Kudra Mohammed shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Kudra , thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Would YOU hire you? Why or why not?
Without thinking twice, yes. I would hire me for my strong judgment, decisive leadership, and ability to lead with both strategy and execution. I understand how to turn vision into results and how to move teams and ideas forward.
I take ownership of the roles I step into. I think long term, stay invested in the work, and take responsibility for outcomes. I show up with intention and follow through.
I bring leadership presence, operational awareness, and the ability to manage complexity. Whether in strategic, managerial, or executive settings, I focus on building momentum and delivering impact.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am an entrepreneur, fashion founder, and brand builder focused on creating and scaling consumer brands with quality, consistency, and global relevance. I am the Founder and Designer of Nizarline, a global fashion brand that began as the first branded hijab and scarf company in Kenya and has since grown into full design collections, physical retail spaces, operations across multiple markets, and an international client base.
Under my leadership, Nizarline evolved from a focused product idea into an established fashion business with a strong retail presence and a loyal global audience. The brand is recognized for thoughtful design, high quality pieces, and long term customer trust. I lead the brand’s strategic direction while remaining closely involved in design, customer experience, and operational decision making to ensure consistency and excellence across every touchpoint.
As the brand’s Designer, I personally design select pieces each year, including runway looks, private client commissions, and limited seasonal creations that are produced once and not repeated. These pieces reflect a deliberate approach to quality and not mass production.
I guide the brand’s creative direction, overseeing campaigns, visual storytelling, photography, and videos to ensure the brand’s image, products, and messaging are expressed to alignment to its vision and brand integrity.
I have worked in marketing and brand strategy roles within established organizations across international markets. These experiences strengthened my ability to operate within structured environments while aligning creative vision execution, performance, and scale. They shaped how I approach brand building and discipline.
My work is grounded in a strong understanding of brand image, consumer perception, and consistency at scale. I focus on how brands are experienced visually, emotionally, and commercially, from product and campaigns to retail environments and digital presence. This perspective allows me to bridge creativity and strategy, helping brands grow without losing clarity, identity, or trust.
Alongside my work, I founded a philanthropic arm, Nizar Foundation, focused on clean water access, youth empowerment, and community health initiatives. My work sits at the intersection of fashion, brand strategy, and leadership, driven by a long term commitment to building brands and organizations that scale sustainably and leave a meaningful impact.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Bonds rarely break from a single moment. They erode over time when communication is avoided, when difficult truths are buried, and when people learn to walk on eggshells instead of speaking honestly. Years of feeling unheard, misunderstood, or emotionally unsafe create distance long before separation becomes visible. Silence can be just as damaging as conflict when it replaces clarity.
What restores bonds is courage and accountability. The willingness to listen without defensiveness, to take responsibility without justification, and to follow words with consistent action. Repair takes time, humility, and effort. It cannot be rushed or forced.
And sometimes, restoration does not mean returning to what was. Some bonds are restored through honest repair, while others are restored through respectful release. Knowing the difference is also a form of wisdom.
Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
Yes. It was my grandfather. He had a quiet, attentive, and intentional way of listening. It felt like he was listening to truly understand, not just to respond. He was fully present, unrushed, and grounded. He didn’t interrupt or try to fix things. He simply gave space, and in that space, I felt understood.
I lost him to cancer this year, and his absence has stayed with me in unexpected ways. What I carry forward from him is the reminder that being present is one of the greatest forms of care. Feeling truly heard can steady you, even in difficult moments.
That experience shaped how I listen to others today. It taught me that attention, patience, and presence often matter more than advice.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version of me is real, but incomplete. Public life often captures outcomes rather than process. People see the work, the designs, the leadership and the results, but not always the reflection, uncertainty, or discipline that happens quietly behind the scenes.
What remains consistent is my values. Whether in public or private, I care deeply about integrity, intention, and how I show up for people. Over time, I’ve learned to be more selective about what I share, not out of distance, but out of respect for the work and the growth that happens away from the spotlight.
The public version reflects what I stand behind. The rest is still real, just held with care.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
They would miss the combination of individuality, quality, and longevity that defines our pieces. One of the most consistent pieces of feedback we receive is how distinctive our designs feel customers often tell us they wear them to events because no one else has the same piece. We have clients all over the world who buy Nizarline simply because of this unique style and pieces . That sense of exclusivity and personal expression is central to why they choose us.
They would also miss the quality and consistency. Our jersey hijabs, in particular, are consistently rated as customer favorites because of how they hold their shape, remain comfortable, and maintain their look over time. We regularly receive photos from clients showing pieces purchased years ago still looking new, which reinforces the trust customers place in our craftsmanship.
Ultimately, customers would miss knowing they are investing in thoughtfully designed, high-quality pieces made to last not trend-driven or mass-produced, but created with care, intention, and respect for how women actually wear and live in them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nizarline.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nizars_kingdom?igsh=cHllNHNkaHlzaXpv
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kudra-mohammed-b13013149?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Twitter: https://x.com/nizar_kingdom?s=21&t=dtVLB0ulQi1PsWOHIEbUzQ
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1D9Ti22pUK/?mibextid=wwXIfr
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
