Designer Spotlight - Luna Amani
Black Donya Octagon Clutch - £250
Established and founded by fashion designer, philanthropist and “mumpreneur” Luna Amani, she aims to create a brand that is out of the ordinary and never before seen in the fashion industry.
Inspired by her childhood and the rich Persian heritage that she was surrounded by, her designs take on a unique style, reflecting the culture and stories that she has experienced. She was heavily influenced by her three beloved Persian aunties, who designed her wardrobe when growing up. She wanted to devote the same level of love, attention and detail into her own designs, to reflect the care and commitment dedicated to each piece that her aunties had created.
Luna Amani is a brand that provides timeless designs that will last you a lifetime. Want to know more about her and her brand? Come with us as we exclusively interview Luna for an insight into what goes into her design process.
Luna Amani's signature geometric pattern
Curated Crowd: What was it about your rich Persian Heritage and growing up in Iran that inspired or influenced you as a person or as a designer?
Luna Amani: Having spent fifteen years of my life immersed in a vibrant and colourful Persian community, I became mesmerised by the glamour and mystery of Persian women.
This influence led me to a career in fashion design, where I became increasingly obsessed with finding a way to make this unique style available to every woman. With a lot of trial and errors, I feel like I have achieved that, in creating beautiful designs full of flare, beauty, contrast and contradiction, just like those Persian women who inspired me.
The key people that influenced my designs and my life in general, was my Persian aunties. Three of them were tailors, and as a child I always had clothes made for me by them.
Kimiya Shoulder, Clutch Bag - £325
CC: When did you know you wanted to delve into the challenging industry of fashion design?
LA: I attended Cordwainer’s and have been designing women’s accessories for more than 20 years. After many years in the design industry, I started working on my first collection as an extension of where I've been so far and where I hope to go in the future. Continuing on from here, each collection will include my trademark geometric pattern and multi-wear function.
CC: You mentioned that you’re a philanthropist, how do you give back through your brand?
LA: We have a 'One Bag At A Time' pledge. £5 from the sale of our bags online goes to the Omid Foundation, a charity dedicated to helping empower marginalised young women in Iran.
The Omid Foundation was set up in 2004 to help young women in Iran who are victims of sexual, physical or mental abuse to rebuild their lives again. Starting with a small group of 15 women, OMID now caters to more than 200 women at any one time. More than a quarter of them are Afghani immigrants. They work as a trauma-informed organization and now have a Peer Education and Leadership Program.
Donya Octagon Clutch - Black - @250
CC: Why is giving back so crucial to you?
LA: Having spent fifteen years in Iran I saw the negative ways that women could be treated, so I feel that if you can give back you should. I am also honoured and proud to work with several charities here in the UK, such as OMID, like I mentioned previously.
CC: Can you give us a little insight on your design process?
LA: All Luna Amani handbags are designed by myself and my small, handpicked design team from my bijou design studio in the UK. I start off with a vision board and then I go on to develop my ideas from there.
I try my best to remain loyal to the geometric silhouettes that are key to the brand. The motivation for this season comes from the gardens around the Azadi tower in Tehran. Important elements include green from the grass in the gardens, which is subsequently the Luna Amani brand colour and is the symbolic manifestation of freedom.
Donya Octagon Clutch - Green - £250
CC: What are your future plans for Luna Amani?
LA: I can't disclose much but for the next season, expect to see sugar pop pastels with some animal print, and most importantly the Luna half moon bag is being introduced as an exciting new shape! That's all I can say for now, so stay tuned!
Tala Grab - Crossbody Bag - £350
Shop Luna Amani's full collection here.
