Tabassum Siddiqui – Head Designer
Tabassum has been the Head Designer of SHUKR for the past 4 years. Before SHUKR, she had worked with designers in New York, Los Angeles, and Europe. She had received covetable offers with well-known international designers, but all the while she was searching for a way to continue with design, but in an Islamic environment. Then the offer to join the SHUKR team came, changing everything.
Tabassum was born in the United States and has been traveling and moving globally since she was 6 months old. She has a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Studio Arts from University of California at Davis, and an M.S. in Fashion Design from Parsons School of Design in New York City. Her life experiences and education, combined and her natural talent in art and design, have had a major impact on the work she does at SHUKR. In addition to English, her native tongue, she also speaks French. After marrying her husband and settling in Southern Spain, she has added Spanish to the list.
From the first idea, to the sketches, to the fabric selection, to the technical explanations of the designs, to the fittings and photoshoots when she is in Damascus, Tabassum is chiefly responsible for the men’s and women’s collections for SHUKR. Apart from design, she also contributes to any aspect of the company that requires any creative or artistic direction, which could include photoshoots, magazine features, marketing campaigns, as well as meeting with the SHUKR clients at Islamic conventions. Tabassum is also the Style Contributor for SISTERS-a UK based Muslim Women’s online and print magazine. You can read about her ideas on style and latest tips each season.
Her favorite part of the job is when she starts a new collection. It’s a euphoric time, because each new collection breaks new ground. She looks forward to `scratching’ for new concepts, ideas, and trends. Never knowing where the next idea for SHUKR’s new collection will come from makes the search all the more interesting and challenging.
What clothes is Tabassum currently loving? At the moment, she loves the Geometric Flared Skirts, which was inspired by a sidewalk in the Spanish island of Mallorca one summer. The flattering fit and unique design of the waistband, the elegant drape, and the fact that it is one of the few items that accommodates her very tall frame has made her add three of them to her wardrobe.
What does Tabassum have ‘shukr’ (‘gratitude’) for? Tabassum has ‘shukr’ for Allah (swt) for giving her a loving and wonderful family and husband who have supported her work as a designer and have helped her acheive her goals. With the support of her family throughout her studies and work, she is now able to share her talent and expertise with SHUKR to bring the best of design for all Muslims.
