Amani Saab is a luxury fashion company that is redefining evening wear for the modern muse, offering collections that combines glamor with comfort, sensuality with sophistication, and opulence with ease. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Amani Saab co-founder and managing director Ziad Aboulmouna to learn more about the company.
Ziad Aboulmouna’s Background
What is Ziad Aboulmouna’s background? Aboulmouna said:
“I am the Co-Founder and Managing Director of AMANI SAAB LLC. I graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2012 with a bachelor’s in electrical engineering and mathematics. After graduation, I joined the oil and gas industry and spent several years working predominantly in operations. In 2021, I co-founded AMANI SAAB with my wife Amani.”
Formation Of Amani Saab
How did the idea for the company come together? Aboulmouna shared:
“Amani Saab is a luxury fashion label that was founded through Amani’s desire to create statement pieces that are rare and intentional while focusing on making both an environmental and social impact.”
“At the core, we are a contemporary brand focusing on slow fashion rather than fast fashion. We are committed to making quality pieces that transcend the ever-changing social fashion trends and reducing our carbon footprint by utilizing dead stock and low-impact fabrics.”
“Our social impact comes from creating a culture of empowerment from the inside than out, starting by ensuring our local manufacturing partners adhere to responsible and ethical standards in the workplace. Operating at a local level allows us to uphold transparency throughout the production process and reduces our environmental footprint.”
Favorite Memory
What has been Aboulmouna’s favorite memory working for the company so far? Aboulmouna reflected:
“Building a brand from the ground up is an incredibly satisfying experience. You are in a continuous learning phase, and there are so many challenges that come up that need to be worked through to make your dream a reality.”
“I would say my fondest memory was when we made our first sale after launching the debut collection and getting direct feedback from our customer on the compliments she received while on a night out and the empowerment she felt while wearing Amani Saab. It was the first sign that we were heading in the right direction.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Aboulmouna explained:
“Our core products range from cocktail dresses to statement sets, and evening gowns. The Amani Saab woman is not someone that wants to blend in, she seeks exclusivity in her wardrobe and selects styles to reflect her individuality. With that in mind, the design philosophy is a balance between sensuality and sophistication that enables the wearer to stand out in any room she walks into.
Challenges Faced
Have there been certain challenges that Aboulmouna and the team faced in building the company? Aboulmouna acknowledged:
“Yes, there are quite a few, but my top two would be material sourcing while keeping sustainability in mind and talent acquisition.”
“The fashion industry’s supply chain is extremely fragmented. Acquiring full traceability consists of knowing where the raw materials were farmed and if pesticides were used, where the fibers were spun and made into textiles, as well as knowing the working conditions of each supplier and measuring their social and environmental impact. It is a challenge to achieve full traceability during the fabric sourcing phase. To be responsible, we prioritize the use of the following types of fabrics:
⁃ Designer surplus or dead stock fabrics
⁃ Certified fabrics
⁃ Recycled and Recyclable fabrics
⁃ Biodegradable fabrics
For talent acquisition, skilled labor in the industry is hard to find. Now, as we grow our team and scale the business, we feel the pain of a reduction in the available workforce. Training within our organization will be an important aspect of our growth moving forward.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Aboulmouna cited:
“I am super excited about our transition into the physical retail space by doing pop ups around the U.S. Being in a physical retail store gives an opportunity for customers to feel and fit our pieces, making it possible to experience the brand beyond online retail. We had a successful pop-up over the past few months in the Wolf & Badger boutique in Los Angeles, and starting May 1st, AMANI SAAB will be stocked in the Flying Solo boutique located in New York City. We have also had multiple red-carpet moments that is giving the brand visibility and recognition in the industry.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Aboulmouna affirmed:
“The Amani Saaab label stands out in the luxury fashion landscape through a combination of several key elements:
Innovative Sustainable Approach – The brand’s commitment to sustainability sets a new standard for responsible fashion within the luxury segment. We utilize deadstock fabrics and incorporate low-impact, recycled, and recyclable materials to help reduce our carbon footprint.
Conscious Design Philosophy – AMANI SAAB rejects the traditional seasonal fashion calendar and the trend of producing numerous styles per collection. We maintain exclusivity and minimize inventory by releasing capsule collections on a pre-order basis.
Cultural Fusion and Global Vision – Amani draws inspiration from her multicultural upbringing, combining influences from her Middle Eastern and South American heritage to create collections that resonate with a diverse global audience. Her cosmopolitan vision goes beyond geographical boundaries, offering an inclusive perspective on luxury fashion.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future company goals? Aboulmouna pointed out:
“At Amani Saab, making an environmental and social impact is embedded in our ethos and as a result, our goal is to achieve a circular fashion business model and attain B-Corp certification. We also want to expand the AMANI SAAB line into Couture. Integrating size fit technology and 3D rendering in our design process will make Couture more accessible to the consumer while minimizing waste.”
Additional Thoughts
Any other topics you would like to discuss? Aboulmouna concluded:
“The fashion Industry has a massive environmental footprint, stemming from the growing demands of Fast Fashion. 10% of the current global carbon emissions is directly linked to the fashion industry. The environmental impact doesn’t just stop at greenhouse gas emissions, 20% of the clean water pollution is linked to textile production, from the farming of raw materials all the way to the end user.”
“You have pesticide usage on crops, dyes and chemicals used on fibers during the weaving process, and then there is the use of polyester and nylon which are made from fossil fuels and are not biodegradable. Just the washing of polyester materials by the end user is the cause for almost 500 million tons of microplastic waste released to the environment yearly. The microplastics and chemicals released from washing polyester textile find their way back to the ocean and water supplies. It is a major problem, and it is the responsibility of both the leaders in the fashion industry and the consumers to start looking at more sustainable solutions such as Slow Fashion.”
