design Archives - Jalya https://jalya.ca/tag/design/ Fri, 08 Jan 2021 17:40:10 +0000 en-CA hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 https://jalya.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cropped-Screenshot-2023-01-27-161601-1-32x32.gif design Archives - Jalya https://jalya.ca/tag/design/ 32 32 JESSICA HALABI https://jalya.ca/features/jessica-halabi/ Fri, 08 Jan 2021 17:36:15 +0000 https://jayla.live-website.com/?p=790 Jessica Halabi started out with her fashion design business called, “Jessica Halabi Fashion”. As soon as she finished fashion school in 2007,…

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When did you start your business? Was there something/someone who inspired you?

Jessica Halabi Fashion started in 2007. I always loved art and fashion, so I fused these two together. I’m often inspired by Lebanese designers; Elle Saab, Zuhair Murad, Georges Hobeika and Basil Soda. La.Looshi started in 2014 shortly after the birth of my first born Alya and my son Odai. They inspired me 100%.

Would you say you reached all of your goals since you started or do you have more to achieve?

I think I reached more goals than I thought I would, but there is so much more!! Once my children are a little older and my focus can be balanced a bit more, my goals will shift. Last year, La Looshi was recognized by the Arab American National museum and they now carry many of our products. That was huge for us!

What are the ups and downs when dealing with the Arab community?

The Arab community has been so supportive towards me and has helped my business grow. The biggest “up” would be if someone in a family likes your work, they will all like your work – and that works the opposite way as well, so that’s a big fear for me.

What would you change if you had to do it all over again?

There’s not too much I could change. As a full time mother, I put most of my focus on my family which leaves less time to pursue my career to its full potential. So right now I mostly try to keep relevant business wise, so I know when the time comes where I can focus mostly on business (once again), I’ll have a big following and support system.

What would you change if you had to do it all over again?

Since covid-19 hit, La.Looshi became a mask making factory. Right from the beginning, masks became high in demand and I felt ashamed to charge and profit off the pandemic. We ended up donating hundreds of masks to local charities and shelters, sick people/people in remission, and nurses worried that PPE may run out. At one point I was staying up all night and day making these masks and I ended up putting them in my regular rotation on my website; sales went way higher than expected (hamdillah). It really helped. I also donated all profits from my keffiyeh masks to the Red Cross for the explosion in Beirut. For Jessica Halabi Fashion, I truly thought 2020 would be my come back year for my gowns (as I had taken lots of time off to focus on family). Many people had booked custom gowns and wedding dresses & unfortunately many weddings/events ended up being rescheduled. At first it was worrisome, but in the end the events had set dates and my clients and I worked together to figure it all out. I really am lucky to have amazing customers who trust me.

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]]> SUSAN JOMHA https://jalya.ca/decor/susan-jomha/ Fri, 27 Nov 2020 20:15:38 +0000 https://jayla.live-website.com/?p=617 Distinct Interior Design was established in 2010 in Edmonton, Alberta, serving Edmonton and the surrounding area. Their objective is to enhance people’s lives…

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]]> distinct. They work closely with their clients to create the look of their dreams and make their home a reflection of their personality and style. Distinct Interior Design offers residential & commercial design, space planning, 3D renderings, custom designs, as well as home furnishing and décor. They deal with vast majority of Canadian, US and European suppliers for custom-and-ready-made furniture.

When did you start your business?

I started my business in 2010.

Was there something/someone who inspired you?

My father was a highly creative individual. He built our home where I was born in Lala, Lebanon and designed beautiful motifs and medallions throughout the home and always involved me in smaller projects. Even though he was not a designer he had an extensive background in renovating and small builds.  As a child, he taught me to design unique shapes and quizzed me on problem solving skills and creative solutions. He was my inspiration, and if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

Would you say you reached all of your goals since you started, or do you have more to achieve?

The sky’s the limit. I’ve reached a good level, however, in this business one can never reach a certain level and be satisfied or stop. To be successful, we always research better design education, new trends, designs, and colors. Not only in Canada but globally.

What are the ups and downs when dealing with the Arab community?

On the positive side, I speak, understand the language and the culture. So, dealing with the Arab community has been nothing but positive and rewarding.

What would you change if you had to do it all over again?

If I were to do it again, I probably would start at a younger age. Although, I’m blessed that I had the chance to be a stay-at-home mom until my kids were in school full time, so I could get back into my business full time.  Everything was lined up beautifully, I would not change a thing now.

What challenges has Covid-19 brought to you and your business and how did you overcome them?

It became difficult to visit clients and have a face to face meeting. Thank God for technology nowadays! We were able to meet over zoom and work remotely online with our clients and somehow it became the new norm. Everyone is now in acceptance of the way we work.

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