Ahmed Ali
designer
Newark, NJ
Want to learn more about his street wear? Slide into his mailbox at houseofahmedali@gmail.com. Better yet, check out his portfolio.
Also, check out Ahmed’s Instagram. It’s filled with his work!
5 favorite musical artists of all time?
Nina Simone
Nipsey Hussle
Stevie Wonder
Prince
Jidenna
“We make work that represents our people and lets people into our lives through our work.”
How do you keep your creative drip going?
I stay creative by stepping away sometimes. You've got to take time to reflect and/or disconnect.
If you could talk to your favorite creative for an hour, who would it be and why?
Jay Z. Because in one hour I feel that I can learn a lot from him about business and the dealings involved. That man has a great mind.
What is the last thing you learned?
Tomorrow isn't promised, so go hard for your goals.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Go to London straight out of high school.
What advice would you give to creatives of color looking to pursue their passion full-time?
Have faith in your transition. Trees don't grow overnight.
Where are you from?
Born in Newark, NJ. Raised in North New Jersey. Spent my 20's in London, England. Moved to New York. It's hard to claim one as home because they've all played a part in shaping me.
What are you working on right now?
My Spring/Summer tee's & my Fall/Winter “Ready to Wear” collection.
“Have faith in your transition. Trees don’t grow overnight.”
What inspires you?
For the most part, my mood inspires my style. Lately, with the state of our country, my mood has been quite dark. Taking on the responsibility of reflecting the times in which we live. Just like Nina Simone said.
Describe your dream job.
Waking up everyday to just work on my brand.
What skill(s) would you develop of you had more time?
Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop. I’d like to learn illustrator and photoshop in depth because things these days are more visual and you can tap into a more creative area of your artistic side with those two tools. I’ve worked with graphic designers that have taken a rather ordinary idea and made it spectacular.
What industry blogs/websites/podcasts do you enjoy?
Instagram is a blog in a sense. I'm on IG about 5 days a week. I enjoy IG for both marketing and visual inspiration. I come across people and brands that I normally wouldn’t have on other platforms. I try to limit it to 5 days because too much of anything can be bad. Sometimes I even step away from IG altogether. Because, it gets crazy on the gram.
What do you think the future holds for people of color in creative industries?
We've got this. We just have to stick together and stand for each other.
Need a designer to bring your unique ideas to life? Slide into his mailbox at houseofahmedali@gmail.com.
Dig the design featured in Ahmed’s profile? See more through his portfolio.
Check out Ahmed’s Instagram. It’s filled with his work!