Meet Xahlia Vahradian | Fashion Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Xahlia Vahradian and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Xahlia, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I believe success has a lot to do with your mindset, it is really important to have a positive mindset when you are building a brand. You have to believe in yourself and be passionate about what you are doing. Stay focused, have discipline, and do your research. Define your target audience and have a good marketing strategy. Planning and staying organized is also very important for me, working smarter and not harder. I also pray a lot over my business and listen to my intuition, if something feels off I won’t do it. I believe you must have integrity and maintain professionalism in all areas of your business if you want to have long-lasting success.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I am a fashion designer, I specialize in couture clothing, jewelry, and accessories. I began sewing and designing jewelry at the age of 10, I started my first design business when I was 17 years old living in Oakland, California I would make custom stagewear for local DJ’s, Singers, Rappers and Performing Artists. At 22 I opened a pop-up boutique and art gallery in downtown Oakland featuring my work alongside other local artists within the community. My passion for design lead me to Los Angeles where I studied fashion design and technology at Los Angeles Trade Technical College in South Central. While obtaining my certificate of completion in fashion technology I launched “Xahlia” A designer brand existing to uplift and inspire Women through beauty and fashion.

What sets you apart from others?

Besides having a background in jewelry construction I think what sets me apart from others is my ability to think outside the box, I’m not afraid to try new things and I am constantly pushing myself creatively. Being a skilled fashion designer means having an equal balance of creative and technical skills I worked very hard to have both. I am most proud of graduating from fashion design school, Having my designs showcased at New York Fashion Week 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 as well as having my dress worn at the 2021 Met Gala. I am most excited about expanding my business and the new collection I am working on which will primarily feature my Jewelry and Accessories.

How I got to where I am today:

Honestly I have dedicated most of my life to my craft, for me it’s not just a career but more of a lifestyle. Experiencing a lot of hardships throughout my youth designing has always been the light in my life. My journey was far from easy, but I have learned that sometimes your hardships are just preparing you for your greatness.

How did I overcome the challenges:

I chose to focus on the positive things in my life instead of letting the negative things consume me.

I practiced discipline, worked really hard & believed in myself. Giving up was never an option.

I think the greatest and most valuable lesson I have learned is to love yourself and know that you are worthy of having the life you desire. Understand that what’s going on internally will reflect in all areas of your life, your business included. I believe your mental and emotional health are paramount to having a successful business. Another really valuable lesson I’ve learned is to have accountability, own up to your mistakes learn from them, but don’t repeat them. Always trust your intuition, never go against it, have faith and don’t be afraid to do what makes you happy.

No matter where you come from or what you’ve been through you always have the power to create a different story, never let your past or your circumstances define you.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take them to visit the LA fashion district to go shopping, Manhattan beach, fine dining in Malibu, Rodeo Drive and to some of LA’s beautiful rooftop bars for city views, music and cocktails.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shout out to my Mother Kelley who taught me how to sew as a child and gave me my first sewing machine, my God Aunt Bella who taught me about Art and perspective, All of my incredible Fashion Professors, my photographer Katelynne and to my colleagues Juvahn & Dominique for always supporting and believing in me.

Website: www.xahlia.com

Instagram: @_xahlia / @queen_xahlia

Facebook: xahliacollections