention in the fashion industry and received enthusiastic reviews.[2][3] The brand has since launched six other collections during New York Fashion Week.[3]
The Somali filmmaker Idil Ibrahim later directed Mataano's official promotional video for the fashion line's 2009 Fall collection. She likewise directed the official promotional video for the company's 2010 Spring collection.[5]
In Spring 2012, supermodel and fellow Somali Iman also signed Ayaan and Idyl as brand ambassadors for her cosmetics line.[1]
The Mohallim twins say they strive to incorporate their experiences and influences as Somali Americans into their designs, reflecting both cultures in their work.[4] Mataano's Spring 2013 collection in part drew inspiration from Los Angeles' beaches, featuring light silks and organzas. According to co-founder Ayaan, the sisters ultimately design for multicultural women like themselves. The silks and colorful hues that adorn the fashion line are typical of Somali female attire.[1]
In terms of other fashion designers, Ayaan and Idyl's primary influences include
As of 2013, Mataano is designed and manufactured in New York City.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Dolan, Margaret (26 July 2013). "Designers and Twins Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim Find Fans of Their Line Mataano the World Over". Papermag. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Biggadike, Ella Mei Yon. "Mataano". Gorgeous New York. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ^ a b c d e "About". Mataano. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim: Mataano". Fly Female Entrepreneurs. 22 April 2009. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "Zeila Films". Zeila Films. Retrieved 22 January 2014.