Conscious living is Dana Al Khobaizi’s motto and that’s how she built her brand, State of Mind. State of Mind is a sustainable activewear brand that is both fashion-focused, *and* conscious. SOM Active empowers wellness and a purposeful mindset with its clothes, while still keeping the functionality of the products at top-tier quality. As the first Kuwaiti and Arab founder of an activewear brand, Dana is definitely a busy woman.
So how does *she* practice sustainable living? The businesswoman told us that she ‘lives a conscious lifestyle,’ “I’m mindful of my consumption, whether it’s products, food, energy, or conversation. I have adopted a vegetarian diet and that to me personally is a sustainable way of living, by preserving our natural wildlife and eco-system.” Yes, she practices what she preaches, which makes us love her (and her brand) even more.
Scroll down below to take a look at our interview with SOM Active’s founder, and Kuwait’s very-own, Dana Al Khobaizi…
Cosmo ME: Could you share some mindfulness techniques that you use?
Dana: Practicing presence is my number one mindful technique. As we go about our busy lives we have our minds full, but with awareness, we can drop into the now.
C: Where did the concept of State of Mind stem from?
D: SOM is essentially an extension of my lifestyle, over the recent years I have embraced a more holistic and active lifestyle. After seeing a gap in the market for options of activewear garments that truly fit the Arab female physic with ease and comfort, I wanted to build a brand that met those needs and to offer women a stylish, conscious activewear collection, while empowering wellness and a powerful mindset.
I wanted to merge fashionable design with highly functional details and launch a brand with a conscious meaning behind it, and with the ambition to push for more of a sustainable means in the way we think, shop, and work out.
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C: What difficulties did you find when starting your business?
D: I’ve been in the fashion and retail industry for 15 years. I opened my first clothing store in 2007. So, setting up a business and creating a business model for SOM was nothing new. As a designer, I am now on the other side of the business so it’s quite refreshing to learn how this part of the industry operated. I love learning new things.
Our biggest challenge at the start was the pandemic and backed-up supply chain, in and out of lockdowns, etc. But we pivoted the business and made it all work.
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C: What advice would you give to your 16-year-old self?
D: Everything you’re stressing out about now won’t matter later and remember to love yourself.
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C: What does State of Mind have in store for the rest of 2022?
D: Lots of exciting things coming. We just released Collection 002 “Day After Bonfire”. We have several releases this year and are introducing menswear as well. Watch this space!
To shop the brand, visit their website.