Forget the age-old polarity between commerce and creativity. For Ahlem Manai-Platt, founder of the eponymous luxury eyewear brand AHLEM, “there’s no distinction”—it’s all about trusting your intuition, be that when hiring, designing or making business decisions. Manai-Platt is confidence incarnate—as she says herself, “I never questioned whether I’d succeed. When you’re at the core of what you’re proposing, how can it fail?” It’s this curiosity and confidence that’s taken AHLEM from strength to strength since she launched it in 2014. This story is from Kinfolk Issue Forty-Three Buy Now Related Stories Fashion Issue 45 Wildest Dream The case for camouflage. Design Fashion Issue 45 Lisa Yamai Snow Peak's president wants you to get out more. Fashion Issue 45 Wet Look When getting ready is half the fun. Fashion Issue 45 Bianca Saunders The future (of menswear) is female. Partnerships Issue 45 Julie Cavil Five questions for Krug’s cellar master. Partnerships Issue 45 Nina Compton The New Orleans chef sings the virtues of simplicity.
