Faisal Mohammed
A desire to increase diversity in the fashion industry coupled with encouragement from tutors led 2013 graduate Faisal Mohammed to set up his own ethical men's clothing label, Cloh.
| Name |
Faisal Mohammed |
| Degree |
Fashion |
| Year of Graduation | 2013 |
Tell us about your time at the University
Edinburgh first appealed to me because it is a historical city, and not far from my hometown Glasgow. The fact that I got offered a scholarship from The Robertson Trust to stay and study in Scotland was also a contributing factor.
The Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) fashion course offers complete training in the full design process, right from the initial concept to the final result, through all its various stages.
I have great memories of my time at ECA, such as the encouragement and praise I got for my tailoring project during my third year of study. My tutor told me I had gifted cutting skills.
The fashion show was particularly exciting. The hustle and bustle and nice summer weather made it memorable. We were a year group of extremely talented but eccentric individuals which made it so much fun.
Tell us about your experiences since leaving the University
The fact that you design and then manufacture your own individual collection at ECA makes you a more confident designer.
The course and tutoring at ECA opened my eyes to wider issues in the fashion industry at that time, such as a lack of diversity. We were encouraged to illustrate using real world body proportions rather than the exaggerated fashion figures used in the fashion world. This helped me to stay grounded and real.
As a designer I make sure I am designing and making something which is contributing to the world in a positive way.
I started an ethical clothing label for men called Cloh. I was struggling to find any clothes to lounge and chill in that were also beautiful and high end. So, I decided to design and make clothes that, if they didn’t sell well, I could wear myself. I want my garments to relieve stress and make the wearer feel peaceful and comfortable. Everything is handmade in Glasgow. Throughout the design process, every inch of available fabric is used to reduce wastage.
Cloh's mission is to minimise the negative impact the fast fashion industry has upon the environment, so it was a real highlight to be mentioned by journalist Lucy Siegle in her Ethical Living Column for the Guardian.
The course and tutoring at ECA opened my eyes to wider issues in the fashion industry at that time, such as a lack of diversity. We were encouraged to illustrate using real world body proportions rather than the exaggerated fashion figures used in the fashion world. This helped me to stay grounded and real.
Alumni wisdom
I would advise current students to be considerate and responsible. Artists have always influenced the world in a positive way. Offer a positive change through your work, addressing present critical social and environmental issues. Find all the problems of the world and then find solutions to the problems! Work hard and believe in your art.
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