2019-09-01_Harpers_Bazaar_Australia.

(Marty) #1
the[stores]cateredto themodestmarket.I wouldgoalloutand
buyeverythingI could.ButI keptthinking,Insteadof waiting
forsomeoneelseto doit,I mayas welldoit myself!”
WhileSeddeqi’sclothesareonthemoreformalside—includ-
ingrichsilkandbrocademaxidresses,coatsandmatchinghijabs
—Smithcommentsthatshehasseentheirinherentelegance
andglamourappealtotwogenerations.“Asanolderwoman,
I wasinstantlyabletoconnect,butthensowasmy19-year-old
daughterandherfriend, wholovedthelong,romanticprint
dresses.”Seddeqiacknowledgesthatherdesigns,someofwhich
featurevintageAfghanembroideryandbeading,skewtowards
eventdressing.“IfyouwalkeddownthestreetinDubaiinthese
dresses,noonewouldturna head,butinAustralia,unlessyou
havea specialoccasion,it couldlooka bitoverthetop,”shesays.
“Ifindit whimsical—I lovetodressupandlookladylike.I
thinkit’snicetoputthateffortintoyourappearance.”
Seddeqibuiltupa clientelesimplybywearingherowndesigns
—oftenwitha Guccibelt,ValentinoorAlexanderMcQueen
shoesanda jewelledneckpiecefromIndia.“I willwearanoutfit
toanevent—NewYear’scelebrations,weddings,engagements
orhennanights—andeveryonewantstoknowwhereI gotit,”
shesays.Shesourcesfabricsfromaroundtheworld.“Wherever
I go,beit Malaysia,DubaiorIndia,I visitthelocaltextileand
fabriccentresandbuywhatevercatchesmyeye.”Seddeqi’sready-
to-wearrangesfromabout$600to$2000,whilebespokeitems
arepricedonapplication.Everythingis producedinAustralia,
andmostpiecescanbecustomised:a Westernclientmayprefer
a shorter-lengthdressorcoat,forexample,whilewomenof faith
canordera matchinghijab.Headscarfs,asSeddeqipointsout,
canprovideinstantglamour.“Thefocusis thenallontheface.”
Lookingcouture-perfectat middayina blackandwhitefull-
lengthtrenchcoatwithhijabandhigh-heeledpumps,Seddeqi
is herownbestadvertisement,butas a youngmumof twochil-
dren,shealsodressesforpracticality.“I’mnota sneakersgirl,
butI dowearflats,dependingonwhatmydayhasin store,”she
says.“Butif thereis aneventon,it givesmeanexcusetogoall
out,andI embracethat.”She pointsto a dazzlinggoldand
blackstripedshirtdressinherstudio.“I worethatrecentlywith
a velvetbeltanda Chanelbrooch.I’malsoobsessedwiththe
ivoryoperacoatandmatchingpants.”
Whileherbrandis stillin itsinfancy,Seddeqi’sdreamis to have
a boutique inSydneyandexpand intointernational markets,
perhapsin Dubai.“I’dliketo establisha wholehouse,withshoes
andaccessories,somethinglikeCarolinaHerrera,”shesays.“But
it is veryimportanttometohavetheclothesmadeinAustralia.
That’sa nodtomyAustralianheritage.I wasbroughtuphere,
educatedhere,workedhere,metmyhusbandhereandhadmy
kidshere.Australiais home for me, and I’m proud of it.”
anjillaseddeqi.com

Clockwisefromtop:in
anAnjillaSeddeqidress,
$2490,andherown
ChristianLouboutin
shoes;a selectionof
Seddeqi’sownbags;
a traditionalAfghan
necklace.Oppositepage:
anAnjillaSeddeqidress,
$1950,andherown
Chanelbelt,Alexander
McQueenshoes,Louis
Vuittonbraceletsand
VanCleef& Arpelsring
(on her right hand).

110 HARPERSBAZAAR.COM.AU September 2019


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