Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Asifa Nimalan.

Hi Sarah Asifa, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

Before emerging into the fashion industry, I attended York University where I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce while working in my family’s print-finish business, one of the largest print-finish companies in the GTA. Aside from that, I had always loved fashion and art as a young woman growing up. However I didn’t know how that could turn into a tangible career where I would be successful. This is when I took a leap of faith and enrolled at Parsons School of Design to learn about what it takes to run a fashion business.

I began my journey in the fashion industry initially posting about my school projects, and establishing myself as a fashion designer in the industry. Coming into a new industry where you are completely brand new can be intimidating, but all you can do in this moment is to put your best foot forward and allow who you are to come through.

I continued to put myself out there, through sharing photos of my styled outfits, making content about fashion/beauty trends that would resonate with others, and overall sharing parts of my professional life to encourage and inspire others. There were countless times that I got made fun of and laughed at for taking all those photos, but the same content I got laughed at for is the same content that got my brand accepted for New York Fashion Week.

Things have a funny way of working themselves out – the same thing that others laugh at you for is the same thing that grants you those well deserved opportunities. With that being said, never be afraid to show the world who you are. We need more people who are confident in themselves and willing to share that with others, because it truly is a domino effect. Even with Truly Debonaire – although we began as a small business, our impact is a worldwide domino effect, spreading confidence to everyone who comes into contact with us.

My best piece of advice is to keep trying and putting yourself out there. No matter what others say, their opinions do not define you. You define who you are. Even if at times you may feel uncomfortable, push forward and persevere. We do not go over or under challenges, we move through them, and that helps us to grow by being able to move past life’s uncomfortable experiences.

Thank you all for taking the time to read my article. I am so grateful for this opportunity to share my insights with you!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

I want to start this off by mentioning that things go wrong before they go right. Starting a fashion company has definitely not been a smooth road, but I knew that going into the fashion industry. From the outside it looks glamorous, however there is an immense amount of work that goes on behind the scenes that so many people do not acknowledge or even know about.

For example, at our fashion shows there were last minute model changes (literally 5 minutes before a show), coordination changes, and issues such as the makeup team not showing up for a show. These are incredibly challenging things to deal with, because although everything is planned, there is so much space for things to go wrong and changes to be made. For one of our fashion shows, although we did not have a makeup team, our models did their own makeup and one of them even stepped in as a makeup artist for the entire fashion show production. It goes to show how multitalented people are when given the chance, especially in a highly pressurized environment. Furthermore, after one fashion show, I was unable to find my photographer, so I grabbed my DSLR and started photographing the models myself. In addition to being a designer, I also have a background in photography so it worked out well. In high pressure situations like this, you have to be able to compromise and improvise.

At the end of the day, the shows turned out beautiful and the collections speak for themselves. What goes on behind the scenes matters so much, because every person’s role is crucial in achieving the final outcome. With that being said, I would like to take a moment to give a huge thank you to everyone that contributed to working with Truly Debonaire. This company wouldn’t be where it is without all of the love, support, and talented individuals that we’ve gotten to work alongside.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Truly Debonaire?

I am Sarah Asifa Nimalan, a fashion designer and entrepreneur. I am the Founder and CEO of Truly Debonaire, a womens ready to wear workwear brand. I work alongside my COO, Nadia Nimalan to create ready-to-wear collections for our clientele as well as inclusive fashion campaigns.

Truly Debonaire specializes in ready-to-wear work garments. We sell matching blazer suit sets, blazer dresses, pants, skirts, and jackets. We take pride in ethically sourcing our fabrics, offering inclusive sizing and being an LGBTQ+ friendly brand.

Truly Debonaire is well known for its diverse models. We do not stick to one ethnicity when representing our brand, because we realize that every consumer has a unique look. It is so important for a brand to be diverse and show what real people look like, not just what the media portrays as “beautiful”. This is why we acknowledge that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and colours. Each aspect of us, from the colour of our skin to the size of our bodies, was created with so much love and how can we not highlight that to the world.

I am most proud of Truly Debonaire for our inclusive fashion campaigns. It brings such a large community of individuals together. I love to see people resonating with feeling confident and to show love for a brand that is meant to encourage and inspire us, rather than make us feel bad because we may not fit the “look.”

What sets Truly Debonaire apart from others, is that we are not just a fashion brand. Yes, we sell high quality garments but what we are really selling is a sophisticated lifestyle for quality individuals. The choice to dress yourself in a luxurious suit brings a whole lot of inner confidence and you are left with feeling prepared to take on the world. That is what we want for our clients as well as our community of fashion lovers – to be able to wear a garment and feel like the best version of yourself, because let’s face it, when you look good, you feel good!

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?

My journey in the fashion industry has been full of ups and downs, twists and turns. However, the most important lesson that I have learned is that perseverance is key. In the fashion industry, nothing ever goes as planned. No matter how much you try to plan things down to the smallest detail, something will always happen and you have to improvise. Instead of getting discouraged, I’ve learned to embrace the uncertainty and trust that everything happens for a reason. Things may not always turn out how we want, but that just means there’s room for something even better to come along. Of course it can be frustrating when things change at the last minute, but in an evolving industry, you have to go with it and work with what you are being given.

Having the ability to persevere through every challenging moment is not an easy task, but it is worth it. It builds a resilient character within when you are able to work with challenges that not only force you to use your creativity but also allow space for growth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.trulydebonaireltd.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahasifa_lookbook/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-nimalan/

Image Credits

Times Square Photos shot by: Carlos Mena for @losview17