By Social Culture Club
It is almost as if VI by VOGULARITY was destined to become popular. The aesthetic of the label is minimalist ready-to-wear loungewear, just what we’ve all been wearing since the beginning of March. The Denver-based brand takes an integrative approach to fashion. The gender-neutral garments and accessories are easy to wear by anyone and are desired by everyone. We spoke about Vi by Vogularity with Founder Abdulaziz Akbar and Creative Director Aisha Alnouri to learn more about them, the label, and what it takes to do what they’re doing.
Can you tell us about yourself and what you do?
Abdulaziz: My name is Abdulaziz Akbar. I recently graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a major in Petroleum Engineering. I am specialized in economics, finance, and business strategy – as well as problem solving. I graduated in 2019 and moved back to Kuwait.
Aisha: My name is Aisha Alnouri. I’m currently studying Visual Communication at Kuwait University. It’s the umbrella term that we use for everything related to design and graphics. It uses all aspects of the disciplinary arts to send you a message through any visuals that we can use. It has everything to do with graphic design, typography, photography, illustration, and so on.
How did you get into fashion?
Abdulaziz: I’m a person that values individualism and creativity. What better way to express that than through fashion and art? Fashion to me isn’t just clothes and what’s in style. It’s an art form. A means for self-expression and authenticity. It has no boundaries, that’s why I love it. In October 2018 I decided to create my own label and called it Vi by Vogularity to create a bridge between the worlds of fashion, art, and technology.
What are you most proud of as a label?
Abdulaziz: We always try to push the limits and go beyond what people expect. As such we love to merge fashion with technology. This year due to the pandemic we decided to help the up-and- coming creatives in Kuwait and invite them into our community by creating a one of a kind virtual internship. Even though the setting was new and challenging for all of us, we managed to create a lot of innovative and interesting elements that people should anticipate to see very soon. Virtual events, galleries, and a virtual internship program of 11 amazing creative people working under Vogularity Capital.
What do you think of the fashion scene in Kuwait and hypebeast culture?
Abdulaziz: I think we have a unique fashion scene in Kuwait. Easily recognizable in the gulf. But we do lack variance in taste. I think most people tend to stay away from self-expression and use materialistic brands to create an image of self-worth. But that’s just my perspective. Maybe I’m wrong, maybe I’m right.
Aisha: To be honest I do find our fashion scene to be extremely diverse. You see everything from the overly conservative to the liberal. We have a very wide range of people that, thanks to the internet and globalization, have found what makes them feel good and comfortable. As for hypebeast culture I have conflicting opinions. There’s a lot of people who wear something just because it’s expensive and has a specific logo on it. But if you actually look at the core of it you’ll notice that it’s comfortable but also outgoing and fun. People often forget that when it comes to fashion it’s not about finding the most expensive thing and wearing it. You have to wear the clothes and not have the clothes wear you.
What’s your advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Abdulaziz: Very simple; get out of your comfort zone. The most difficult and important thing is the execution of your idea. How much research and development you do. At the end of the day an idea is made of many assumptions and at any point in time that idea is held back by one thing: the riskiest assumption. Working on anything else other than that limitation is a waste of time and money. If you’re not sure how to do that you can always outsource, there’s nothing wrong with that. I recently ventured into this area with Vogularity Capital. Unlike VI by Vogularity, Vogularity Capital is a business strategy company and advertising agency that helps small businesses establish themselves. We do extensive research on brand and marketing strategies based on our experience
Aisha: When it comes to anything it’s always dedicating yourself to one thing. Being 100% focused on that and making sure that it’s what you wanna do and dedicate yourself to it because it requires a lot more focus and drive than just having an idea and wanting to do it. You have to become 100% committed.
You can find Vi by Vogularity on Instagram @byvogularity and Social Culture Club @socialcultureclub.
