MY INSPIRATIONS

The people who inspired me in my life and made me the person I am today; my beautiful mother and amazing father, God bless their soul.

My parents both left the Iraq in the 1950’s, a 16 and 17-year-old with ambition and vision. My father received a scholarship to the American University in Beirut to study Engineering with a handful of selected superstars who represented the Middle East. Within a year they moved to California, Dad was accepted to continue his studies in Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC), this was unprecedented, those who know, know that USC is one of the top universities in the world. My mother enrolled in California State University, Home Economics. They were from a handful of visionaries to leave the Middle East, the new generation.

Dad loved American Football, he was a proud USC alumni and rightfully so, he supported the Trojans (USC Football team) and was an ambassador for Middle East talent. They had my brother and sister in Hollywood, California and myself and middle sister in Iraq (opposite extremes). They both worked all over the US, California, NY, Washington, they travelled a lot then returned briefly to the Middle East. We settled in the UK, in 1973, that’s where my father did his PHD in Solar energy. (This is the short version)

I could write a book about both of them and hope to do so one day, as they were an inspiration. My mother taught me everything I know about being empowered and to be confident in who I am. I was raised in the United Kingdom and left Iraq at a young age, yet her determination and patience to teach me Arabic, to read and write fluently, to understand my heritage, for which I am forever grateful, was without question her most important objective for me.  To be able to communicate in Arabic has been one of the greatest assets that has been an enabler for many of my achievements today.

She had the face of Sophia Loren, the grace of Grace Kelly and the mind of Einstein.  My mother was beautiful, smart and a go getter, even though she spent most of her life with Parkinson’s disease that left her house bound she still had the determination in her eyes.  She was always perfectly groomed, she had an incredible sense of style, when she walked into a room, her presence was breath-taking, her attention to detail and sense for colour and design was unbelievable, she was a perfectionist. Mom had a wardrobe full of the prettiest dresses, shoes and bags, everything had to be just so, she would always say, don’t waste your money on throw away fashion, always invest in timeless pieces and quality. I would lose myself for hours and play dress up in her clothes wishing I would be as beautiful as she was.

When I was ten she gave me a handful of books, little did she know they would inspire me forever to be part of the world of fashion.  The life of Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardener, Rita Hayworth, glamorous women of the 1950’s, my favorite decade. These were the women of her generation.  This is why I love old school Hollywood glamour, the clothes, the costume jewellery, the glitz and glam.

My passion for fashion started when I was 15, thanks to my super cool sister. She was cooler than Madonna way before Madonna existed.  She had a super eclectic sense of style, she would mix and match vintage with fashion and it always looked amazing.  One day she took me to a second-hand shop in London in the 80’s and we bought a beautiful black and silver beaded evening bag for £5, I was obsessed, she had no idea what she unleashed. I started collecting vintage from that very day.

I would wake up in the early hours of the morning, travel to vintage fairs, hunt around vintage markets, looking for unique finds, accessories, handbags, jewellery, you name it.  I collected for almost 15 years straight and still do, but not as obsessively.  I guess it’s the obsessive nature in me, but that’s another story.

My father, a PHD, was one of the pioneers of solar energy.  He was a remarkable man, self-made, hard worker, ambitious, brutally honest, direct and above all had incredible humility, he had achieved so much and worked so hard, he was charming and charismatic. Dad was cool. My friends loved him, He lived, and led his life by his ethics and values, never compromising no matter who or what.  He was generous, taught us to be humble and charitable, always give as long as we had. He taught us to be outspoken if something wasn’t just or fair and always do the right thing.  He changed so many people’s lives, he supported so many families in Iraq and all over the world, giving, giving, giving.

My father was my hero, strong and determined, he made sure we had everything but always made us appreciate how little others had and that we should never take things for granted. He made us know the value of hard work and to stand up for what we believed in. My father had two heart attacks, two strokes, he was a wreck on the inside and had only 25% of his heart functioning for almost half his lifetime, but his inner strength and faith kept him going. I don't really remember my parents in their prime, they were both unwell from a very young age, but what I do know is that they taught us uncompromising values and to treat others as we would want to be treated, I live by those values every day. Faith and values drive all my decisions.

These two beautiful individuals drive my ambition to leave a legacy and to make a difference. Forever in my heart and mind.