in opposition. Secondly, we
build connections to artisans in
countries that don’t typically
get to sell their products in the
Western market or in the luxury
fashion space. And, thirdly,
we are constantly navigating
across cultural boundaries,
border restrictions, customs,
and importation codes whilst
building bridges and connectivity
to other regions of the world. So,
we also see the company name
as a tongue-in-cheek nod to that
part of our work.
It’s been a seemingly swift
rise to the top, how did
you develop the brand? We
developed the brand by being
very discerning about our
distribution and growth. We
pursued our favorite designers,
artists and friends and great
collaborations that helped
grow the brand in new markets
and arenas— including were
Jonathan Simkhai, Lucio Castro,
Ralph Lauren, Cole Haan, and
we have a new Theory Men’s
collaboration available now. We
currently sell at over 90 select
retailers in over 25 countries, and
our e-commerce website ships
internationally to individuals.
What is the driving
inspiration behind A Peace
Treaty’s unique aesthetic?
We draw inspiration from our
combined heritages; Dana is
North African and Farah is
Pakistani, so these cultural motifs
play a major part in informing
our concepts and design. Equally
importantly, A Peace Treaty’s
process is also highly attuned to
both culture and locale: We first
seek out beautiful, traditional
techniques not oft-seen in luxury
fashion markets, or which have
become increasingly obsolete
in countries once treasured for
their artisan-work. We design
our collection around these
indigenous practices, seeking
out the most talented and skilled
masters in specific countries
to hand-make A Peace Treaty
designs (both textiles and metalsmithing). We’re also always
scouring libraries in our favorite
cities around the world as well as
historical archives, old markets,
and our own travel encounters
for inspiration. We both hold
three passports each, and speak
multiple languages. Farah has
lived in eight countries; Dana in
five.
As you are constantly on the
go, are you the kind of people
who love airline wi-fi, or do
you like time to disconnect?
We love disconnecting onboard
and like to use this time to
get back to tactile enjoyment:
reading books and magazines
in paper form, writing letters to
friends, and sketching. We also
like to think that hovering over
the world provides a converse
kind of “grounding” and access
to another dimension of thinking
and ideas.
When sourcing materials,
what are your defining
guidelines? Quality is king,
and our Rolodex is vast! We’ve
trekked to the corners of the
earth to find the world’s most
talented hands that: weave the
finest cashmere fibers in the
Himalayas; block-print in
Pakistan; knit alpaca in the
Andes Mountains; or carve
intricate stone in Jaipur.
We truly believe that
working in this way amounts
to a more beautiful product.
Additionally, we believe that all
things are more beautiful when
the maker has put their lives,
dreams and hopes into creating
them; therefore conscious,
philanthropic manufacturing is
the basis on which our business
model was built.
What’s in store for 2015?
We’re releasing a beautiful
SS15 jewelry collection of
24K gold and beautiful buffalo
bone (naturally, the bone is
sustainably harvested). We’ll
also have sumptuous handwoven muslin scarves in seas
of gorgeous muted shades. And
you’ll definitely see us next
year in our caftans that travel
perfectly from city to sea. We’ve
already started layering them
over jeans, and can’t wait to
don them poolside as well. We
also hope to get more passport
stamps in 2015! As members of
the CFDA Incubator program,
we have quite a few travel trips
coming up, and many more
fantastic collaborations in the
works.
HEAVEN HAS HEELS summer 2015 | @HHHEELS