Alia is putting on the style

Reporter: Iram Ramzan
Date published: 30 January 2017


STANDING at 5ft 8in and dressed in very bold creations, Alia Raffia could at first glance be mistaken for a model wearing expensive designer clothes.

But hardly anyone would guess that the 30-year-old, who lives in Oldham, is a walking advertisement for clothes that she has in fact made herself.

The phrase "less is more" certainly does not apply to South Asian fashion - known for being vibrant and elaborate - nor does it apply to Alia who loves to showcase everything her Pakistani heritage has to offer.

At the moment, she does not sell her outfits but she is hoping she will prompt enough interest to launch a small bespoke collection of creations in the near future. And there certainly is plenty of interest from admirers on her social media accounts.

Originally from Longsight, Manchester, Alia and her two sisters were taught to sew by their mother, who encouraged their love of fashion and design.

"I didn't want to buy from the shop," Alia explained. "I couldn't relate to dressing so Western so I came up with a hybrid style.

"This resonates with a lot of British Pakistani girls who are looking for that as well.

"The first piece I ever made was when I was seven. I embroidered a picture of a house on a polo neck. I thought I looked amazing.

"Then when I was 15 I embroidered my own trousers.

"In college you're really able to express yourself, that's when your style really develops.

"In high school I always had a lip gloss but no pen!"

Alia has often travelled to Lahore, in Pakistan, where she has marvelled at the ever-evolving bold fashion and the magnificent Mughal architecture that would influence her style, which is a fusion of east and west. She will see what is trending and then create her own, unique outfit from that.

After writing academic pieces for the Asian Leader newspaper, her editor suggested she should write about fashion as that was her main interest.

As a result she became their fashion and beauty editor and not long after, Asian World newspaper contacted her and asked if she would do a beauty column ­- making her a source of fashion and beauty inspiration for many British Asian girls.

On trend now, she says, are the statement or palazzo trousers, mixing and matching fabric, such as velvet and brocade, and creating an outfit around statement jewellery.

And this beauty also has brains. As a child Alia actually wanted to be an archaeologist.

She completed a BA at the University of Manchester in heritage studies, graduating with a First Class honours, before going on to complete a masters in art galleries and museum studies.

She now works in the marketing department of Manchester Museum ­- the best part about her job, she said, is being able to wear her own clothes.

She said: "Working in the cultural sector, people appreciate design, they don't mind you expressing yourself.

"Style really allows you to express yourself.For me it was really important to express myself through the way I dress. My style has evolved and it has to evolve because fashion is forever changing. Culture never stands still.

"If I could get across a message, I would say don't be afraid to follow your dreams. You never know how they can become a reality."

She encourages everyone to complete their education first and then pursue their careers.

As she works in the museum she wants to encourage more people, especially South Asians, to visit museums and art galleries.

She said: "It's another form of education it opens up your eyes to another side of the world. "They're great resources and you don't have to spend money."

If she could travel to any period in history it would be during the Mughal Empire, when a Central Asian dynasty ruled large parts of the Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan.

She loves the opulence of the era, which produced lavish costumes and fascinating architectures such as the Lahore Fort, in Pakistan, and the Taj Mahal in India.

What is missing in the market, she says, is workwear for Asian women. "I love being able to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Pakistan," said Alia. "There should be something available for women to wear to work, for women who like to express their their heritage. A lot of what's available is party focused."

Alia is passionate about ethical fashion, citing the infamous case of the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh, where an eight-story commercial building collapsed in 2013.

It is considered the deadliest garment-factory accident in history.

"People were working in appalling conditions because we want to consume quick, fast fashion," Alia said. "That's one of the reasons I sew my own clothes. I don't want to be part of that problem. All you need is to invest in a few beautiful pieces that you can style differently."

As if all that was not enough to be getting on with, Alia is launching a new book next month (February) called 'Amaya Noon and the Lost City of Mohenjo Daro'.

The fiction story is set in the ancient Indus valley civilisation in modern-day Sindh, Pakistan. It took her 10 years to write but she persisted and is excited to see it come to fruition at last. With all that is going on she manages to juggle everything because "fashion and beauty is such a love that it doesn't feel like work. I would be doing it anyway."

But as well as her Pakistani heritage she is proud of her British identity and believes Asians in this country inspire others around world. "As British Asians we're not here to replicate Pakistan," Alia insists. "We have got our own value and culture that we have developed here. In a lot of ways India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are influenced by what we do.

"We shouldn't underestimate our value. We should take ownership of our British Asian look and culture."

Given how competitive the fashion industry is, this young woman from Oldham is doing rather well for herself. And if she goes on to to be a success you read it here first.

Follow Alia on Twitter @aliaraffia, Instagram @aliaraffia and Facebook 'Alia Raffia'. Visit her website www.aliaraffia.com.