Meet Islam Mohamed

We were lucky to catch up with Islam Mohamed recently and have shared our conversation below.

Islam, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

I get my resilience from my faith first and foremost, and from the challenges life put in front of me.

I was working as a senior supervisor at one of the biggest global fast-fashion companies in America when I was terminated for refusing to compromise my beliefs. That moment could have broken me; it felt like everything I’d worked for was being stripped away, but it became a line in the sand, and it also made the truth impossible to ignore: corporate America wasn’t just selling clothes, it was selling a value system, and it expected its people to wear it, the quiet pressure to dilute your faith and adopt someone else’s agenda. I chose to break free from those shackles, to stop trading conviction for compliance, and to build something that reflects my faith, identity, and community. That’s Athari Wear, created without apology, guided by faith, identity, legacy, and purpose over profit.

I started with nothing more than a barely functioning laptop, a mini sewing machine, some scraps of fabric, and a vision. The early days were brutal: bad manufacturers, defective products, financial struggles, even selling sneakers out in the snow and rain with hardly any sales. But every setback only made me more determined.

Resilience for me comes from remembering that nothing valuable is built without hardship, and through hardship comes ease. It’s about patience, about keeping your principles intact even when the world tells you to compromise. My scars, my struggles, and my faith have all taught me that resilience is not about avoiding failure, it’s about rising every single time you get knocked down, with more clarity and strength than before.

And today, when I see Athari Wear not just as a brand but as a voice for Muslim identity, resilience is what keeps me pushing forward. Because I know I’m not just building sneakers, I’m building representation, legacy, and hope for a community that deserves to see itself reflected with pride.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m the founder of Athari Wear, the first Muslim-owned sneaker brand in America. What started as a personal journey of resilience and faith turned into a brand that represents something much bigger than myself.

Athari Wear was born out of frustration with the mainstream fashion world, where identity and values are often compromised for trends. I wanted to create something that spoke directly to Muslims, something that let us walk with pride, without apology, and without watering down who we are. Our sneakers and apparel are designed to carry meaning. For example, our Keffiyeh sneakers symbolize solidarity with Palestine, while our collaborations, for example one with Mutah Beale (formerly Napoleon from 2Pac’s legendary rap group Outlawz) — tell stories of transformation and faith through design.

What excites me most is that Athari Wear isn’t just about fashion, it’s about storytelling, legacy, and representation. Every pair of sneakers, every t-shirt, every duffle bag carries a deeper message. We’re proving that Muslim creativity and identity belong at the forefront of global culture, not on the sidelines.

Beyond fashion, we also work closely with nonprofits, ensuring that a portion of our proceeds goes directly to supporting orphans and refugees. This mission of giving back is at the heart of Athari Wear, making every purchase not just a statement of identity, but also an act of compassion and solidarity with those in need.

Professionally, I’m focused on scaling the brand while staying true to the vision. This year alone, we’ve showcased at major conventions, and built partnerships with big platforms to elevate Athari Wear even further. We’ve also been expanding our product line, while keeping our production and storytelling authentic.

What’s next? We’re working on broader retail placement, international collaborations, scaling to Dubai, Saudi, London, Europe, and a dedicated women’s and kids sneaker line. But more than anything, my focus is on making Athari Wear a brand that outlives me, one that continues to represent resilience, identity, and the pride of the Muslim community worldwide, and those who share its common values.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, the three qualities that were most impactful in my journey were resilience, creativity, and adaptability.

Resilience was everything. I faced countless setbacks: losing my corporate job for standing up for my values, failed production runs overseas, financial struggles, and moments where I didn’t know if Athari Wear would survive. What got me through wasn’t avoiding hardship but learning to stand tall each time I was knocked down. My advice? Build resilience by embracing challenges as part of the process. Don’t see setbacks as dead ends, see them as training grounds.

Creativity gave me a way forward when resources were almost nonexistent. I didn’t start with big investors or factories. I started with a small sewing machine, a weak laptop, and scraps of fabric. I taught myself fashion design on top of my graphic design background. Creativity isn’t just about making things look good, it’s about problem-solving and finding new ways to tell your story. For anyone starting out, I’d say: protect your creative spark, and don’t wait for perfect conditions to begin. Use what you have, where you are, and start building.

Adaptability kept Athari Wear alive when plans fell apart. I had to pivot manufacturers, rethink designs, and find new ways to connect with customers when doors closed. The ability to adjust without losing your vision is what separates those who last from those who burn out. My advice? Stay flexible, but stay rooted in your core purpose. Trends change, circumstances shift, but if you know who you are and why you’re doing it, you can adapt without losing or compromising yourself.

At the end of the day, these three qualities worked together. Resilience kept me standing, creativity gave me direction, and adaptability allowed me to keep moving forward. For anyone early in their journey, focus on building those muscles, because they’ll carry you through when everything else feels uncertain.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Yes! Athari Wear has always been bigger than sneakers. We’re building a brand of resilience, identity, and legacy, and we love partnering with people who share that purpose.

We have some current collaborations for example,

We’re teaming up with Joule Sullivan (The Sartorial Shooter) on a major Athari Wear event he’s hosting in Dubai this October — a milestone moment for the brand.

We’re in talks with BDouin by the “Silhouette Brothers,” the Muslim animation studio behind the “Muslim Show Series” and the “BDouin Maker app”, they reached out to collaborate on merch for their new series “The Amir of Harlem”, based on Harlem legend Amir Muḥadith (better known as Loon; former rapper at Bad Boy Records).

We’re producing an impactful, high-production spoken word video around our limited-edition “33” sneaker with prominent Egyptian spoken-word artist Suleyman Ibrahim.

We’ll also be continuing collaborations with Mutah Beale (Napoleon).

In parallel, we’re in discussion with leading U.S. sneaker retailers about bringing Athari Wear to more shelves.

Who we’re looking to collaborate with

Retailers & distributors who want purpose-driven product on their floors.

Creators & studios (film, animation, poetry, design) who see fashion as storytelling.

Athletes & teams aligned with discipline, dignity, and community impact.

Community orgs & institutions (schools, masājid, civil rights, nonprofits) building programs for youth and representation.

What excites me most is working with people who believe that fashion can be more than fabric, it can be a movement. Athari Wear is proof that when you mix purpose with creativity, you get something that resonates across cultures and communities.

If anyone reading this feels aligned with that vision, We’d love to connect. The best way is through our website, athariwear.com or directly on Instagram, where our community is most active.

Together, I believe we can expand Athari Wear into something that not only changes closets, but also changes narratives

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Al-Hasan Mohamed

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