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FashionInterview

by Barbara Yakimchuk

"Aga Bibi" — an Iranian Brand That Moves With No Map, And No Fear

19 Jul 2025

You know how we are always on the lookout for big talents and compelling stories from across the Middle East — it is an essential part of what we do. And you know what? You can admire what someone creates — and that is one thing. But the real question is always: do they have something to say? The truth is, you never really know until the interview begins. Usually, it takes 10 or 15 minutes to figure it out. But this time, the spark happened within the first three.
That is how it all began — with two incredible women from Iran: the CEO and designer of the fashion brand called “ Aga Bibi”, Mehrnoosh Shah Hosseini, and her business partner Yassi Tahmasb. There was so much passion, so much love for what they do, and so many layers of meaning. You know that feeling when you ask a simple question and get an unexpectedly powerful answer? That was exactly it.
How did they build a fashion brand in Iran? What is their most notable collaboration? And what dream are they chasing next? It is all below. Enjoy!
— Let’s start from the beginning. When was the Aga Bibi brand launched? I read that it started in 2004 — is that true?
Yassi: The brand, Aga Bibi, was officially launched in 2023. But I understand where the confusion comes from — if you look online, you will often see 2004 mentioned, and that is partially true. The designer behind it, Mehrnoosh Shahhosseini, actually runs two Instagram pages under the same umbrella. One is for her original clothing line, which began back in 2004, and the other is dedicated to shoes and accessories — things like bags, socks, and sandals. Technically, it is all one brand, just split into two distinct categories.
She is one of the most respected designers in Iran — she has been working in this industry for years, and people here really look up to her. Honestly, if you lived here, you would absolutely know her name. So I feel incredibly lucky to be working with her, helping grow the brand, and seeing where we can take it next.
Mehrnoosh: In the beginning, the product wasn’t clearly defined — I was simply experimenting with ideas and materials. Then one day, in Tehran, I came across a beautifully made local sandal. It really struck a chord with the values I wanted the brand to reflect. That moment became the starting point. From there, I began working with upcycled materials that naturally aligned with Aga Bibi’s story. It has been a fluid, evolving process ever since.
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— How did the idea of creating the brand originally come about back in 2004?
Yassi: It is something she has always wanted to do. She dreamed of having her own factory — a space where she could make clothes for children. That idea has been with her from the very beginning. She has always had a passion for working with materials, experimenting, and creating pieces that felt personal and unique.
— Mehrnoosh, I know you studied architecture — what made you choose fashion instead?
Mehrnoosh: Yes, I studied architecture — that was the path I chose many years ago. And to be honest, it is a long story. But what I can say is this: I never truly felt at home in that world. There was always a little voice in my head saying, you are not quite good enough for this.
With clothing, it is completely different. I am not afraid. I don’t second-guess myself. I just go with it — I trust my instincts, I create, I keep moving forward.
Of course, the two fields are connected. People often say to me — "It is obvious you have got an architectural background — it shows in your designs". And they are right. Architecture gave me structure, discipline, a sense of proportion. But fashion — that is where I feel free.
— Mehrnoosh, when you launched Agabibi in 2023, what changes did you make compared to your previous brand work? How was it at the time? Was starting a fashion label easy?
Mehrnoosh: This was my first time truly experiencing what it means to build something as a team. When Yassi joined as a partner about a year and a half in, she showed me just how powerful collaboration can be. Her presence made the idea of “working together” feel real and essential.
At Aga Bibi, we believe partnership grows from genuine presence — not just titles. Two of our amazing team members, Melika and Houtan, have shown up with such passion and consistency that they are now on the path to becoming partners too. And they are part of a wider team whose presence, energy, and care shape Aga Bibi every single day.
I feel deeply grateful for everyone behind the scenes — each person brings something unique, and together, they make this journey not only possible, but meaningful.
A turning point in my professional life came when, for the first time in my career, I made the conscious decision to work with a coach. It was a significant shift. I have been fortunate to work with Mohammad Mehmanchi, a highly respected coach whose calm, grounded presence has had a quiet yet powerful impact — especially in moments that may have seemed small at the time but proved to be deeply meaningful
— And how did the shift from clothing to shoes and socks come about? What sparked that transition?
Mehrnoosh: It all happened quite naturally. I was walking through a part of Tehran where they only sell shoes — a whole district full of little factories and workshops. While I was there, I came across a pile of the shoes.
Something about them just caught my eye. I thought, "Why not take these soles and pair them with unexpected, more experimental materials? And that is how my own line of shoes began. It started with what was right in front of me — and from there, it just flowed.
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— And what does the creative process look like today? How long does it usually take from the initial idea to the finished pair of shoes?
Yassi: It all starts quite naturally. Mehrnoosh often finds inspiration just by walking — especially through the bazars. She will stroll through the streets, keeping an eye out for materials that catch her attention. Sometimes it is something most people would walk straight past, but for her, it sparks an idea.
Once that spark happens, we sit down and talk it through. Sometimes we are ready to move forward straight away, and other times we feel it is better to let the idea breathe for a bit. We go over everything together — the design, the texture, whether it fits within the collection. It is always a collaborative process.
Mehrnoosh: Yes, exactly. I love that element of surprise — when someone sees a finished piece and says, "Oh wow, you used that? You turned it into this?" That moment makes it all worth it.
When I go shopping in the old bazars, I never ask for the trendy or popular items. Quite the opposite — I ask them to show me the things no one wants. Show me the drawer no one opens. I truly believe even the forgotten pieces have something to say. Every object carries a hidden message, and I love discovering that — and passing it on.
If I can find meaning in what others overlook, and share it with the next generation… then I feel like I have done something worthwhile.
— And where do you turn when you feel stuck or uninspired?
Mehrnoosh: Honestly? That has never really happened. I have never run out of inspiration — it comes from people, from all walks of life, from every corner of the world.
Sometimes, just sitting quietly and taking a deep breath is enough. Especially in Tehran — inspiration is everywhere. The moment you step outside, you see something, hear something, feel something. It finds you. There is no need to go chasing it.
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— How did you come up with the name of the brand? What does “Aga Bibi” mean?
Mehrnoosh: We spent months going back and forth — three, maybe more. I really didn’t want to just pick something that sounded nice on a label. I wanted a name that carried meaning, that told a story. I wanted people to be curious when they heard it, to start conversations.
You see, I come from an older generation, but I am trying to move forward. I often feel like I am standing between two worlds — the one I grew up in, and the one we are all living in now. And what I want is to carry our culture, our habits, our traditions into that new space — but in a way that feels fresh and thoughtful.
One day, we were sitting as a family — my mum, my aunts — reminiscing about old times. And suddenly my mum mentioned someone called “Aga Bibi.” I asked, Wait... who is that? And she said, "That is your great-grandmother — don’t you remember?" And in that moment, I just knew. That was the name.
The sound of it — Aga Bibi — stuck with me. In Farsi, "Agha" is how you address a man, and "Bibi" is what you call an older woman, like a grandmother. So it holds both energies. It is not fixed to one gender — and that felt so right. Because for us, gender isn’t the point. We don’t care if you are a man or a woman — what matters is that you are kind, thoughtful, and decent. That is all.
And the sandals reflect that too — they are completely unisex. I can wear a pair, and so can my male cousin. That is the kind of beauty I believe in. That is what Persian success looks like to me — something that belongs to everyone.
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— And your logo. I understand the brand name has deep roots — is the logo connected to that as well?
Mehrnoosh: Absolutely — it is all connected. The idea behind the logo was the same: no gender, no borders, no fixed roles.
The inspiration for the Aga Bibi logo came from Persian miniatures — those timeless artworks where the faces are neither clearly male nor female. Their expressions are subtle, their identities intentionally undefined.
The Aga Bibi face follows that tradition. With its unibrow and calm, unreadable gaze, it invites the viewer to pause. Everyone sees it differently — and that is the point. It holds meaning without forcing it. The logo simply offers a quiet space for personal connection.
It was designed by one of our most intuitive and sensitive designers — someone who truly captured the brand’s quiet strength: Sam Keshmiri.
— You describe yourself as part of the older generation, but the way you think and see the world feels incredibly current and creative. Where does that come from?
Mehrnoosh: All my passion and joy lie in decoding the hidden codes of my time and connecting them to signals from the generations before me — building a bridge between past and future. A bridge that helps reveal the subtlety and value in things that don’t show themselves at first glance. Creating dialogue with younger generations — especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha — has taught me to meet them where they are, listen deeply, and find a shared, respectful language.
Every object, every tiny detail, carries a message. If we stay awake — if we truly look — everything begins to feel meaningful. We just need to train our eyes and minds to see it.
And maybe that is what makes me feel current, if that is how it comes across. It is one of the things that keeps me connected to the present — not because I am chasing trends, but because I am chasing meaning.
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— So what would you say is the key message of your brand?
Mehrnoosh: You know how, in interviews abroad, people are often asked, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” — well, here, even tomorrow is hard to predict. So we don’t pretend otherwise. Our motto is simply to stay present.
If one day we can’t make sandals anymore, we will make something else. If there is an obstacle, we will work around it. We will find a new way forward. That is how people live here — always adapting. Even we don’t always know what the next product will be. And that’s completely fine.
So the message is this: “Today this, and tomorrow Ann.” In Persian, Ann (آن) can mean “that” or “what is to come.” It is a poetic way of saying that Aga Bibi lives in the present. Today is clear — this. Tomorrow? It will be something new, unknown, perhaps beautiful.
— I read that you collaborated with the Iranian street artist Mr. Faker. How did that come about?
Yassi: Yes! His name definitely grabs attention here in Iran. He is a bit like our own Banksy — no one really knows who he is. Graffiti isn’t legal, so you can’t just go around painting on walls. But we were lucky — a close friend of ours helped us get in touch with him.
Mehrnoosh: You know, when we are driving through the city, we often don’t notice what is around us — unless something unexpected catches the eye. One day, I was picking up the kids from school, and suddenly one of them shouted, “Mum! Did you see the kindness on that wall?!”
I turned the car around straight away. We went back, looking for what they had seen — the word "Mohabbat" (kindness), painted across the wall. To them, it felt like a secret message, something quietly powerful and deeply personal.
From that moment on, I started dreaming of a collaboration between Aga Bibi and Mr. Faker (or as I like to call him, Mr. Mohabbat), because that is exactly what his work feels like: kindness stitched into the city.
Yassi was the one who made that dream come true. She introduced me to him.
— Was that your very first artist collaboration?
Mehrnoosh: Actually, no — the first was with Melodie Hojabr, a contemporary artist, painter, and illustrator from Iran, now based in Paris. I had been waiting for the right moment to work with her, and during a time of constant power outages and heavy pollution in Tehran, her work came back to me. It just made perfect sense.
The story behind that collaboration is a fun one — but maybe a bit too long for this interview!
Yassi: We always try to keep our collaborations unexpected and playful — it’s a way to stretch what Aga Bibi can be, beyond just fashion.
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— Every business has its own behind-the-scenes stories — those little moments along the way. Do you have one that stands out?
Mehrnoosh: Of course, there have been moments — it’s just hard to recall them on the spot. But one memory really stuck with me.
It was just before New Year’s. Yassi was out in the city when she suddenly saw something that stopped her: a part of our brand — actual design concepts — had been copied and was being sold on the street for a really low price.
Right there, out in the open. Laid out for Nowruz shoppers like it was nothing.
It felt random, almost surreal — and honestly, it hit hard. That moment stayed with me. It was strange, frustrating, and somehow still kind of funny. But definitely unforgettable.
— So it sounds like you weren’t just dealing with copycats — you have also faced challenges in production?
Yassi: Yes, exactly. One of the biggest challenges is dealing with sanctions, and sometimes the rising cost — or complete lack — of raw materials. You might have a product that’s doing really well, but it’s hard to plan ahead. You can’t make clear decisions when everything is so unstable — especially with the currency bazars constantly shifting.
On top of that, there is no proper copyright law in Iran, so we have zero legal protection. That’s why we put a lot of effort into building strong, respectful relationships with our factories.
When you run a business in Iran, you have to stay alert all the time — and be ready for anything to change overnight. It is kind of like life here in general: unpredictable, intense, and always in motion — so you learn to adapt fast.
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— And the last one! Mehrnoosh, what is your biggest dream?
Mehrnoosh: My biggest dream for Aga Bibi is for it to be more than just a brand — I want it to become a vibe for the younger generation.
Something they connect with naturally. Not because it is trendy, but because wearing it feels a certain way. It gives you a sense of boldness. A quiet confidence. It is grounded, but still playful. It is also really important to me that the quality always stays strong — something people can rely on. Like a comfort zone, but cool. Something they keep coming back to and enjoy every time.
And I have one personal goal too: I’d love for Sheikh Mohammed to wear a pair of Aga Bibi sandals one day. Not just as a proud moment for the brand — but as a quiet thank-you to someone who truly cares for his land. For someone in power to recognize the beauty in something so simple, well-made, and full of good energy — that would mean a lot to me.
A quiet, sweet kind of victory.