Our Story
About the studio
Passion for design and a commitment to creativity. Hafza Studio is a textile design studio located in the Royal Albert Wharf area championing arts, culture and creativity. Our in-house designs offer you collections of unique, bespoke, and original fabrics. Designs are delicately hand-drawn and painted in our lovely studio in London, and each piece tells its own visual story of culture and heritage.
About the designer
Hafza Yusuf is a Somali-British textile designer, Art educator and founder of Hafza Studio. Hafza's love for art and her rich culture led her to pursue a career in textile design, which became a way for her to celebrate the beauty of the Somali culture and preserve Somali textiles and heritage.
'I want to bring a positive light to the beautiful rich culture we have through design. After the civil war in Somalia, the textile industry we had was greatly affected; some ultimately came to an end. Art is a massive part of our culture, and it needs to be protected' - Hafza Yusuf.
'I feel the work I do is bigger than just me and my dreams, and I say that because it's not only representing me as an artist, but it celebrates the beauty of Somali Culture and heritage, which I love. So every day, I push my creativity and skills to bring the best designs and creations' - Hafza Yusuf
Since school, Hafza wanted to work in the arts and, after her first school art project, she found her passion for designing. Once she discovered her creative mind, she became determined to pursue her passion as a career. So over the years, she studied art and textiles at GCSE and in a sixth-form college. She, later on, studied a Bachelor of Arts in Textile Design at University.
Despite always having confidence in her artistic abilities, carving out a career in the arts was not easy. After graduating from university, Hafza found it hard to find her place in the creative industry. Soon realising not many spaces were ready to accept her for who she is.
'As young people, we can go into an industry very naive thinking that our skills are enough, but unfortunately, in the real world, it's not. Most of the time, it's based on who you are, what your values are and how you present yourself. And as a proud Muslim Black Woman, I was not willing to compromise on my values to follow my dreams. So I took it upon myself to create my own Art studio where I can be an artist and be true to myself.' - Hafza Yusuf
Follow Hafza on Instagram @hafzastudio and be a part of her creative journey.