LAUNE x Mishwara
Meet Mishwara! Born out of a desire to bring vibrant Mauritanian textiles to the diaspora, Mishwara was co-founded by three sisters in 2024. Mishwara, Hassaniya for headscarf, is deeply influenced by the vivid color palettes and contours of Mauritanian culture. Ethically sourced from Nouakchott Mauritania, Mishwara scarves are dyed, cut and sewn in the heart of the Sahara desert.
Mishwara aims to bring the Mauritanian markets to a digital experience. Their scarves are unique and authentic designs straight from the bustling markets of Nouakchott, giving life to the intersection of West African fashion and modesty.
The three sisters, all Mauritanian-American born and raised in the suburbs outside of Chicago, grew up in Orange County. Aissata graduated with a degree in Political Science from UC Berkeley and is interested in political advocacy, creative expression and expanding representation for marginalized communities. On the weekend’s Aissata can be found cafe hopping with her latest read. Rakia is studying Psychobiology at UCLA. Rakia enjoys long drives down Pacific Coast Highway, collecting S0nny Angels and rewatching Avatar the Last Air Bender. And Halima has a deep passion for jazz, fashion and origami. Halima is studying biology with the intention to enter the Psychiatry field. She wants to expand the mental health infrastructure of Black and Brown communities.
Sisters and co-founders, learn more about these amazing, female change-makers, their brand, and design process below!
1. Tell me about yourselves and Mishwara. How was Mishwara created?
Mishwara was born from a phone call in between classes in January of 2024. We were inspired by the melhfa: a veil worn by Mauritanian women. We drew from the beauty of our mother’s colorful melhfas and our hot Noackhott summers. Our vision was to bring the Mauritanian fashion palette to the West through the hijab. Going to college we learned the value of community and connection through culture. That warm feeling of seeing another African on campus became the foundation of Mishwara. In creating Mishwara, we integrated cultural expression within modest fashion. Mishwara makes North-West African fashion more accessible. We see fashion as more than just clothing. To us, fashion is a political statement, a historical legacy and a strengthening of cultural ties.
2. What is the LAUNE (mood) of Mishwara?
Our Laune is about being bold and expressive. We hope to inspire people to be innovative with fashion again. To listen to your inner voice when choosing your outfit in the morning regardless of the most recent trend on Tik Tok. We believe that modest fashion doesn’t have to be demure, that it can be loud and imaginative. While it’s nice to have a solid amount of basics in any wardrobe, we also want to push back against uniformity and bring back a ‘one of a kind aspect’ to fashion. Each Mishwara is uniquely handcrafted, kind of like a vintage piece you might find at a Sunday flea market.
3. What inspires you?
A huge inspiration for us is West African fashion. West African fashion is bold in that there isn’t space to fear color or prints. Color is a form of self expression that is intuitive for the wearer. We believe color has depth and meaning.West African fashion thrives on the interplay of vivid colors and intricate prints. It's a language of self-expression that tells stories about heritage, personal style, and community.
4. Your production process is rooted in supporting the Mauritanian economy and local craftsmanship. Tell me about the ethos and impact of Mishwara.
Every step of the production process is rooted in the Mauritanian economy, supporting local craftsmanship. Mishwara strives to celebrate Mauritanian tradition by honoring the rich cultural heritage embedded in each design. At Mishwara, we are committed to giving back to the Mauritanian community, investing in local artisans and fostering sustainable economic growth.
As a country directly impacted by fast fashion and climate change we are committed to sustainability in our production process. Rather than being produced in a large factory or warehouse setting, Mishwara scarves are hand crafted by local Mauritanian artisans.
Mishwara is also about making an impact through fashion.10% of the profits earned are donated to the Women’s Association for Combating Poverty and Illiteracy in Nouakchott, Mauritania. Established in 1999, they are committed to providing educational programs, advocacy, and community support to empower women. The WACPI aims to break cycles of poverty through literacy and economic opportunities.
5. What does the design process look like?
Our designs are drawn from color palettes and patterns straight off the streets of Noackchott, Mauritania. Take our recent Betrav Lehbel scarf for example. It’s a deep shade of purple in the traditional West African lehbel (rope) style. Lehbel is Hassaniya for rope. In the process of dying this scarf the local dyers use ropes to shape the design. This style is a classic dying pattern that we grew up wearing during our Nouackhott summers. So it was an exciting moment to bring a piece of home to the hijab.
6. What’s next for you three and Mishwara?
Mishwara is a work in progress. We really took the approach of just start and adjust as you go. So right now we’re working to build this brand from the ground up. All three of us are students. We're mainly drawing from our education and experiences outside the classroom but ultimately, we’re learning about this process as we go. We’re looking forward to listening to our customers' feedback, expanding our designs and most importantly giving back to the Mauritanian people.
Rapid Fire:
1. Favorite Mishwara piece?
Aissata: Selibaby Blue has a special place in my heart.
Rakia: My favorite piece is Sahrawi Pink! I remember going to the market and it’s vibrant color and print drawing me in.
Halima: My favorite is definitely Noakchott Summer. Pink and orange are one of my favorite color combinations.
2. What’s one product you could not live without?
Aissata: At the moment my summer fridays brown sugar butter balm!
Rakia: I couldn’t live without my brown lip liner, she does me so good.
Halima: When no one has my back, I know my aquaphor has got me covered.
3. What are three staple items that every closet should have?
Aissata: A good quality basic black long sleeve, baggy jeans and a classic dad shoe.
Rakia: A loose fitted brown long sleeve, the perfect jeans and a gold necklace.
Halima: Solid color long sleeves, boot cut jeans, and big earrings.
4. Describe your style in three words.
Aissata: Comfy, casual, colorful.
Rakia: Printed, gold, cultural
Halima: Vibrant, coordinated, consistent.
5. Early mornings or sleeping in?
Aissata: Early mornings so I can have a slow morning.
Rakia: Early mornings for sure, I struggle to stay up at night.
Halima: While I wish I could wake up early, I usually sleep in.
6. AM or PM skincare?
Aissata: PM skincare because I’m not as rushed.
Rakia: AM, sometimes I get back too late to do a really good PM skincare.
Halima: Both since I’m currently struggling with acne.
7. Dream collab?
Aissata: Doing something with Ami Cole would be so cool.
Rakia: I would love to collab with Aminaisnotokay, she’s such a sweet person.
Halima: I would love to do a collab with a clothing brand in the future.
8. Favorite place?
Aissata: Any local bookstore.
Rakia: One of Laguna’s lowkey beaches.
Halima: A bench under a grove of trees in a local neighborhood.
9. Favorite style icon?
Aissata: Penda Seck is your resident it girl for me.
Rakia: Aissatou Diallo #fulaniqueen
Halima: Shahd Batal
10. Favorite movie?
Aissata: Little Women 2019 directed by Greta Gerwig.
Rakia: Tangled :)
Halima: Kubo and the two strings
11. What are you loving right now?
Aissata: Trying out fall recipes.
Rakia: I’m loving my slay apartment life with the best roomies ever !
Halima: Spending time in nature.
