Trendsetter: Meet Maha Barsom

Photograph courtesy of Maha Barsom/Newberry PR and Marketing

What was your journey to being a designer like?

I received a business degree from Damascus University in Syria. I wanted to pursue art, but my dad did not want me to; he said I’d be poor for the rest of my life if I pursue art. I listened and stopped making things and became unhappy. We came to the United States in 1992, and I took some classes at RISD. They liked me so much I became a professor. I still teach a variety of classes there.

You’re launching a zero-waste luxury collection. What can people expect from that?

It started during class time. I was teaching the denim costumers and putting the denim cuttings to the side. Seeing all the denim scraps just inspired me to use it. I did not have an idea how to use it, but I knew I was going to use it. I started coming up with the silhouettes and manipulated graphs in different ways. When people order a piece online, it’s always one of a kind. While we use the same design and silhouette as they ordered, it all depends on the scraps we have lying around, so each piece is couture. Everything is made to order and we prioritize sustainability.

How do you come up with the designs?

When I collect all the swatches, I try to think of a way to connect them. The silhouette is one of the biggest parts and it comes to me through inspiration. I’ll look at the shape of a cup and decide that will be the shape for a dress. I look at some images and take bits from them. My signature color is white because I like simple colors. When I studied in Paris, I saw how everyone dressed and fell in love with the haute couture clothing. The pricing was too much for me, so I decided to just do it myself and created my own haute couture clothing.

Have you always been passionate about sustainability?

I never want to throw things in the trash. I see people buying expensive items and wearing them once or twice. You are trashing your money. Wearing something for a week or two then throwing it out is not good for the Earth and it’s not sustainable. When I first designed, I wanted to go into bridal wear, but I decided not to because I saw how wasteful it was. Women buy them, wear them once, then put them away forever, never to be worn again. I want what I’m making to be something women can wear anytime and be happy with it. I chose cotton because it’s breathable, it’s very friendly to the Earth and decomposes easily.

What do you hope for the future of this line?

More launches and more lines. I’d love to see the designs made with different fabrics and scraps, but each line is not going to be a lot of pieces. I believe in small collections and slow fashion. I want boutiques to carry my items; I want more people wearing my creations. I want sustainable fashion to be everywhere. mahabarsom.com