Munamer, an Italian brand for those seeking serenity

Every piece of clothing should be worn with a sense of calm and comfort. And that’s even more relevant when it comes to beachwear. Perhaps, though, we fail sometimes at considering the influence that culture or costume may have on the peacefulness of donning a simple bathing suit.

I spoke with Italian fashion designer Chiara Taffarello, who launched her own label in 2018, to get the finest explanation of how specific dynamics might be overcome (at least in part, as we discovered). For Muslim women who like traveling and participating in sports while still honoring their Koranic heritage and traditions, Munamer was created as a range of sportswear and beachwear. It is the first Italian brand focused exclusively on the modestwear market.

Your situation is more than uncommon; it's a model to emulate. What made a Treviso girl devote time and money to a society that wasn't her own?

I've always been a buyer and a designer for several businesses, but for personal reasons, I had to reinvent myself at some point in my life. As a consultant, I entered the realities of a Pakistani company by keeping track of its clients and collections. I began travel Pakistan and I was able to research its culture, history, and way of life on field as a result. I looked into fashion preferences, regional traditions, and summertime practices of these Pakistani ladies. I discovered a large gap in sportswear and beachwear. I then researched a solution that was based on modest clothing, starting from scratch myself: prior to creating my diffusion idea, I first researched the fabrics and created the first prototypes in China. I completed everything in a short amount of time; my first fashion show was launched in London.

I then entered a frenzy after that. I conducted e-commerce with my 800 outfits at the time because I lacked contacts for fairs and supply chains. After that, I began to travel and establish myself in the UAE, where OUNASS.com purchased a Munamer collection, which helped me gain a favorable market position.

How does your job in Munamer go?

It is very simple: there is only me. Everything runs through me, from creation to sponsorship. I put a lot of money into this project in an effort to spread and promote it. It is difficult and demanding from a digital and campaign standpoint.

It is unfortunately a double-edged sword because including outside parties in the project also requires participation in the idea underlying it, which must be felt personally for obvious reasons. If not, the attempt will fail.

It is only fair that your brand's mission should be felt firsthand. But what exactly did Pakistan leave you with? What caught your attention enough to inspire you to develop this brand?

I brought home experiences more than lessons learned. In every nation I travel to I bring everything back with me. I have never been really intrigued by the spirituality behind Muslim culture, what I like its multiculturalism. My own collection is not designed exclusively for the Islamic market, that was just the starting point. This company is mostly targeted to liberal women who find peace in the coexistence of bikinis and burkinis in the same collection. The objective is to avoid feeling unfairly treated when choosing among the available products.

There is a lot of talk about inclusivity, and this, in my opinion, has to be the new normal: to feel and appear good.

What responses did you receive?

Moderners found it to be really appealing. Traveling and taking a sea bath are still foreign concepts in Pakistan, which has become highly radicalized. Although the culture of the Middle East is already more open, a taboo is still permeating the region. Indonesia and the Maldives might possibly provide a sizable market, but purchasing power is the issue here.

I'm limited in some ways by my purchasing capacity; I'd prefer it to be oriented towards the Asian reality, but the only option available right now is the European one. For instance, there are lots of people in Spain who are drawn to textiles and fabrics and who order my bikinis or purchase items from the collection.

It is quite challenging to strike a balance between the very specific target demographic, low prices, and my lone presence within the brand, but I have plenty of expansionist aims and am doing a lot of effort to advance Munamer.