This Week’s WOW! Rasoul Amir Design Connects To His Ancestral Background
This Week’s WOW! is designer Rasoul Butler whose fashion moniker is Rasoul Amir. He is a Fashion Apparel artist. His training in apparel merchandising and construction extends from North Carolina State University; graduating with a Graduate degree in Fashion & Textile Management; to internships at Ngozi Design Collective where he performed as a seamstress and operations clerk. Along with training Rasoul has completed numerous fashion exhibits through the University and his community.
Spectacular Magazine (SM) talked with Rasoul Butler aka Rasoul Amir (RA) to get to know more about him and his design style.
SM: Who was and/or what was your inspiration for your designs?
RA: The designs I create are from studying current fashion trends from men to women. I specifically target a more mature market, ages 35 and older. The concept stems from my ancestral background and wanting to connect with my heritage hence the reason I use both African fabric with a fiber (cotton) that gave birth to the U.S. Without both histories of my life I would not be here to share my artistry. I enjoy creating pieces that express color and movement through the patterns yet are still comfortable enough to wear in those warm Southern summers.
SM: Tell us about your latest collection.
RA: The current collection explores Athleisure wear. Items are very comfortable and easily placed together. Many pieces act as separates that can be interchanged with each other. Although each piece works well alone they look amazing together. The African fabrics that I chose were specific because they embodied spring and a new birth with its slight floral aesthetic.
SM: What was the biggest rookie mistake you made when just starting out?
RA: I wouldn’t say that they were mistakes, they were learning curves. My greatest learning curve was planning. Everything in textiles deals with planning and executing. Coming from a personality of going with the wind I had a particularly difficult time with dealing with a strict regime. If you want to be in the industry of textiles you must learn to plan everything from getting your materials to your cut and sew and finished product. Time and Action sheets have become my new found friend with this new experience.
SM: What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
RA: My keen eye for detail and ability to soak up new knowledge has aided in my journey through the apparel industry. There are so many ideas from the industry to learn and implement in your own design concepts that it’s hard to keep up with them all and decide which are the best to utilize at the time. Fortunately in the design process you have trial and error so you are able to try them all. At an early stage in learning apparel design I enjoyed merchandising and creating an understanding of what looked nice on a particular target. Throughout my internships I honed in on these abilities and continued to work on them. I continue in my growing understanding of fabrications that I am able to utilize in various garments. There are so many fabrics that I yet to feel, see and use in my apparel journey, but with every new concept I create I am always on the constant lookout for new fabrics that I would like to cultivate in my business.
SM: Where do you see yourself in the next ten years?
RA: In the next ten years I see myself continuing with my custom business under the name Rasoul Amir. I also hope to gain a larger following of clients that are able to purchase my ready to wear garments online. Since the future seems to continue on a path of online shopping, I would like to create a much larger database for myself that can keep track of my clients and their likes and dislikes on the site and utilize that information to make it an even more user friendly space.
SM: What do you enjoy doing other than designing?
RA: I enjoy creating above all things else but along with my desire to create beautiful apparel I enjoy many other things. I am an avid language learner at this current time I am learning Spanish and growing my knowledge of comprehension. I also enjoy learning of other cultures and how those concepts can extend into my design ideas.
SM: If you could have dinner with any famous person, who would you choose and why?
RA: I would enjoy meeting Willi Donnell Smith who at the time of his passing was one of the most influential African American fashion designers of his time. I would enjoy asking him questions of how he navigated the fashion world as one of the few black designers at the time and how he was changing the industry one garment and model at a time.
SM: How can people find out more about you, your designs, shows, etc.?
RA: Contact me through Instagram: Amir Butler
Check out a few of Rasoul Amir Designs:
