Zaynini Designer Makes Crain's "20 in their 20's" List

posted on: Apr 24, 2009

Samaher Mohammad has come a long way.

As the proprietor of a small Dearborn boutique, she’s designing custom dresses and jewelry for Zaynini Fashion International Inc., her clothing line. Born and raised in that city, the 27-year-old fashion designer planned to be a teacher. Then a job at the mall changed her life.

That’s where Mohammad started designing custom his and hers sports jerseys. With orders flowing in from around the country, she quickly realized that her love for design wasn’t a flash in the pan.

Mohammad changed course, enrolling at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Troy. There she learned about all types of design, but evening gowns and jewelry remained near and dear to her heart.

“Middle Eastern culture is rich and extraordinary,” Mohammad said. “Every wedding’s a fashion show.”

But most commercial clothing lines, she said, aren’t in line with the modest attire that traditional Arab-American women often seek.

That’s where Mohammad comes in.

She strikes a delicate balance between a deeply held sense of modesty and a youthful energy. Her 35 creations include sophisticated evening gowns, trendy-but-conservative ensembles and traditional Islamic dress.

After graduating from IADT, Mohammad had a dream that she would travel to the Middle East to launch her line.

A month later, she’d found an investor to provide $2,500 in seed money and traveled to Jordan, where she has family. While there, she purchased fabrics and found a production facility.

She returned to a whirlwind year of local fashion shows, culminating with a deal to produce clothing overseas that flopped at the last minute.

Mohammad was undeterred.

“I said, ‘Maybe it’s a sign to do it myself,’ ” she said. “I believe everything happens for a reason, so I went around Dearborn, looking for investors. I found a small investment, a small 800-square-foot location, and my store will have been open one year ago this April.”

Nancy Kaffer
Crain’s Detroit Business

Picture caption:
Samaher Mohammad