We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Samareign Hassan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Samareign thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.
33Fusion© achieved a monumental breakthrough and disrupted the retail industry by merging Fashion and Fine Arts. 33Fusion®, LLC’s business model is based on an innovative retail store, which is part boutique, part gallery, and part placemaking that offers visual and performing artists a space to showcase their talents. While Fashion is the core industry, Fine Arts is a mission-based initiative conceived to reinforce successful local artists who see themselves as a business. In effect, 33Fusion®, LLC’s business model includes Business to Business (B2B). We have a comprehensive business model that took over two decades to perfect and visual art is a major component of it. We offer affordable fine arts to bridge the wealth gap, build equity, and diversity investment portfolio. Be a part of the creative future is our slogan therefore, supporting 33Fusion® is key to see a better planet and future for us all.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am a Native of Africa, I trace my lineage to two noble dynasties Al Halwein from Northern Sudan, and Issaq from Northern Somalia (Somaliland). My ancestors originated from the Arabian Peninsula. I am a bona fide multi-disciplinary artist, certified by the City of Boston, millennial leader, thinker, visionary, and curator with expertise in design, planning, and development. I humbly like to think of myself in my own lane, vantage point, and incomparable to any living artist in the modern age. I am a very meticulous individual, with an extraordinary ability to master anything I touch. My attention to details is immaculate, and borderline obsessive. Art is not something that I choose to do, rather it chose me. I like to captivate the imagination and capture the minds through my artistic masterpieces. A glimpse of my ingenuity is illustrated through my iconic projects, Samareign Graffiti Fashion Show©, and Samareign Barbie Project©.
When I launched my Boutik© 33Fusion®, LLC, I curated it as a comprehensive art show; as if I were leading an orchestra playing the melody of the universe; cultivating flawlessly the garden commanded by the creator; constructing like a bird making a nest, or a bee building a hive. 33Fusion®, LLC launched in 2019, in Boston, Massachusetts, is a vision that emanated from my childhood experience, I made it my life’s mission to style Africans, Muslims, and other people of faith with a variety of African fashion and modest wear and provide eco-friendly and one of a kind handmade product. Driven by this passion, I was able to launch 33Fusion®, LLC, at Z Gallery. Ever the go-getter, I successfully relocated 33Fusion, LLC, at the CambrideSide Place, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I am currently working on opening additional locations outside the United States. Often called the museum, 33Fusion®, LLC exceeded customer satisfaction by its excellent service, safety, and reliability. We offer a wide range of services, such as artists consultation, and small businesses, art therapy and host art, music, jewelry making, workshops and educational classes for the locals. We offer a studio space for visual artists and a space for performing artists to conduct live shows. As a brand we strive to address the demand for African clothing, modest wear, and accessories from millions of Africans, Muslims, and other faith groups who live in the United States. Our research shows, the major brands that sell to Muslims have not satisfied their taste for Islamic-centered modest wear. This consumer group comprises 2 billion Muslims, and 1.4 billion Africans. In terms of future growth, by 2050, Islam will supersede Christianity (World population review), and Africa’s population will be 2.5 billion” (The African Century by IMF).
33Fusion®’s business model is conceived to make customers feel good while shopping, knowing that they are supporting an ethical, eco-friendly brand, and getting the best quality at the most affordable price. We only use the highest quality fabrics and natural organic products, our operation also depends on products made from recycled, and repurposed materials. We support hundreds of artists and artisans locally and from around the world, with a focus to sustain local economies, and supporting the mission of artists to earn a living from their craft. One of the outcomes is the preservation of different art forms that are at-risk of extinction and fostering talents by providing opportunities for artists to make sales. These collections include the artworks of artists competing against technology and machine-made products that keep wages low, and marginalizes them, by referring to them as “starving artists”. 33Fusion® is seeking to change that negative perception by calling them rich artists and foster a healthy environment for them to grow and develop while allowing the consumers to acquire fine art as an investment. The arts, crafts, clothes, jewelry, and photo collections are made to exceed the taste of the urbanites, and constantly offer new limited-edition creative products. Every customer gets the opportunity to buy from a wide selection of premium oeuvres and specialty items such as original fine arts, Vinteek© (vintage & antique), and handmade jewelry, accessories, crafts, garments, books, herbals, skin and hair care products, Somali incense, Arabic OUD oils, and original prints of Samareign Graffiti Fashion Shows©.
I launched my project Samareign Graffiti Fashion Shows© in collaboration with Doumafis, in 2018. The project constitutes an innovative display of Fashion, Graffiti, and Photography conceived to preserve the Graffiti fine arts (Street Arts) in a digital format because public arts created on walls are often destroyed by developers interested only in building for profit condominiums. According to the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), Boston is the third most gentrified city in the U.S. Therefore, Doumafis, and I were determined to solve the risk that local artists take when creating Graffiti, one of the five elements of Hip-Hop culture, which has achieved global significance. Samareign Graffiti Fashion Shows© is a series of public art shows that highlight the role of local visual artists in the beautification of disenfranchised neighborhoods, prevention of gentrification, and advocacy to pay local visual artists for the Street Arts they make. Samareign Graffiti Fashion Shows© encompasses a teaching methodology of Doumafis based on Learning, Interactive, Fun, and Experiential (LIFE) model that has made it possible for several residents to get involved in economic and/or neighborhood development. Moreover, the Samareign Graffiti Fashion Shows© resulted in the visualization of geographic data, a mapping system that includes the body of knowledge of relevant concepts and methods, institutional organizations, visual artists, and their Street Arts in neighborhoods, such as Allston-Brighton, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, Lynn, Mattapan, Roxbury, and Somerville.
The Project constitutes a digital archive of the most iconic Graffiti, such as Roxbury Love, by Richard “Deme5” Gomez and Thomas “Kwest” Burns, 2014; and Honor Roll, by Jameel Parker, 1999, which have been permanently destroyed. Samareign Graffiti Fashion Show© is the source of inspiration and idea that led the city of Boston to launch its own digital archive of Graffiti, calling it (Boston Mural Map). Our project was a major success and it gained international recognition by receiving the 2022 International Guangzhou Award, for Urban Innovation, a Chinese-based organization. During the fashion shows in real maven and iconic style, I started wearing a hat over her hijab, to show Muslim girls and women wearing the hijab is fashionable, stylish, and fun. Hat over hijab quickly went viral among hijab wearing Youtubers, and social media influencers. My main interest is to change the perception of people on non-mainstream arts and cultures that people portray everyday of their lives. Our project continues to inspire millions of people, which makes it a timeless trend that the generations to come will enjoy. I am happy to inspire others as a leader within the artist community. In Samareign Graffiti Fashion Show© photos, I can be seen holding a scepter, as a symbol of African royalty, aristocracy, and political resistance.
Furthermore, I featured my public art display Samareign Barbie Project© in my boutique theme for the customers to enjoy my artistic creations and to engage the public in various topics. In an unpredictable and shocking manner, I continuously create unexpected topics and themes driven from the larger concept Samareign Barbie Project©. To address important social, political, and various issues concerning the public. In 2023, I sparked a global trend, with my Samareign Barbie Project©, an initiative I started decades ago, with elements that were always present in my art. However, some of these elements were previously showcased to the public at Z Gallery. I transform the Barbie into magical creatures, mini human displays, models of my extravagant Vinteek©, i.e., vintage, and antique jewelry, spectacles, and handmade fashion. It is about creating something most people don’t have the imagination or the creativity to create. It is all about the vision given by almighty Allah, few possess, and many try to acquire. A significant number of visitors admitted, they admired my artistic vision and took thousands of photos and videos of the displays. Seeing the joy on people’s faces is priceless and it brings me so much happiness.
One aspect of the project is to treat the Barbie as a reflection of a real woman that can be from any race or nationality. I like to Intentionally display collectable black and multi racial Barbies, with different shapes and figures, throughout the boutique to inspire, and empower girls, and women, and to send a loud message that Black and Brown are beautiful. Moreover, they do not have to change their looks to compete or become the fictional White Barbies to unleash the Barbie or woman within. To me a barbie is a mindset of a girly style, fashion, and a tool to express beautiful and radical ideas. The Barbie reflecting a woman is a friend, sister, wife, and a mother”. I use Barbies as a human avatar, model, and actor to display and promote the massive selection of unique merchandise at 33Fusion® LLC. Samareign Barbie Project© brought Barbie back to life. I possess an extraordinary ability to alter the appearance of Barbie to a whole new and a different way to showcase ideas. I am happy that I transformed the way people view Barbies forever from a children’s toy to artworks masterpiece.
As a Global brand we are proud that we transformed the retail industry by introducing an innovative business model and educating the public about the importance of fine art and supporting the artisans locally, regionally, and internationally. 33Fusion® is also a cultural center that focuses on growth and development of artists and people who are seeking to learn new skills to start their own businesses to improve their standard of living or learn a new skill. Thus, we invest in our community by creating a safe space for all to feel a sense of belonging, connect and experience growth by providing artists resources to grow, sell and meet other creatives and like-minded individuals. We conduct year-round live shows, and exhibits to feature artists, and offer our space for performing artists. We believe collaboration is key, therefore we partner with organizations and educational institutions to integrate individuals to “be a part of the creative future®” model.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
I met my mentor, and business co-founder, Dumas Lafontant, ML, (Doumafis) many years ago. Verily, he is the source of my inspiration, and soul supporter in my art journey. Doumafis is an educator, playwright, and thinker, with many years of experience in the creative industry. He is the founder of Z Gallery, formerly Gallery Basquiat, an art initiative that I co-founded with him in 2012, to support local artists who see themselves as a business. Moreover, he has written several articles, books, and poems that are published by Boston Society of Landscape Architect, New American Writing, Potomitan.info, and Tri-Lingual Press. Many artists, including myself, had their first opportunity to showcase their talents at Z Gallery. Finally, Doumafis is the creator of several innovative products, most importantly the hexagonal art canvas, which he calls ITA.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
As an art collector, I managed to acquire a substantial amount of art including vintage and antique jewelry. Moreover, being a co-founder and president of Z Gallery, I had access to artist space, a major barrier for most local artists, which I did not have to face when I decided to launch my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.samareign.com
- Instagram: @Samareign
- Linkedin: samareign hassan
- Twitter: @samareignhassan
- Youtube: Samareign
- Other: Tick Tock @samareign
Image Credits
Samareign© & Doumafis