ONE37pm: Hi Shahroz! It’s great meeting you! Could you first start by talking about your journey and background in fashion leading up to this point?
Shahroz: Since I was young, I’ve always been into anything creative. I’ve always found ways to express myself and my feelings, whether through creating art, music, or fashion. I remember one moment when I was getting ready for my best friend’s wedding, and I was in a period in life where I was breaking away from the norms of what is expected to be worn. At the time, I was transitioning from wearing watches, collared shirts with ties, and other clothing that didn’t express how I felt. There’s an art to walking in a room and making a statement without being too loud. There are all these expectations about what you can and can’t wear in certain situations. I was looking for a way to expand what’s possible.
When I started to look for something that captured what I wanted, I couldn’t find it. I’ve seen collars from cultures around the world that you could wear without a tie, but were still considered prestigious or professional. I searched for weeks and was able to find one mandarin collar, button down shirt that I planned to wear with my suit and found other accessories to make my outfit pop. The shirt wasn’t perfect, but it helped me stand out in a subtle way.
That outfit represented a fusion of the east and the west and the combination was well received. As a musician, I set out to make music to create something that I could listen to and relate to. In my music journey, I found that anything I wanted to do, I was able to accomplish. It just felt like a natural progression for me to apply what I had learned and expressed in my music, and apply it to fashion.