NYFW: Mataano Spring 2011

Ayaan & Idyl Mohallim are no novice to the fashion industry. The Somali bred twin-sister design duo honed & nurtured their craft remarkably at iconic houses like Jill Stuart & Betsey Johnson before launching Mataano in 2008. During NYFW, I took a moment to chat with the sisters during their S/S 11 presentation at MOBiA(Museum of Biblical Art)just a few steps from Lincoln Center!



For Spring we wanted less color, more of a minimal look. After a brief hiatus to work on restructuring the brand, the duo have reemerged in their fourth season with a diverse collection of separates & dresses infusing elements from the late 50's-early 60's like high waist shorts, pencil skirts & corset tops in a neutral color palette desert blossom-dusty rose,salmon,light blue.

It was nice to see parts of the collection displayed throughout the museum on mannequins, but I was able to get a better vision of the fit on the lovely models they cast for the presentation. The construction was immaculate(the line is produced in New York city!) and 99% of the collection was made from silk blends like printed organza, chiffon & silk shantung. There were a few pieces that stood out, but one of my favorites was a beautiful ivory corset romper(pictured above) made from chiffon & elastic which yielded a ruched look! The entire collection was relevant and yet so innovative.

The duo really want to convey a message beyond just making beautiful well constructed clothing. When I asked them to describe the type of woman they design for, their response was very inspiring and riveting. We are that women when we look in the mirror, multi cultural, bilingual, understand and appreciates diff cultures, loves to travel, read, that New York woman which is everywhere.


Our conversation extended way beyond design, they were extremely open about their journey as a whole thus far. We want to continue being artists, but also be commercially viable figuring out what sells etc. They had no reservations and were honest about their struggles creating and sustaining the brand, virtually wearing every hat for their business. As for their goals for Mataano in the future, we want to be more eco friendly, be intl. and think bigger. We are open to whoever is open to us, we definitely want to grow.







Designers Ayaan & Idyl Mohallim
We are a voice of a generation of women who are independent and beautiful from Africa showing a different aesthetic of Africa because there is more than one viewpoint!


To learn more about Mataano & to view the entire collection visit www.mataano.com