The Risk-Taker – Exclusive interview with Eli Mizrahi, founder of Mônot Careful Curation – Interview with the founder of Aubade, Duha Al Ramadhan

THE

TAKER

WORDS: DAN ROBINSON

Eli Mizrahi, founder of Mônot, is known for designing daring, clean-cut silhouettes. Here we discuss what it takes to build a brave yet successful brand

What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like? I am an early bird and usually awake by 4am. I prioritize my morning walks, which is the only time I enjoy the city; as it is peaceful and quiet. How did your previous roles support you in being able to launch your own brand and how did you know it was the right time? I have been in the industry for a while as a consultant to various brands and through that work, I got to learn the ins and outs of how a brand should operate at a base level. I’ve been so lucky to receive the support of so many in the industry, from stylists to models. Was it challenging to find the right production and how have you had to adapt as the brand has scaled? It was challenging, and it took much trial and error. I’ve learned that, understandably so, when you first start out, not many people want to take a chance on you. But I believe everything happens for a reason and it landed me where I needed to be. How do you balance the creative and commercial sides of the business, and do you feel more drawn to one than the other? The design aspect will reign most important first and foremost, the aim is always to create designs that are captivating and that I can stand behind. Retailers have been very vocal about supporting the brand. Mônot designs are desirable for the top retailers in the world and I would hope to continue this trajectory of establishing and maintaining great sales relationships. How many people are in your team now and did you start out alone? I did start out alone, but as of now, it is a small team of seven. The team includes myself, two sales reps, an assistant, a CFO, a lead pattern maker, and a seamstress.

What have been the biggest challenges to date and how did you overcome them? The learning curve was steep and I am still learning every day, what goes into running a functioning luxury clothing brand in today’s market. Finding the right factory that can bring my designs to life on a full operational scale has been a challenge. I still visit my factories on a seasonal basis to see that everything is working the way it should be, and in the past, I’ve had to switch and test out many different factories. How have you found social media in terms of supporting your brand’s growth? I am not a huge fan of social media when it comes to me personally, but social media plays a huge role in the business. It builds brand awareness by exposing it to millions of people all around the world. Your cut-out designs are incredible. Where did this DNA originate from and do you look to your Lebanese heritage for inspiration? I have a love for architecture; Santiago Calatrava, Frank Gehry, and Zaha Hadid are some of my favourites. I try to incorporate architecture into my designs, which can be seen in my work of cutouts. As well as the female form, which helped in the making of the cutouts. How do you approach scaling without compromising on quality? Research is very important. I moved my production to Beirut, to a small artisanal atelier; as I wanted to support people in my country; but also realized that their drive isn’t money; it is their passion to make beautiful clothes. Have you had any mentors along the way and if so, what knowledge did they impart? Carine Roitfeld has been an amazing mentor since day one. She has been a friend and a huge supporter. As an emerging designer, I am able to say that she styled my first fashion show and first campaign, and I am truly grateful for her. What advice would you give to your younger self? Always take risks, as it can lead to something great. Also always believe in yourself. This is The Pioneer Issue – what does this mean to you? A pioneer is a leader, who exudes strength and is able to take risks.

IMAGES: SUPPLIED

CAREFUL CURATION

Duha Al Ramadhan founded Aubade back in 2013 aiming to introduce new jewellery brands to the region. Over the last nine years, Aubade has brought many emerging designers to the Middle East and become the go-to destination for jewellery

The Story My motivation was simple – I wanted to create a destination where I could showcase my favourite international brands that weren’t previously accessible locally. As someone who grew up obsessed with jewellery, I found it frustrating that I couldn’t find any of my favourite designers in the local market, but rather had to shop for them abroad. Over the years, Aubade has become more than just my personal jewellery box, it’s become a channel to introduce and collaborate with new names in the jewellery market.

The Growth What started off as a passion project gradually evolved to become more than just a retail platform. Today, we’ve worked hard to build a brand identity that’s helped shape what we call “the Aubade lifestyle”. Whether you’re looking for the latest jewellery trends, need tips on jewellery styling, or want to meet the designer behind a favourite brand of yours, Aubade has truly become a go-to destination for all things jewellery.

Being a Pioneer It’s honestly surreal but also so rewarding. It’s sometimes hard to grasp that my personal love for jewellery and the brands that I work with could have greatly shaped and influenced the local jewellery scene. But I truly believe that anything that stems from passion will yield the most successful results.

The Passion Jewellery has been my one true love ever since I can remember. There’s something so personal and sentimental about jewellery – it speaks to you (and only you) and says more about you than anything else you wear. It’s the ultimate form of expression and can hold so many memories and stories. Over the years I love how each piece I collected spoke of a moment in my life, be it good or bad. It’s truly so poetic.

Branching out The reception [to our expansion in Dubai] has honestly been overwhelming. The support we’ve had from local clients, tourists, and the brands we work with has been a truly humbling experience.

The GCC Jewellery Space I truly believe the GCC region is a pioneer when it comes to fashion and jewellery trends. We’re always ahead of the market, willing to take risks and experiment with styling. Seeing how the UAE and the GCC region is so receptive to new brands and trends only pushes me further to explore the jewellery world and keep innovating with the collections we showcase.

The Motivation Nothing drives me further than my personal love for jewellery and the support we’ve received from our local community. The most rewarding thing is witnessing the number of people around me decked out in Aubade jewellery. It almost feels like we’ve created this jewellery movement and it just makes me want to keep on going.

The Advice There will be people who will doubt you, downplay the work that you’ve done, or underestimate the heights you can reach. But don’t stop to listen to the noise. Focus on what drives you and motivates you and your hard work will pay off.

The Challenges We’ve had our fair share of hurdles, but I’d have to say our top three involved partner betrayals, last-minute setbacks with trunk shows, and difficulty in clearing jewellery from customs.

The Milestones Opening the Dubai boutique, hosting leading international designers for the first time in the region and developing our soon-tobe-launched online flagship store.