Nohir Saleh started being a part of her family’s denim production facility in 2011. There began her journey in the field of fashion management, apparel management, and fashion tech. Nohir believes that fashion brands face loads of issues when starting their business. As a result, she thought of a way to help the brands provide all services like embroidery, name tag production, fabric purchase, printing, branding, marketing, packaging, and whatnot. Hence, she started “The Fashion Incubator” in 2017. The company aims to provide all types of services that a fashion brand may require to launch.
Nohir aims to provide such services all across the Middle East region. All the services are full of creativity, and she’s of the view that strong will and persistence can help you achieve your dreams, and that’s how she started this journey of helping fashion brands, especially in Egypt. Nohir and her company have reached this position as she focuses on consistency, creativity, and agility, which helped a lot in the growth of “The Fashion Incubator.” Let’s hear more about it through the interview with Nohir Saleh herself below.
Explain the background of you and the company in detail.
I am a communication engineer graduate with a passion for fashion. I completed my MBA program then decided to Master in Fashion Management at Rome Business School. I headed my family’s denim production facility back in 2011 then decided to start my own business gathering all services emerging designers might need in one place. I saw the designers suffering from one service to the next, be it fabric purchase, production, printing, embroidery, name tag production, packaging, branding, marketing, and the many other services they need to launch their brand. I felt they needed a solution to help save time, energy, and the money gathered all these services under one roof and started my company, “The Fashion Incubator.”
What are your goals?
To be a creative hub serving designers in all industries, not only in Egypt but all around the region.
What do you feel is the biggest strength of yourself/company right now?
Offering a high-quality 360 solution for designers. As we have been in the market for a long time, we now proudly have the know-how and shortcuts.
What was the path you/your company took to get to where you are today?
We started in 2017 with one worker and one machine. We started with our network. Then by marketing, word-of-mouth, and affiliations, we started growing. We took our designers to the Arab Fashion Council flagship store 1422. We also participated in PURE London, giving designers exposure and buyer connections. We now own our 4-story factory, have our embroidery machine, laser cutting machine, and 43 workers working in TFI.
Why did you start (or want to be the head of) this company?
I saw a market gap and huge potential in the fashion scene in Egypt. I met with many brilliant designers who have very creative ideas, but the inefficiency of the market and the lack of resources and knowledge were not helping them. I felt I had the opportunity to offer a lot in this market.
Nohir Saleh, What have been the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Overcoming the market stereotype of inefficient apparel manufacturers and finding skilled, committed workers.
Give us one word that describes you the best.
I would say “persistent” because everything you want to achieve in life comes if you have a strong will to make it happen.
Nohir Saleh, What makes you excited about Mondays?
I do what I love. I don’t feel like I am going to work. TFI is my second home. It is a place to get creative and at the same time utilize my engineering background and apply efficiency concepts managing the production facility.
What do you value most about your culture and vision?
We have a vibrant culture. This really adds a lot to the brand identities emerging from TFI. Also, being in a country that values craftsmanship helped us a lot, being a labor-intensive industry.
Tell us about a project that forced you to be innovative and creative.
When a client once came and wanted to start their swimsuit brand, we had to do a lot of research and R&D to study the functionality of the design and material. Swimwear usually requires specific thread, fabric that endures different water conditions, specific printing, and so on. We now are proudly the leading swimwear manufacturer in the market.
Nohir Saleh, What are your company’s strategies, and how do they stand unique from your competitors?
We offer no MOQs. This is our biggest edge. To help emerging designers, we had to be flexible with our quantities which was the biggest obstacle they faced. Moreover, we offer all services under one roof; most of our competitors focus only on production and do not offer printing, embroidery, fabric purchase, etc.
What are the key values that helped you overcome the roadblocks/challenges in your career? Tell us something about your memorable incident in your leadership?
Consistency, agility, and creativity. During the COVID pandemic, we had to think outside the box. We immediately started working on our APP to virtually help designers do their orders. The APP allows designers not only to submit their designs for their collections but also to order name tags and packaging and book consultation sessions.
How do you see the company changing in two years, and how do you see yourself creating that change?
I see the company crossing borders. I have already taken some initiatives to register the Company in Saudi Arabia. I am always open to new collaborations, continually widening our network of partners and suppliers. We are already part of the Egypt and TCBL foundation businesswomen and partner with Sharabassy Built-Environment studio, Two Owls Production, Flare PR, Toronto Fashion Incubator, Studio 107.
Where is your leadership going? What benefits do your clients get from your company in this competitive world?
We insist on offering startup designers consultation sessions. This helps them refine their brand identity. The market for local brands is growing more competitive by the day, and if the brands do not have a clear value proposition, they will not be able to stand out and compete. Moreover, we are always encouraging sustainable methods that will add value to their brand and the environment—for example, offering eco-friendly packaging, sustainable fabrics, and encouraging timeless designs.
What services/solutions or products are offered by your company at par with the current industry standards? Tell us something about your upcoming products or services?
We offer designers the below services (which are all also found on our App)
- Consultation
- Fabric purchase
- Production
- Embroidery and printing
- Branding, labeling, and packaging
- Marketing
We are currently working on offering courses and workshops that include Fashion Design, pattern-making, sewing, and fashion design for kids.