It was my first visit to the
fabulous Old Spitalfields Market in Shoreditch. I had actually come
there to stroll through the vintage fair that had settled there on that
Saturday, but not having found anything between tons of furs and knit
sweaters, I eventually stumbled over a stall that immediately caught my
attention. Gorgeous clutch bags were on display, made from cow leather,
in different sizes and colours, sold by a super-nice and extroverted
young lady, their designer. It was love at first sight - not with the
seller, obviously, but with her creations. One week later, inevitably, I
was the owner of one of those beauties. My bank card regreted it, but
not me.
Najia Alavi
is the talented designer of my new love, 33 years young and full of
ideas. Since 2008, when she launched her own brand Gia London, she works as a full-time, self-employed designer, putting much time into her handmade pieces. Besides clutch bags, she also creates dresses of a "wearable statement bohemian style", as she calls the Gia style herself. "It expresses the need to stand out from the crowd." The brand's name originates from the designer's name as a child: Gia, short for Na-jia.
She gained her first designing experience at the age of 15 when she was
given a jewellery kit by her mum for Christmas, making
earrings out of it and sold them at school. "I made enough to be able
to buy my mother perfume on her birthdays. We never got pocket
money so it felt really good." The candid woman in a fringed leather jacket, greeting everyone who examines her clutch bags with interest, had, however, initially not aimed to become a designer. "I wanted to be
a journalist but I was dyslexic and struggled to get past the
basics", she admits. "Design, however, always came very naturally to me. It was the only thing
I was great at. Fashion kind of found me!" What a luck for all the fashionistas out there! I wouldn't want to have missed getting to know her and her wonderfully designed pieces.
Having finally found out where her strengths lie, Alavi did an Art
Foundation and a BA in environment and industry related
Art And Design at the famous Central Saint Martin's
College of Art and Design. Thus, it might not be surprisingly that her favourite designer is Matthew Williamson, also a former graduate of the prestigious fashion college.
Najia admires him for his "warm spirit and travel
inspired collections" as this is an important aspect of her own collection as well. So, being asked for her favourite clutch bag style, the Londoner with Pakistani parents is very sure: "The mustard coloured one - because it's
the colour of the sun!" Her love for warm colours fits perfectly together with the open-hearted, cheerful character I met at Old Spitalfields Market where she sells her designs on weekends - one that deserves to be known.
And she is, in fact, already known. The English singer-songwriter Molly King owns one of Najias creations, the large tan clutch, and takes it everywhere she goes, as a photo of her at the desginer's stall shows. No wonder, since the small handbags are not only unbelievably pretty and smooth, but also of an exclusivity that appeals to stars.
Alavi does not produce more than twenty pieces of each design, so every owner, like me, can be very proud. The value of the handmade clutches which are priced between 45 and 65 pounds rises even more when considering that the overall production process takes three weeks.
The ideas for new designs the creative head finds in vintage stores, markets and at places where nobody else looks. What she tries to find there are "buried treasures", not in form of material goods, but inspiration which she then tries to turn into an own design. Fashion is Najia Alavi's way to express her creativity - and as she has lots of it, she will surely delight me, and maybe you, with many more designs in the future. Why don't you visit her at Old Spitalfields market? Her designs are definitely worth taking a look at!
Here are two photos of my beloved Gia London clutch:
