Modern Fashion: Zahraa Berro of Zahraa The Label On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today
An Interview With Candice Georgiadice
As a startup, there is still so much to learn and understand about consumer behavior. With e-commerce sales skyrocketing since the pandemic, there is a lot of data that can teach us about the future. Personally, I treat my label as a well-renowned brand from day one. I treat it as if everyone knows about my label and is an intentional shopper. With that, I can identify their behaviors and buying patterns from our site and data from e-commerce platforms to understand how to increase.
Many in the fashion industry have been making huge pivots in their business models. Many have turned away from the fast fashion trend. Many have been focusing on fashion that also makes a social impact. Many have turned to sustainable and ethical sourcing. Many have turned to hi tech manufacturing. Many have turned to subscription models. What are the other trends that we will see in the fashion industry? What does it take to lead a successful fashion brand today?
In our series called, “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today” we are talking to successful leaders of fashion brands who can talk about the Future of Fashion and the 5 things it takes to lead a successful fashion brand in our “new normal.”
As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Zahraa Berro.
CEO and founder of Zahraa The Label, Zahraa Berro, has entered the fashion world, creating one-of-a-kind hijabs and conservative pieces catered to empowering the modern Muslim women and anyone aiming for high quality sustainable, and conservative styles.
Born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan to immigrant parents, in one of the largest Arab American Muslim communities, Zahraa learned at an early age the importance of her roots, cultural beliefs, and understanding of her identity. Although growing up in charter + private schools limited her fashion freedom, Zahraa always found opportunities to find her own style outside school grounds, with a bit of help from her mom who loved buying new pieces to spruce up her wardrobe. Over the years, Zahraa quickly came to develop her own style, while staying true to her roots but soon noticed there was a gap in the industry when it came to conservative pieces for the modern women.
In 2020, Zahraa launched Zahraa The Label focused on filling these gaps while providing trendy hijabs and modest fashion through high-quality fabrics and sustainable materials. Over the last two years, the brand has expanded from its original line of hijabs and hijab accessories to full wardrobe pieces, offering women everything from closet staples to event lux pieces. Since its launch, Zahraa The Label has been praised by the likes of Instagram’s top-tier influencers including Leena Snoubar, Minah Hamadeh, Amanda Asada & Zahra to name a few. Garnering rapid success, Zahraa has taken it upon herself to continue to cater to not only her loyal customers but the environment, looking to expand into more eco-friendly collections in the next year, while aiming to offer more unisex friendly pieces for the whole family.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?
I am the oldest of 6 siblings and grew up in an Arabic Muslim community as the eldest child, which means that I was the guinea pig, lol. I was always trying new things, but it was important for me to please my parents and become the “doctor of the family.” So I did try to become that, but unfortunately, I failed my last semester at University of Michigan- Dearborn, which pushed me to pursue a business degree at Wayne State University. I pursued multiple businesses that failed throughout my university career, but I didn’t realize I had the entrepreneurship blood within me as my father did. I didn’t understand or explore my passions until 2018.
Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?
I had many businesses from 18–26 years of age that failed, and it never made me feel sad. I knew deep down that I loved business. The concept of flipping an item and making a profit gave me a buzz that I became addicted to. Eventually, in 2018, when I started my blogging career, I started to dive into modest fashion more deeply and promised myself that I would start my own fashion label, despite having zero knowledge about the industry. In 2020 is where the magic happened, and Zahraa The Label was created.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Believing in yourself is a powerful energy that, once in full throttle, can allow you to explore endless opportunities. I started to believe in what I CAN do, and I just did it. I was laser-focused and did not let anything stand in my way. My favorite part was creating a strategy for a peak month, setting a goal for that month, then selling out over one weekend! That was my first PEEK season, and I will never forget the feeling of believing I could do it, strategizing to ensure my goal was met and exceeded my expectations. I love this feeling!
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
(1) Vision: My vision for Zahraa The Label is far beyond making money. It’s about impact. It’s about lifestyle. I visioned my brand to be an international brand worn by Modest women in every corner of the world. I saw what I could become, and I ensured I became it- period. Having a vision is the key to my success in such a short amount of time being born into this industry. What Zahraa The Label did in 1.5 years took other brands 5–10 years. We are just getting started, and the thrill is not even here. So much is in store for our vision, and our potential will soon be known worldwide.
(2) Passion: I love what I do. Believe me when I say I love what I do. There is not a single part of me that is tired with regret. I work more than 120+ hours a week, and every second I put into my label is poured with endless love and passion. If I had to choose between a weekend in Italy or in my design studio crafting new dresses for an upcoming collection, you best bet I would choose designing our dresses in our design studio. I can’t explain how my passion drives the success of my company more than choosing work over luxury vacation anytime.
(3) Ambition: I have dreams that I refuse to let die. I will do everything in my power to ensure that my futuristic goals for Zahraa The Label are met. That means I have to think big, think long term, and set myself apart from the rest. Most people are out here to make money. But that’s all it might be for them, and that’s okay. But, I am here to impact, empower, and create a lifestyle brand that makes you FEEL like an empowered individual. The greatest force is seeing the future and, each day, coming closer to it. It’s possible, and I will do it without a doubt.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
I am a full-time content creator with over 500K combined followers on social platforms. I already drive traffic to my site and show people BTS of my brand. I share footage on my Youtube Channel of when I launched, allowing my subscribers to connect with me on that level. I connect with my subscribers & followers and share more than BTS, but rather my life. Which brand in my industry has done this? None. That’s what makes me different from the rest. There is a face to the brand, and they can understand the story of what makes Zahraa The Label their go-to Hijab and Modest Fashion Brand.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?
“No matter how many times you fall, you always get back up again. “I took a hard fall in 2018 with my divorce. I was a housewife for nine years and a mother of two young kids. I had a low-paying job and depended on my spouse for a living before my divorce. I knew that I needed to find a way to get up and ensure that success was my only option, no matter what that expense was. So I did! I got up and started working, trying new things, and eventually starting my own fashion label, which became the greatest highlight of my life.
Okay, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Do you see any fascinating developments emerging over the next few years in the fashion industry that you are excited about? Can you tell us about that?
As a startup, there is still so much to learn and understand about consumer behavior. With e-commerce sales skyrocketing since the pandemic, there is a lot of data that can teach us about the future. Personally, I treat my label as a well-renowned brand from day one. I treat it as if everyone knows about my label and is an intentional shopper. With that, I can identify their behaviors and buying patterns from our site and data from e-commerce platforms to understand how to increase AOV, Retention Rate, Check Out Rate & more. As far as developments, it is all about the shift in consumer behavior overall. The three fixed things are branding, quality, and exceeding customer expectations. We live in a world that is changing every day because of technology. At Zahraa The Label, we accommodate those changes to ensure that our customers are happy from the moment they land on our site to the moment they experience an unboxing.
Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?
If you had asked me this question 10 years ago, I would not have had a good answer. With the rise of many modest fashion lines and modest fashion being a multi-billion dollar industry, we have room to jump in and bridge the gap for these women who had no way of finding a modest apparel outfit in 2010. We create luxury garments with the best quality to exist. We pay close attention to detail in our labor processes, fabric selections, and overall sustainability. Our garments are not fast fashion. One piece can last you forever. It is a garment that is a staple or classic piece that you can wear for years to come. We have to do better for the planet, and it starts with us. Additionally, the goodness we can push is the feeling of empowerment for women who felt helpless years ago, shopping and having no options to choose from. We design pieces that are 100% modest for the modest modern woman.
Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?
We are working on more sustainability as the collections come by. Our pricing is not compared to fast fashion because our factory workers have normal working hours, paid time off, weekends off, and work in excellent working conditions. We do not work with large manufacturers that have a large workload on their plates. In fact, we find smaller manufacturers that in-house their bulk production lines, so we can oversee these practices at any time versus working with manufacturers that have outsourced their bulk production. We source our materials from the market, and the majority of the time, we make our own blend of fabrics in-house, depending on the product. We do not work with manufacturers who are known to work unethically or pay their workers wages that do not allow for a sustainable living.
Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand”. Please share a story or example for each.
(1) Vision: What kind of brand are you? Where do you see your brand in 5 years?
(2) Designs: Curate designs that will separate you from the rest, so you can stand out from others within your industry.
(3) Customer: If you can describe who your customer is in ONE person, you have your answer as to who you cater to. Focus on your Customer.
(4) Execution: Outsource as much work as you can, so you can do what YOU do best.
(5) Branding: Your branding should be the exact image you want to represent. Be specific and study this well; it can make or break your brand.
Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?
Creating more opportunities to rent clothing vs. buy clothing to wear once. There is an oversaturation in today’s world, where if something is sold out, we can make it again and sell more. Supply cannot meet demand, and that’s where the issue may lie. Perhaps seeing more eco-friendly materials that we can reuse repeatedly and recycling clothing to repurpose them for something else.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Giving back to the community. Whether that is the less fortunate, homeless, schools, or simply doing acts of service, I think it’s important to step away from our normal lives to do things we don’t do daily. It’s about being present and humbling yourself as an individual.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can visit zahraathelabel.com and follow us on all socials! You can follow me,” Zahraa Berro,” on Youtube, Instagram, and Tiktok, where I share a lot about my life, my journey, and Zahraa The Label.
Zahraa The Label:
IG: @zahraathelabel
Zahraa Berro:
IG @zahraa_hberro
TikTok @zahraa_hberro
YouTube Zahraa Berro
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Modern Fashion: Zahraa Berro of Zahraa The Label On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.