Front Row with Zahrah G of Amalgam

Image courtesy of Zahrah G

Front Row with Zahrah G of Amalgam

Our 2-month long blog hiatus is broken by a unique creative who possesses an insatiable hunger to succeed–with the talent to match. Zahrah, better known as 'zahrah g' to her close peers and acquaintances, is a Cape Town-based fashion designer, stylist & student–amongst other things of course.

I still marvel at the amount of undiscovered creative talent which exists within our local fashion industry and what initially enticed me about Zahrah G is the maximalist nature of her work. Colour-blocking & print mismatching, combinations of different textures, as well as considering layering, are merely just examples of poignant features within all of her work–whether it be styling with Tumi as a duo, or creative direction. Personally, I find that to be a bold (and compelling) decision–especially within a current fashion climate which thrives off of preaching minimalism & muted colours.

I enjoy the fact that her all of her fashion endeavours have a distinct creative signature–I now call it 'The Zahrah G signature'.

From the ripe age of 14, Zahrah mentions that is when she realised her distinct inclination towards clothes, styling, and just looking different. After nurturing her personal style over the years, she eventually unlocked something truly special–the realisation that she could channel her personal interests in fashion into an actual profession. And that's where the Design Academy of Fashion steps in. Nestled on the infamous Old Biscuit Mill (Woodstock) at the heartbeat of Cape Town, this reputable fashion institution is where Zahrah G chooses to hone in on her talents and cultivate her brand 'Amalgam', as a fashion designer.

Moreso, I also genuinely enjoy engaging with young fashion students & learning designers who are dead-set on exploring their own unique African & indigenous cultural narratives. Within our virtual to-and-fro, Zahrah G mentions:

"Recently, I have started to reject the western style by appreciating my own culture and Middle East/East Asian culture in general. I naturally gravitate towards vintage items with character, personality and good quality. I have curated my closet in way that allows me to play any character yet still having a common thread."

So take an FRM detour with us and enjoy this ensuing interview with Zahrah G–which allows us to learn her story and journey as a creative thus far, creating in conjunction with culture, the upcoming DAF x Crates Fashion show taking place tomorrow! And more.

Would you mind introducing yourself and including a short description of what you do?

ZG: Heyy, I’m Zahrah! I would like to think of myself as a woman with many talents. Lately–I’ve been going with stylist & designer since fashion has fully consumed my life for the past three years. I love all things creative–from designing, to dancing, to jewellery making.

Off the bat I just want to declare that I genuinely think you are one of the most stylish people I have ever featured, maybe even seen ever! What inspires your personal silhouettes and daily dress codes/uniforms?

ZG: The amount of appreciation I feel, simply cannot be expressed through words but nevertheless thank you so much!! As cliché as it may seem, I have loved fashion and personal style for years. At the age of 14, I remember the exact moment I started taking it seriously. It’s a bit of silly story, but I was at the mall and I saw another girl wearing the exact same outfit as me from head to toe. I was so heavy triggered for reason, that now even to this day the idea of looking like others genuinely scares me.

That one idea/thought, I think is what has truly pushed me to nurture my personal style. A lot of things that inspires me are rooted in what I truly find beautiful. I love colour, texture, oversized silhouettes, prints and patterns–anything that draws me in visually. Recently, I have started to reject the Western style by appreciating my own culture and Middle East/East Asian culture in general. I naturally gravitate towards vintage items with character, personality and good quality. I have curated my closet in way that allows me to play any character yet still having a common thread.

Could you tell me a bit more about 'Amalgam'? The meaning behind the name of your brand and also what most inspires your design process?

ZG: “Amalgam” means to mix and to blend. Amalgam changes the stereotypes and misconceptions around modesty to bring a new perspective of 'confidence without compromise’. My brand is a representation of authenticity meets comfortability. We combine different mediums of surface design. Ultimately–wanting to open a new avenue/design style to the local scene that has yet been introduced. What drives my design process is creating work that I wish I had when I was younger. Constantly feeling claustrophobic with lack of options to fully express myself not only as a creative but as a person. I create for others like me–I strive to create walking art–I create to celebrate the value of uniqueness and difference.

Another important facet of your persona is your work as a creative director. I love how maximalist your work is; colour-blocking and print mismatching, combinations of different textures & considering layering. Please tell me more about your work as a creative director and what inspires your work.

ZG: As a stylist trying to build their personal portfolio–you are naturally pushed to become a creative director because at the end of day no one will see your vision as clearly as you would. Especially considering how niche sometimes the concept/styling can become. My work is an extension of my own perception of fashion–but at a much greater scale. It allows me to play and create work that couldn’t be achieved with my personal style alone–to show others that pushing your imagination can also bring you results and success.

Photography by @_celestejacobs. Modelled by @zinamklaas

I would love to hear more about your styling page styl.i.z.ed with Tumi. How has the experience been creating and doing work as a styling duo?

ZG: As much as I have received his question when introducing ourselfs as a duo to others, I still have the same response. “We have the same mind.” When working with my amazingly talented friend–we are able to effortlessly bounce off of each other and brainstorm. We respect each other as stylists and are able to grow concepts individually by understanding our differences, but simultaneously creating a cohesive voice overall. “We climb into each others minds” all the time. It is always pleasure to work with her–not only as a friend but as a creative.

How has your experience as a fashion student shaped your trajectory as a fashion stylist and fashion designer?

ZG: I never doubted my love and appreciation for fashion and style–but studying fashion shifts your mind completely. It teaches you to look deeper and go beyond something as surface level as aesthetics or decoration. You start caring more about the quality of the garments you consume, consumerism in general, the origins of cultures–why they dress the way they do, the ethics within workplaces and the list goes on.

You start seeing ‘fashion’ as more of a lifestyle than a separate entity. Fashion is connected to politics, media, inequality, sustainability and most importantly climate change. I know that there is a stereotype around fashion students and coming across as pretentious or critical–but if you were exposed to the information we intake on a daily basis you would understand why we present ourselves the way we do. Overall, it taught me that all things even the little details have meaning and you should always explore it.

I understand that DAF are currently working on a collaboration fashion show with 'Crates' which I am sure you're involved in? Can you maybe tell us some more about this collaboration and what the audience may expect by attending.

ZG: As I may not be apart of the main committee–I can still confidently say that the team is working incredibly hard and putting in their efforts to make sure it is an amazing event that showcases all the talented local designers/brands. The audience can expect nothing but the best, it’s truly going to be a beautiful experience that they would not want to miss out on.

According to you–what does it mean to be an 'ethical designer' within today's fashion ecosystem?

ZG: Being an ‘ethical designer’ to me, is doing as much as you can with what you have. Whether that’s purchasing materials second hand or making sure your garments live a long a life or lowering your consumerism in general. As a student–I do face some challenges sometimes which tests my beliefs and values. Being an ethical designer also means to hold world renowned, household names accountable, especially as we witness multiple genocides happening all around the world. We cannot support those who cannot support basic human rights.

I find that as long as you’re constantly making an effort to be more ethical or sustainable by coming up with solutions–your best is good enough.

What are some of the things you are looking forward to in the remaining half of 2024?

ZG: I am most looking forward to finishing up my fashion design course and officially introducing my brand to the world. It comes with a lot of pressure and excitement as well. Every creative understands that presenting your work is extremely daunting since it becomes a piece of yourself whether you like it or not. I am also very excited to execute even more work for styl.i.z.ed–creating intricate, thought provoking concepts with beautiful people.

However, in general I look forward to growing as a person and learning more about my roots. To nurture what I have already created and eventually start to show that to the rest of world.