Vancouver Fashion Week SS27 interview w/ Fashion Designer Somaya Ahmadi of Somaya Fashion Studioof Somaya Fashion Studio (Canada)
Bio
Since presenting her work at Vancouver Fashion Week, Somaya has continued to develop her creative voice through projects including the Cashmere Collection 2026 and, most recently, the presentation of her SS27 collection THRESHOLD at New York Fashion Week with Global Fashion Collective.
Through Somaya Fashion Studio, she believes fashion should do more than dress the body—it should give women the confidence to take up space, embrace their presence, and express who they are.
Interview -
.jpg "Somaya Fashion")
My journey into fashion wasn't completely straightforward. Growing up in Afghanistan, fashion design didn't really feel like a realistic career path for me. After coming to Canada, I had the opportunity to explore what I actually wanted for myself, and fashion became a way for me to express things that I sometimes couldn't put into words.
Once I started designing, I realized how much I loved being able to take an idea or emotion and turn it into something physical. Over time, it became more than something I enjoyed doing. I knew I wanted to build a career and eventually a fashion house around it.
A lot has happened quite quickly since then. I've had the opportunity to present my work at Vancouver Fashion Week, be featured in Vogue Mexico, participate in the Cashmere Collection 2026, and most recently present THRESHOLD at New York Fashion Week with Global Fashion Collective. Every experience has made me more certain that this is what I want to build my life around.
How did you learn your skills?
I studied Fashion Design at LaSalle College Vancouver, where I learned the technical foundation of design, pattern drafting, sewing, garment construction, and developing a collection from concept to completion.
At the same time, so much of what I know has come from actually doing it. Creating collections, working under deadlines, fitting different bodies, making mistakes, changing designs at the last minute, and seeing my garments move on a runway have taught me things that are difficult to learn in a classroom.
I'm still learning all the time. I don't think there is ever really a point as a designer where you feel like you've learned everything.
.jpg "Somaya Fashion")
Who are you as a designer? Aesthetic? Customer? Brand?
I would describe my aesthetic as feminine, sculptural and confident. I love creating shape around the body, playing with proportion, structure, draping and unexpected details. There is usually something familiar in my designs, but I like changing the proportion or construction so it feels different.
The Somaya woman isn't defined by an age or one particular type of person. I actually really enjoy designing for women at different stages of life. What connects them is confidence. She's someone who wants to be seen, isn't afraid to take up space and uses clothing as part of how she expresses herself.
Ultimately, I want Somaya Fashion Studio to grow into a contemporary fashion house with a very recognizable point of view.
What comes easiest for you as a designer? What is hardest?
Ideas come easiest to me. I can look at a fabric and almost immediately start imagining shapes, details and different ways it could move on the body. Sometimes the final garment ends up completely different from the original sketch because I respond to what happens while I'm making it.
The hardest part is knowing when to stop. I'm always thinking, “What if I change this?” or “What if I add something here?” I can keep developing a garment forever if I let myself. I've had to learn that editing is just as important as creating.
.jpg "Somaya Fashion")
Readers would love to know more about the collection you will be showing at Vancouver Fashion Week SS27.
THRESHOLD explores the space between who we have been and who we are becoming. The collection came from a very personal period of transition in my own life—the feeling of standing between something familiar and something completely new.
Architecture became a visual language for that feeling. I looked at archways, curtains, woven forms and structural shapes as symbols of passage and transformation. Throughout the collection, structure and softness exist together, and the silhouettes gradually move toward a greater sense of confidence.
The collection has also had its own journey. THRESHOLD was recently presented at New York Fashion Week with Global Fashion Collective, and bringing it home to Vancouver Fashion Week feels like another chapter of the story.
For me, THRESHOLD isn't really about arriving at a final destination. It's about having the courage to move forward even when you don't completely know what is on the other side.
Do you have a favorite look in this collection?
My favourite is actually the first look of the collection. It’s a black cropped top with a wrapped, sculptural construction paired with low-waisted, voluminous trousers. I love the contrast between the structure of the top and the relaxed shape of the pants.
It also felt like the right look to open THRESHOLD. It introduces a lot of the elements that continue throughout the collection—structure, movement, proportion, and confidence. There’s something very strong about it, but at the same time it feels effortless and wearable. I think it represents my aesthetic as a designer really well.
.jpg "Somaya Fashion")
Where can readers purchase your designs?
At the moment, my pieces are available directly through Somaya Fashion Studio. Because many of my designs involve detailed construction and are produced on a smaller scale, clients can also contact me directly through Instagram for availability and inquiries.
I'm currently working on expanding the retail side of the brand and making the collections more accessible to clients.
What's next for you as a designer and your brand?
Right now, my focus is on turning Somaya Fashion Studio from a young independent label into a sustainable fashion business. I’ve spent the last few years developing and establishing my creative identity. The next chapter is about building the business around that—developing stronger retail opportunities, reaching more clients, building relationships within the industry and continuing to present collections internationally.
My long-term goal is to build Somaya Fashion Studio into a contemporary fashion house while continuing to create work that has something meaningful behind it.
In closing, is there anything else you'd like to share with readers?
As an Afghan-Canadian woman, I don't take the opportunities I've been given for granted. There are so many Afghan girls and women who have the talent, ambition and dreams to pursue creative careers but don't currently have the freedom or opportunity to do so.
That stays with me whenever I reach a new stage in my career. I want to build something meaningful with the opportunities I have, and I hope that as my platform grows, I can use it to continue bringing attention to the voices and stories of women who aren't always given the space to be heard.
Note - Single SS27 runway images: Gorunway.com. Additional images sourced from @somaya_fashionstudio and the VFW website.
Please share a bit about your journey to embrace fashion design as a career.
.jpg "Somaya Fashion")
Once I started designing, I realized how much I loved being able to take an idea or emotion and turn it into something physical. Over time, it became more than something I enjoyed doing. I knew I wanted to build a career and eventually a fashion house around it.
A lot has happened quite quickly since then. I've had the opportunity to present my work at Vancouver Fashion Week, be featured in Vogue Mexico, participate in the Cashmere Collection 2026, and most recently present THRESHOLD at New York Fashion Week with Global Fashion Collective. Every experience has made me more certain that this is what I want to build my life around.
How did you learn your skills?
I studied Fashion Design at LaSalle College Vancouver, where I learned the technical foundation of design, pattern drafting, sewing, garment construction, and developing a collection from concept to completion.
At the same time, so much of what I know has come from actually doing it. Creating collections, working under deadlines, fitting different bodies, making mistakes, changing designs at the last minute, and seeing my garments move on a runway have taught me things that are difficult to learn in a classroom.
I'm still learning all the time. I don't think there is ever really a point as a designer where you feel like you've learned everything.
.jpg "Somaya Fashion")
I would describe my aesthetic as feminine, sculptural and confident. I love creating shape around the body, playing with proportion, structure, draping and unexpected details. There is usually something familiar in my designs, but I like changing the proportion or construction so it feels different.
The Somaya woman isn't defined by an age or one particular type of person. I actually really enjoy designing for women at different stages of life. What connects them is confidence. She's someone who wants to be seen, isn't afraid to take up space and uses clothing as part of how she expresses herself.
Ultimately, I want Somaya Fashion Studio to grow into a contemporary fashion house with a very recognizable point of view.
What comes easiest for you as a designer? What is hardest?
Ideas come easiest to me. I can look at a fabric and almost immediately start imagining shapes, details and different ways it could move on the body. Sometimes the final garment ends up completely different from the original sketch because I respond to what happens while I'm making it.
The hardest part is knowing when to stop. I'm always thinking, “What if I change this?” or “What if I add something here?” I can keep developing a garment forever if I let myself. I've had to learn that editing is just as important as creating.
Where do you find inspiration for new collections? How important is colour to your design process?
My inspiration usually starts with an emotion, experience or question rather than a specific visual reference. I think about something I am experiencing personally or something happening around women, identity and society, and then I start looking for a visual language that can communicate it.
Colour is very important, but I don't normally begin by deciding on a colour palette first. The story comes first, and then I think about what colours belong in that world. Sometimes colour is emotional, and sometimes it's there to create tension or change the energy of a silhouette.
My inspiration usually starts with an emotion, experience or question rather than a specific visual reference. I think about something I am experiencing personally or something happening around women, identity and society, and then I start looking for a visual language that can communicate it.
Colour is very important, but I don't normally begin by deciding on a colour palette first. The story comes first, and then I think about what colours belong in that world. Sometimes colour is emotional, and sometimes it's there to create tension or change the energy of a silhouette.
.jpg "Somaya Fashion")
THRESHOLD explores the space between who we have been and who we are becoming. The collection came from a very personal period of transition in my own life—the feeling of standing between something familiar and something completely new.
Architecture became a visual language for that feeling. I looked at archways, curtains, woven forms and structural shapes as symbols of passage and transformation. Throughout the collection, structure and softness exist together, and the silhouettes gradually move toward a greater sense of confidence.
The collection has also had its own journey. THRESHOLD was recently presented at New York Fashion Week with Global Fashion Collective, and bringing it home to Vancouver Fashion Week feels like another chapter of the story.
For me, THRESHOLD isn't really about arriving at a final destination. It's about having the courage to move forward even when you don't completely know what is on the other side.
Do you have a favorite look in this collection?
My favourite is actually the first look of the collection. It’s a black cropped top with a wrapped, sculptural construction paired with low-waisted, voluminous trousers. I love the contrast between the structure of the top and the relaxed shape of the pants.
It also felt like the right look to open THRESHOLD. It introduces a lot of the elements that continue throughout the collection—structure, movement, proportion, and confidence. There’s something very strong about it, but at the same time it feels effortless and wearable. I think it represents my aesthetic as a designer really well.
.jpg "Somaya Fashion")
At the moment, my pieces are available directly through Somaya Fashion Studio. Because many of my designs involve detailed construction and are produced on a smaller scale, clients can also contact me directly through Instagram for availability and inquiries.
I'm currently working on expanding the retail side of the brand and making the collections more accessible to clients.
What's next for you as a designer and your brand?
Right now, my focus is on turning Somaya Fashion Studio from a young independent label into a sustainable fashion business. I’ve spent the last few years developing and establishing my creative identity. The next chapter is about building the business around that—developing stronger retail opportunities, reaching more clients, building relationships within the industry and continuing to present collections internationally.
My long-term goal is to build Somaya Fashion Studio into a contemporary fashion house while continuing to create work that has something meaningful behind it.
In closing, is there anything else you'd like to share with readers?
As an Afghan-Canadian woman, I don't take the opportunities I've been given for granted. There are so many Afghan girls and women who have the talent, ambition and dreams to pursue creative careers but don't currently have the freedom or opportunity to do so.
Somaya Ahmadi | FW26 | Vancouver Fashion Week
That stays with me whenever I reach a new stage in my career. I want to build something meaningful with the opportunities I have, and I hope that as my platform grows, I can use it to continue bringing attention to the voices and stories of women who aren't always given the space to be heard.
Links -
- Instagram - @somaya_fashionstudio
- Tiktok - @somayafashionstudio
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