ONE on ONE - Gifted FASHION DESIGNER (ALLY REHMTULLAH)

 "A versatile designer who caters for every market"

 
 

1) Ally Rehmtullah we know each other through mutual friends and also through the wonderful world of Facebook. This winter when I visited Dar es salaam, everyone especially at Swahili Fashion Week was talking about you. Me and my sister weren't exactly familiar with you but we heard a lot of positive feedback about your personality and work ethic. How did you get such a great name? There are plenty of designers but everyone lights up when you say Ally, why is that?


Ally Rehmtullah...  haha... i would say i am just an energetic and flamboyant personality who enjoys life by leading a positive lifestyle. 

I embrace every moment as it comes and takes it to its full potential. 

I enjoy socializing and expanding my network thoroughly. Sometimes I think I just got lucky here in Tanzania. A lot of people appreciate my work and respect me as a person. Then again a lot of hard work should have contributed some aspect of it for me to be who i am today. As a designer I would describe myself as a very versatile designer who caters for every market, whether it be weddings or casuals or corporates. I truely love what I do for a living and give it 100% - I guess that would define Ally Rehmtullah

Collection dedicated to Life for a Drug Free ZNZ (I- View)

2) What sets you apart from any other designer? During these past couple of years we have had a number of successful up and coming designers. From Mustapha to Sheria to several others. What's your unique selling point?

I dont think there is anything of that sort - its either they like you or they hate you - you either make it or you dont. A lot of talented young designers are coming up rapidly in the Tanzanian fashion industry and i dont see that as a threat at all - competition is healthy in any industry and challenges like these make you work better in your field. Everyone is good in what they do but how they do is where the selling point comes from. A lot of young aspiring designers walk up to me and ask me what it takes to be a designer - I always have one thing to say - it NOT all about making good clothes - there is a lot more to it... how you portray yourself, how you talk to people, how u approach your clients and all  that stuff... just making good clothes would take u nowhere...

Designers Ally & Vida set to celebrate Tanzania's 50 years of Independence

Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete

3) I remember we had lunch at that spot in Masaki, yes Epidor. Hopefully I spelled that correctly, it was our first meeting. In my opinion I think great minds think alike. We spoke about a wide array of topics but the most fascinating story was about the hardship you faced while attending college in USA. Can you elaborate more on your experience and how that changed your professional outlook? Please do tell:

Long story... i come from a middle class family living in Dar-es-Salaam - shy quiet boy in school - gets teased at - always sitting in the first desk in class. 

 As every young teenager I also wanted to get out of Tanzania and go study abroad and experience the western lifestyle. Thank God i did get that opportunity but a lot had to come with it... i had to struggle hard to make a living and surviving in the US. School was expensive, Rent was expensive, my books were super expensive. I used to have 3 jobs and go to school - worked about 80 hours a week, study, party and also try to find time for some sleep - it was all a jigsaw puzzle the first semester, but then it became my lifestyle and i got addicted to it. My first job was pumping gas at a getty full-service gas station on Lehigh street in Allentown at the same time I used to wait tables at IHOP and work as a front desk clerk at an Econo Lodge... I did it all - without all these hard work I dont think I would ever be the same person today - the US played a major role in building my character... confidence and outlook to life.

TZ Songstress Lady Jaydee

4) In the past couple of years, you have achieved so much at such an early age especially for a designer. Is this the plateau or do you wish to keep climbing further? What do you aspire to be let's say in 5, 10 or even 20 years. 

Career is just like Education - there is no end of it - however there are goals that you focus to acheive and once you acheive your goal - a new goal is  created - I always had a dream to be who I am and for Tanzanians to believe in me and respect me  & last year when I won the best designer of Tanzania Award. I had my dream accomplished - but now i have more dreams and goals - 

I want to build my empire not in Tanzania but in Africa and maybe after that being achieved, I could create a global brand - you have to tackle one step at a  time... inspring one person at a time, until u make the world  fall in love with your work...

5) Am not gonna bore you and keep asking repeated, obvious questions. I would first off like to thank you for being my 1st guest on "SEMA UKWERI". Yes, people wanted me to correct the spelling but am difficult so it will stay as such. I took the time out to select you as the 1st guest because I believe you represent so much to today's youth. A Bongo Celebrity who's down to earth but has been exposed to so much more. Thank you for taking out the time to answer all these questions. You serve as a role model to me and other young entrepreneurs trying to make an impression in Bongo & abroad. My last question to close this out is about MASS PRODUCTION. Tanzania and East Africa in it's entirety has plenty of fashion designers. When are you guyz going to start mass producing these goods? Yes, the clothes look pretty at Kempinski or Double Tree or wherever. When are these fruits of labor actually going to come out to the general public. Some people have been complaining about availability, price and distribution. How does your industry tackle this issue? 

There are 2 types of fashion labels - a haute couture label (which is created one piece at a time for a specific reason or a specific client) and theres the pret-a-porter label (which is mass production). As of now Ally Rehmtullah is a Haute Couture label this labels  are usually very exclusive and cater to a specific market - they tend to be expensive because a lot of minor details and hand work is required to make it reach to that level. However for any designer to grow a pret-a-portel label is required at some point in their career.Pret-a-porter requires  a lot of investment which a lot of us lack during their start of the career. Tanzania has very few mass production factories and even if they are, they dont cater to all kind of products. They would usually just produce 

t-shirts and stretch dresses - this would be another reason u dont see a lot of pret-a-porter designers in Tanzania. I hope that answers your question and i would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity and believing  in me -

i must say i am glad I got to personally meet u during your stay in Tanzania. I feel your dedication and love for your work is gonna make u a bigger star than what u already are. Best of luck in all you do!

Thank you to ALLY for taking out his time to do this interview, the 1st interviewee. Personally I learned a lot just from his replies and I wish you the best of luck in twenty twelve.