Good Morning My lovely Readers!! We made it to yet another Friday.  Today I spotlight the talented Ayesha Ibrahim.

Ayesha is an electrifying, radiant Fashion designer from the island of Barbados; her designs are glamorous, enticing and romantic while maintaining a true Caribbean vibe.

With her mother being from Barbados and her father from Tanzania, Africa; Ayesha’s background and culture is displayed in her designs. Growing up in Barbados she always had an eye for style and fashion. At the age of 16 Ayesha began modeling, undertaking various print and runway projects. Those experiences opened her eyes to the intense world of fashion and the variety of avenues this industry has to offer.

At the age of 20 Ayesha relocated to Miami, Florida to pursue her Bachelor of Business with a focus in International Business but throughout her studies she kept her eye on fashion and its trends and as a result began styling various clients located in the Caribbean and United States.  It was upon completion of her first degree that Ayesha encountered a revelation, realizing that she was not expressing herself fully as the artist she is.

Since then her latest projects include ASMI featured in a series of magazine shoots throughout South Florida and designing a gown for Filmmaker & Humanitarian Nominee, Alison Thompson to be worn at the  Australia 2012 Instyle Red Carpet Women of Style awards.

::Let’s Chat::

ASW: What does Fashion mean to you?

AI: Fashion is an art; a form of expression. I have heard people make statements such as “ I am not fashionable” or “I am not interested in fashion” but we are all involved in the art of fashion and our personal sense of style and dress showcases this art daily.

ASW: How would you define your city’s fashion?

AI: I would define my city’s fashion as “summer chic”. In Miami we have the advantage of enjoying  sunshine all year round and as a result we dress to suit. Elegant, flowing summer dresses, shorts and loose light-weight blouses are favored pieces in Miami.

ASW: When did you realize you wanted to be  a fashion designer?

AI: I realized I wanted to be a fashion designer soon after I completed my BA in International Business.  I faced the decision of doing what was expected, which was continue in the field of business and obtain an M.B.A., or to go after my passion and thus follow my heart. At the time I was also a stylist but I still felt a void like I was not truly expressing myself and exploring the art of fashion as I wanted to. After much thought, I finally decided to pursue my Master of Fine Arts with a focus in Fashion Design and the result of such a pursuit led to my clothing line ASMI.

 ASW: What was the first article of clothing you ever designed?

AI: The first piece I ever designed was my cocktail dress for a New Years Eve party  a few years back. I remember feeling a bit confused with regards to the fabric types needed and the cutting of the pattern but I enjoyed every step and two weeks later I was quite pleased with the result and also very proud of myself.

 ASW: How long does it usually take you to construct a piece?

AI: It usually takes me a couple days to construct a piece however, this all depends on the complexity of the design, in some cases a gown can take about 10 days including fittings and possible alterations but there have also been those occasions where I hear last minute of an event occurring maybe the next day and I really want to go wearing my own design so I spend all night with a cup of coffee and create a fabulous ASMI design.

ASW: What are some of your accomplishments as a designer?

AI: As a new designer, it is hard for me to note my accomplishments because I am so focused on improvement. I am constantly brainstorming how I can improve myself, my art and of course ASMI. But I can say that I am still happy and I am grateful;  this year I’ve had the opportunity to meet and collaborate with noted stylists and photographers in Miami with them featuring ASMI in their shoots . Also, I was able to meet  humanitarian and film maker Alison Thompson, and design her dress for the Instyle Red Carpet awards held in Australia and ASMI is now available in stores so even though this is quite a journey and there is always room for improvement  there are some great moments throughout.

ASW: Who are some of your favorite designers?

AI: This is a tough question for me because I truly have immense appreciation for all designers because each designer adds their own unique touch to the design. I am a big fan of Diane von Furstenberg her signature print and her  wrap dress is simply iconic, I love the designs of Michael Kors they are elegant but yet practical and of course there are the legendary designers such as Azzedine Alaia and Valentino who I look up to.

ASW: Where can readers buy your clothes?

AI: My designs are available for viewing on my website www.asmidesigns.com and I can easily be reached through my site, also ASMI is available at The Loft located at 3190a Commodore Plaza, Coconut Grove FL 33133 and at Haus Fashion Lab located at 2527 NW 2^nd Ave, Miami FL 33127.

ASW: What are some of your favorite clothing stores/catalogs/websites?

AI: I cannot say I have a favorite store because I  usually try to visit most malls quite often and look for other new boutiques every week, I like to stay informed with regards to fashion trends, looks and new designers especially in my area. A couple of my go-to websites are style.com and wwd.com (womensweardaily),  these sites have all the up-to-date information for designers with regards to fabric trends, color trends and seasonal looks.

ASW: Where do you buy your fabrics and other sewing materials?

AI: A lot of my sewing materials like my scissors , various rulers and tapes I order from the internet or buy from a local sewing supply store but for my fabric I usually go to downtown Miami for my prints and I head to  North Miami for the unique fabric types that I love to experiment with but it must be noted that with fabric there is no limit, it is a joy for me to find a new fabric store or to travel out of state and find fabric. The more distinct and unique the fabric the better the design.

ASW: What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers?

 AI: My advice to aspiring fashion designers is to follow your heart no matter what; pursue your passion. This is what I tell myself daily; words cannot express the joy and sense of achievement I get from my designs and even on my toughest days and sleepless nights I cannot imagine doing anything else.

ASW: What do you like best about designing clothes?

AI: What I love about designing is that I get to explore my art and talent daily and the result is always a unique and special ASMI design.

ASW: How would you define your personal style?

AI:  I would define my personal style as casual meets elegance meets a dose of funk.

For a direct link to this interview, please click HERE