Faiza Bouguessa, Founder And Creative Director, Bouguessa

Built on “an ethos of minimalist sophistication and feminine elegance,” Bouguessa, the Dubai-born contemporary ready-to-wear label founded by Faiza Bouguessa, has seen its fashion flag fly high over the nearly ten years it has been in business. Women around the world have found favor with the brand’s signature silhouettes- it is perhaps worth mentioning here that Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is just one of the many celebrities who have been known to adorn Bouguessa’s garments so far.

In 2022, the brand debuted a new product line with the launch of Ounassa, a versatile handbag made out of soft calf leather for which the development, Bouguessa reveals, took about two whole years. “Both 2021 and 2022 were very challenging, and the number one highlight was changing the company strategy to keep up with multiple global crises,” Bouguessa reveals. “We had to redesign our marketing strategy, our online strategy, our company structure, and so on. This had demanded from us to become more creative in the way we deal with our partners. On the positive side, it has allowed us to become more structured, and created new opportunities for us, such as developing new products and service offering. One product range that we introduced was leather goods, and we also developed L’Atelier, which offers customized designs and made-to-measure items for those customers who wish to express their distinctive styles.”

Now, standing at the precipice of a new year, Bouguessa is getting set to build on her brand’s current footing in the market. “2023 is a crucial year for us, as we want to further expand our global reach, and increase brand recognition in a significant way. That requires us to invest in two key areas of the business: public relations (PR)/marketing, and production capacity. We will also introduce exciting products like shoes, kids wear, and, further down the line, eyewear.”

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But while Bouguessa may have already laid out a roadmap for her label’s future, the entrepreneur reveals that her pursuit of those goals begins with a careful review of what her business has got up to over the last 12 months. “At the end of every year, we look back at the performance of the company to evaluate how internal and external factors made us strong in certain areas, and weak on some others,” Bouguessa explains. “As a result, it makes us more eager to outperform ourselves in the following year.”

Reflections 2022: Faiza Bouguessa, founder and Creative Director, Bouguessa

1. Set up the requisite checks and balances for your business “As an entrepreneur, it is very important to take the time to build and maintain a proper structure when it comes to how you run your business. The fashion industry is so fast paced that sometimes people tend to work outside of the company’s procedures or framework.”

2. Take care of your team, so that they can take care of your business “Employees’ performance is their responsibility as much as it is management’s. When bringing new talent onboard, it is key to provide them with the proper resources and tools required for them to perform their job. Even the highest performer of employees requires regular feedback to ensure smooth operations.”

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