Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Maryam Nafari. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Maryam, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Art has always held a special place in my heart. It all started when I was in middle school in Tehran, the capital of Iran. During summertime, my family would make our way to Shiraz, a city known for its art, poetry, and wine. It was there that I began taking painting classes with an amazing teacher. The studio was small but filled with junior and senior artists sitting around a long table, each with their own materials and techniques. The teacher would walk around, giving pointers and encouragement. It was an incredible experience and I looked forward to it every summer.

However, I eventually pursued a completely different field of study and earned my education in STEM. I moved to the USA to pursue a PhD in Computer Science, leaving my love of art behind. My career as a software engineer in Microsoft was fulfilling, but when the pandemic hit and I found myself with more time on my hands, I decided to rekindle my passion for art.

This time, I experimented with painting on dresses, shirts, and shoes. I posted my designs on Instagram and was surprised to see how much love and attention they received. People began reaching out to me, asking me to paint their shoes. I decided to take it more seriously and wanted to ensure that the shoes I painted were of the highest quality. That’s when I partnered with my brother Kaveh, and together we founded Nafari Moda.

Today, I’m proud to say that my passion for art has come full circle. From the small studio in Shiraz to my own shoe brand, Nafari Moda, I’ve learned that art can take many forms and that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

At Nafari Moda, our journey began in 2020 and took flight in the summer of 2021. For us, fashion isn’t just a surface-level affair. It’s an experience that can evoke emotions, inspire exploration, and unleash your innermost self. At the core of Nafari Moda lies the principle of being true to oneself – daring to be different and flaunting it!

In a world that is increasingly homogenized, we strive to create unique and extraordinary fashion pieces that will make you stand out in a crowd. Our focus is on crafting exceptional, hand-crafted leather shoes that are all made in Italy – a region with a legendary history of shoe making. When you slip your feet into a pair of Nafari Moda shoes, you’ll instantly know the difference. The softness, the comfort, and the style – it’s all encapsulated in every pair we make.

Here in Seattle, we go a step further by adding our own artistic flair to each pair of shoes we create. Our talented local artists handpaint every shoe with distinctive, one-of-a-kind designs that showcase their incredible creativity and passion. What’s more, we offer custom designs, so you can choose the style and color of your Nafari Moda shoes and have them tailored to your unique vision. Our work is pure magic, and it brings us immense joy to see our customers unleash their inner designer and express themselves through our shoes.

At Nafari Moda, we are humbled and proud to have a loyal fan base of returning customers who have supported us every step of the way. We are looking forward to the journey ahead.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Social media has played a critical role in establishing the Nafari Moda brand. If you take a look at our page, you’ll notice that we’ve intentionally kept our old posts from when we were primarily an art page. This decision reflects our commitment to maintaining our artistic DNA as a central part of our brand identity. Rather than simply serving as a marketing platform, our social media presence is a visual representation of the creative process behind our work.

Through our experience, we’ve learned that providing engaging and thought-provoking content is key to building a loyal following. By actively involving our audience in our work, we’ve been able to build trust and cultivate a strong sense of community. Additionally, we recognize the value of working with influencers who share our values, as this can be highly effective in reaching new audiences. Collaborating with influencers who align with our brand helps us build authentic connections with their followers and tap into new demographics.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

The majority of our sales occur online, which means building trust and a strong reputation is absolutely critical. In order to achieve this, I believe there are a few key factors that we need to focus on:

Firstly, we demonstrate the care and attention that goes into every pair of shoes that we make. Each pair is made to order, and we take great pride in showing our customers how special each and every shoe is. We often include videos of us painting the shoes that our customers have ordered, and we even leave handwritten notes to show how much we value their business. We take the time to communicate with our customers on a one-to-one basis, working through multiple drafts to ensure that we create exactly what they want.

Secondly, customer service is absolutely essential for any successful e-commerce business. We go the extra mile by offering free shipping in the USA and Canada, as well as a hassle-free return and exchange process. We understand that quick turnaround times are important for our customers, and we work hard to ensure that they receive their orders as soon as possible.

By focusing on these key factors, we can continue to build a strong reputation and a loyal customer base that values the care and attention that we put into every pair of shoes that we make.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nafarimoda.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nafarimoda/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nafarimoda/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nafarimoda
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMHor_goEgkOjNPkrr4hUMg