Paraphernalia is a clothing brand created by Mohammed Khoja, a self-taught artist, enthusiast and admirer of all things art and design. Fashion is mostly an acquired taste and not many can be called designers merely because they have some clothing items to put them out in the spotlight, Paraphernalia is not that kind of brand. After living in Paris for years, he started off at a friend’s boutique. The young designer found his calling in the streets of the capital of fashion and art. Inspired by the work of artists and iconic designer houses based in the infamously fashionable city, Khoja has found a means of channeling his love of art into something you can hold onto and wear in “Paraphernalia.”
Paraphernalia is a brand that is created from a vision that represents who you are. How did this vision progress and become what it is today?
Paraphernalia, which literally means accessory in Latin, is a unizex street-wear brand inspired by the concept of creating wearable art. The concept was brewing for quite a while, I was initially greatly inspired by bold elements from surrealist masterpieces by artists such as Salvador Dali and Frida Kahlo for my first pieces. I felt they presented so much dialogue, as if we were catching a glimpse of a dream that forever stood still, and I feel that level of expression is very relevant to our Arab culture as well, especially through poetry. I wanted to extract similar elements and re-invent them with composition on the T-shirt to create pieces that were easily wearable and catchy.
Your style is very different from many Saudi designers we see today. What has been your motivation when it comes to designing your pieces?
My motivation is to create wearable art that implies the same experience and excitement of buying valuable artwork. I tend to overlook trends and usually just follow my instinct, not to say that I will rule out following trends in the future, but I feel it is so much more meaningful to find an identity of my own. I also feel an issue many Saudi designers face today, including myself, is that we are often influenced by what’s happening in the West rather than turning to our own culture for inspiration. I understand that it’s very challenging not to when the industry more or less dictates what should be worn each season. But I am very optimistic about the future of the regional fashion industry and extremely proud of the level of success Saudi designers have achieved so far.
How has your style of clothing been accepted by the fashion community in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East?
I feel extremely fortunate to have experienced a high level of support from retailers such as Life, Rubaiyat in Saudi and Sauce in Dubai, and more importantly the appreciation from individuals whose opinions I greatly value, such as artist Dana Awartani. I knew I was taking a bit of a risk with Paraphernalia as I never approached it with the intention of just producing commercial retail, I really wanted to create a unique identity instead where I can grow. Consequently, I find it more rewarding to find support for the brand from well-respected retailers, individuals and publications such as Arab News. The French have a well-known saying which more or less reflects my ambitions toward the brand: “A vaincre sans péril, on triomphe sans gloire.” which translates to “To win without risk is a triumph without glory.”
Being an artist, your pieces are unique in their own way, how did you incorporate fashion with art and was it difficult to do so in the Kingdom, where the modern form of art isn’t as well-known as it is elsewhere?
I started my life as an artist and painting has always been my main form of self-expression, and on a more personal level, I am also a huge art enthusiast and often go out of my way to attend art fairs and gallery openings, I find them to be great meeting grounds and a huge source of inspiration which I would recommend for everyone to attend or get involved with one way or another. There is also a movement currently occurring in Saudi Arabia and in the region where pursuing a career in fashion and art is being viewed as a more credible way of life and I am really happy to be witnessing that shift and be part of it.
Wearable art is something that is very new to the Saudi fashion scene. What inspires you? It’s difficult to find that perfect mix, tell us about your designs.
It’s tough for me to narrow down inspiration; it can range from elements of ancient cultures to artworks on Tumblr! But I’m generally inspired by old ornate objects that tell a story as well as catchy yet thought provoking artworks by artists such as Takashi Murakami. I also always try to push myself to draw inspiration from the beauty of Middle Eastern aesthetics. Ideally, I would like to take elements from our culture that people tend to overlook and re-invent them through various compositions in efforts to change their connotation and create something that is relevant to all cultures.
Moreover, with Paraphernalia being a street-wear brand, I always try to connect to the Middle Eastern youth and daring street cultures from around the world. I’m greatly inspired by masters such as Riccardo Tisci and Alexander Wang who have successfully turned street-wear into something that’s more widely accepted and appreciated. We’re witnessing much more of a bubble up effect these days where we see big fashion houses drawing more inspiration from the streets rather than the latter, which i find very refreshing. With Paraphernalia, I really want to be able to create wearable art that people can use and enjoy.
What inspires you to do what you do and design your pieces the way they are?
During my years in Paris, I started sharing some of my ideas with a friend who had just opened a concept store and sold to well-known celebrities such as Kanye West. After pitching a few ideas for his line, he persuaded me to design a few pieces for him which turned out to be a success. I felt very encouraged as a result, I knew right there and then that I wanted to translate more of my vision to reality; and when I moved back to Saudi, it just seemed like the right place and time to do it.
What should we expect to see in your next season’s line?
My new season will be a lot more grassroots in terms of its content, I am pushing myself to draw inspiration from traditional Bedouin culture and the current mood of the modern Arab youth, in an effort to tie tradition and modernity, and to make them very contemporary and relevant to today’s audience. I also want to provide a social commentary that’s applicable to both my Middle Eastern and Western clients. Expect a lot of bold metallic elements, algebraic symbols, tartan plaid, all over pattern prints, vintage Bedouin portraits.
Paraphernalia first started with T-shirts, do you intend to expand it to other different pieces of clothing?
I am now expanding my brand to include more street-wear inspired pieces such as printed bomber jackets, printed sweaters and joggers. I am also in talks to potentially stock Paraphernalia at LuisaViaRoma in Florence Italy, which would be a huge step in my career. I am also working with one of my close friends who I studied with in Paris, Lama Mansour, on a very special project that I will reveal soon.
What is your vision for the future of Paraphernalia?
To open a flagship store in a global city and to be able to create a concept that exceeds the brand. My dream is to create a movement, not just a brand. My vision is to further develop the concept of creating wearable art and to create pieces that present story lines from our own culture and ones that are equally relevant to other cultures. All my messages are always positive and I always aspire to create conversation style pieces. A lot of my friends often tell me that my T-shirt was a topic of conversation at dinner etc. which makes me very happy to hear.
Where can customers find your designs?
You can currently find over 17 styles of T-shirts from Paraphernalia’s ‘Visionaire’ line collection distributed at Rubaiyat stores in Jeddah, Maison Bo-M in Riyadh, Al-Riwaq Art Gallery in Bahrain, Sauce Stores in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Walk-in Closet in Kuwait, mooda.com online store and my own online store which ships internationally www.para-phernalia.com
Email: [email protected]
