Award winning Fashion Designer, Raishma Islam has spent over 15 years creating bespoke couture. In 2013, she launched her own ready-to-wear collection, driven by the vision to blend couture craftmanship with modern dressing. Her timeless and elegant pieces have been worn by celebrities, including Princess Beatrice, Little Mix and Goldie Hawn. 

In this Q&A, Raishma shares her journey to becoming a fashion designer, where she takes inspiration from and launching of her own fashion brand.  

What made you decide to become a fashion designer?

From the age of eight, I knew I wanted to become a fashion designer. I was always drawn to style, glamour and beautiful clothing, but I was especially inspired by the Eastern and Western influences I saw around me.

My biggest inspirations at that age were Bollywood and American Hollywood programmes, like Dallas and Dynasty. I absolutely loved the tailoring of the Western silhouette, and equally I loved Eastern embroideries, colours and embellishment. That fusion, bringing both worlds together, made me fall in love with fashion and has always been at the heart of what I do.

By the age of nine, I had already started sewing, and I knew this was the path I wanted to follow. Fashion felt like a natural part of who I was, even as a little girl.

Did you study fashion formally, or were you self-taught?

I studied fashion formally, completing my degree at De Montfort University. After that, I went on to work under Elizabeth Emanuel, the co-designer of Princess Diana's famous wedding dress, where I truly developed my passion for couture design.

Who do you take the most inspiration from when it comes to fashion and design?

My inspiration comes from many different elements. It can come from nature, different cultures, art, travel, textiles, colour or craftsmanship.

For example, I have created collections inspired by coral reefs, and I have also always loved Monet's paintings, which inspired a kimono collection. I am constantly drawn to beauty in different forms and then translate that into print, embroidery, colour and silhouette.

Before launching Raishma, did you work with other brands and fashion designers?

Yes. I worked with Elizabeth Emanuel as her assistant designer for a year, and I also interned with different brands including Red or Dead, Bella Freud and Bruce Oldfield. All of that experience shaped me before I set up my own label in 1998.

What inspired you to launch your own fashion brand? Was there a gap in the market you wanted to fill?

Absolutely. Being British Asian, I felt there was a real gap in the market for women like me, women who wanted something more tailored and structured, but that was not purely traditional Asian wear or completely Western either.

That space in between is exactly where I wanted to be. I wanted to create pieces that brought together Eastern craftsmanship and embellishment with Western tailoring and silhouette. That fusion became the foundation of the brand and led me to set up my business in 1998.

The brand is now over 27 years old and has grown beyond that original niche into a mainstream fashion brand with an international audience.

What were the biggest challenges you faced when setting up the brand?

One of the biggest challenges at the very beginning was raising the money to open my first store. I started the business in 1998 without any money of my own, so it was a huge risk. Fortunately, at that time, borrowing from the bank was more accessible than it is today, and I was able to secure funding. I also found a business partner who was willing to invest half of the money needed to get started.

Taking on my first store lease was another major risk, especially as I had to give a personal guarantee. Looking back, that was a very bold step, but it was what allowed me to begin building the brand.

However, I would say the bigger challenges came later. Cash flow is one of the hardest parts of running a fashion business, because so much money is constantly tied up in stock. On top of that, the wider economic climate has made retail incredibly difficult. Since Brexit, followed by COVID, the cost of living crisis and ongoing global instability, it has been extremely challenging to survive in fashion retail, let alone grow.

There have been many moments where I genuinely thought the business might not make it. But resilience has been key. I have had to pivot, rethink the product line, change strategy and adapt quickly to what the market needed. Expanding internationally, especially through the Middle East over the last eight to nine years, has also been a huge part of helping the business survive and grow beyond the UK market.

Ultimately, I think to survive in fashion, especially in the current climate, you have to be resilient, creative and willing to think outside the box. You cannot stand still. You have to keep evolving.

What does ethical trading and slow fashion mean to you?

To me, ethical trading means making sure that everyone involved in creating our product is paid fairly, treated properly and working in safe, respectful environments. It is about valuing the people behind the clothes as much as the clothes themselves.

Slow fashion, for me, is about creating pieces that are timeless rather than disposable. It means designing products that are unique, beautiful and well made, so they can be worn time and time again and stay in a customer's wardrobe for years.

At Raishma, we also approach slow fashion through smaller production runs. We usually create around 50 to 100 pieces per style, which gives the customer something more unique while also helping to reduce overproduction and waste.

We are not a brand that shouts loudly about sustainability, but it is built into the way we work. In that sense, we are quietly sustainable.

What keeps you motivated?

What keeps me motivated is the creative side of the business. I have always loved designing womenswear and creating beautiful pieces that make women feel confident and special.

Now, as the brand grows, we are moving into new categories, including childrenswear and, hopefully, demi fine jewellery. Creating new product lines for different audiences is incredibly exciting. It brings a fresh energy to the business and allows me to keep evolving creatively.

My customers are also a huge source of motivation. Hearing how much they love wearing our pieces, and how happy the product makes them feel, is incredibly rewarding.

When a customer has been buying from you for 20 years, that is a real honour. It reminds me why I started and keeps me inspired to keep creating.

If you're looking to refresh your wardrobe check out Raishma's latest collection here.