Ali Mehrdad interview with Aassttiinn:
Tell me a little bit about urself?
– I'm very bad at talking about myself lol.
How and when did you get involved in fashion?
– I was 18 years old and I just so happened to be at a dinner with a director from Harry Winston, she offered me a consulting job and I took it, that was my first ever client and I had no idea what I was doing and they had no idea I was 18 but they loved what I did for them so I must have done something right.
What did u do before starting Roberi&Fraud?
– I was a consultant, I basically helped brands and retailers make more money in the middle east region.
What was ur main challenge to be a part of the international fashion industry ?
– The main challenge for me was dealing with the older employees at any brand or retailers because their thought process was old school and I somehow had to convince them to get with the program and go with what works for the consumers today.
What do you think about Iran’s fashion industry at the moment and it’s future?
– Well I haven't been to Iran in 15 years so I'm really not aware of whats going on in there in terms of fashion.
You know many famous influencers and fashionistas, as a fashion entrepreneur what advice do you have for those who want to get involved in fashion business?
– Its not about you or what you like as a person and what you THINK people would like, because that is the first mistake everyone makes in any industry and not just fashion. You have to create something for the customer and not you, my brand doesn't look good on me and I don't care but everyone else loves it, it sells and thats what matters.
Why did you start Roberi&Fraud and what was the main challenge of starting a brand?
– I started it because I was over consulting and Realized that I have been helping all these companies make millions of dollars whereas I had only charged them a fee for doing it so I decided to start my own brand and luckily it took off in a week.
How The Young Tastemakers Behind Roberi & Fraud Built Their Brand In No Time:
In just a year since the ubiquitous eyewear brand launched, Roberi & Fraud has become synonymous with high-flying celebrity style. These retro-futuristic frames first captured in street candids of supermodel, bella hadid, have since shown up on some of Hollywood's most famous faces. This choice accessory for Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner, among many others, is often worn low on the bridge of the nose and barely covers the eyes.
For longtime friends and founders, Ali Mehrdad Soudbakhsh and Stefan Foster, the brand's success is somewhat of a happy accident. While the design duo has struck gold with their first venture in eyewear, Roberi & Fraud is no shady business. In what reads like the plot for a comedic film, Soudbakhsh and Foster got their start with Front Row Mode, a consulting agency they co-founded in Dubai when they were respectively 18 and 19 years old. With their knowledge of the middle eastern market, they advised big clients like Burberry and Bergdorf Goodman and established invaluable connections in the industry.
Following the success of their UAE-based firm, the decision to apply these skills to their own business was a swift one with a public reception they could have never expected.
Doling out new styles and shapes to feed the frenzy, the line continues to gain admiration and multiple wears from global trendsetters like Rihanna and the Kardashians.
With no design experience and a slew of fashion contacts, the business partners turned their trend-savvy inspirations into a strategy for a major return. In addition to boasting widespread demand, the glasses are also priced around $200, making them more affordable than their designer counterparts. With no marketing needed, the brand's presence is felt in the real-time Instagram uploads and street candids taken by paparazzi.
