Haram

My name is All Amin, and I'm a Kurdish artist from Berlin. As the founder and creative force behind HARAM, I started specialising my craft in sneaker upcycling in 2019. My innovative creations bridge the gap between high fashion as a political statement and an artistic object. My mission with Haram is to shatter the conventional image of sustainable fashion and shine a brighter light on the importance of upcycling.
My path to fashion wasn't straightforward. I used to work on construction sites before I decided to do something more creative and study fashion design. I dropped out of my fashion studies after a few semesters and moved to Berlin, where I decided to start my own thing, far away from institutions. That's how HARAM came to life.

My frustration sparked my inspiration. I didn't feel like the regular way clothes were made aligned with my economic standpoint. This led me to dive into upcycling designs, a response to that feeling of disconnection. My original drive undoubtedly came from my passion for sneakers and my decision to create long-lasting styling accessories from my own old sneaker collection. I appreciate the playful approach this medium allows. Sneakers ignite my creativity the most due to their shapes, textures, and diverse palette of colours. Working with kicks allows me a sense of creative liberation that's, for me, unmatched by other materials.

HARAM has a deeply personal origin, but its initial purpose was to establish a strong presence in the fashion industry with a distinctive Middle Eastern identity. In my view, HARAM can be seen as a synonym for fashion. Looking at the bigger picture, modern fashion consumption can be deemed HARAM due to its negative effects on the environment and people. The irony is intriguing, as some sneaker enthusiasts playfully label my work as HARAM, jokingly referring to the dissection of their cherished sneakers.

My concern with eco-fashion lies in the fact that even when labeled as eco-friendly, starting a design from scratch still consumes resources in material production. In response, I take a different approach by repurposing discarded materials from other brands, turning them into resilient, new objects with a longer lifespan. Additionally, I aspire to challenge and reshape the usual aesthetic linked with sustainable fashion. Instead of adhering to the familiar eco-centric look that consumers expect, I strive to craft designs that are both environmentally conscious and visually appealing, expanding on the idea of what sustainable fashion can truly embody.

I gather donations from my community, and my primary source for secondhand sneakers is buying them online from reseller websites. The criteria vary depending on the final product I have in mind. If I'm not using the sole part, the sneaker can be completely worn out. However, if I plan to incorporate the sole into my design, it needs to be in good condition.

First, I always wash everything carefully, ensuring there's no dirt on the used sneakers, and then I begin taking them apart. The material serves as my compass throughout the entire creative journey. I break away from the usual method of drawing or carefully planning my designs. Instead, I rely on the graceful movement of the materials to lead me, letting my instincts determine the direction. Everything I do is very freestyle.

I view my fashion creations as wearable pieces of art. As a result, I strive to make them as practical as possible for my customers. I'm passionate about infusing street style with a more artistic flair.

I wouldn't say that the Berlin creative scene has such an influence on my brand's identity. I don't really have a lot of creative exchange when it comes to my work. I'm one of those artists who live in their own heads and retire until the work is finished (laughs).

I believe that by adopting a more playful and creative approach, focusing solely on deconstructing existing fashion items, we have the potential to push the boundaries of the fashion industry and significantly conserve resources. With HARAM, I push the upcycling agenda far more into the mainstream from a niche practice by breaking through the stereotypical image of sustainable fashion. Noticing how differently people perceived upcycling after seeing my range of designs, I realised how much potential upcycling has in the sustainability discussion. 

I'm excited to announce that the prices for my products will become more affordable! Until now, I've been sewing almost everything by hand, but that will change once my industrial machine is up and running. Get ready for more HARAM products hitting the streets!