Visit Walya at Zarifa’s Collection, located opposite ALDI; and find that unique outfit that will have you looking and feeling fabulous.
Say “hello’ to Walya from Zarifa’s Collection, your local stylist who’s got your next outfit already sorted.
For those of you who may not know, Zarifa is Walya’s mum and she is the owner of the business, having started Zarifa’s Collection in Melbourne in the early 90s. Walya has worked for the family business from a young age, being heavily involved in the buying process and selecting key seasonal pieces influencing the brand’s style. As the business grew, she led its expansion and when the store opened at CS Square in 2008, she transitioned into a full-time role and now manages a number of stores including in Keilor and South Melbourne.
Walya’s passion for fashion was fostered from a young age. “When I was eight, I started to design and sell my own t-shirts and I was always a very expressive person, changing my outfit based on my mood and how I was feeling”, she exclaimed. Fashion is a form of expression and every individual is different in their taste and style, and it’s this idea of personalising a look to each customer that Walya loves most about her role. “I love having personable conversations with my customers and being able to assist them in building their confidence and being part of their events and supporting them through body transformations”.
Before its expansion, Walya worked part time at Zarifa’s Collection and full-time across various roles in the business world including marketing and law but something was missing. “When I was a Marketing Manager, I was always in corporate attire. Although I enjoyed my job, being such an expressive person, I wanted to have more freedom over my own style, so as I led the expansion of the family business, I made the decision to work as a stylist full time so I could have the opportunity to channel my passion and help other women find their style and feel confident”.
Zarifa’s Collection is a women’s fashion boutique catering for sizes six through to 22. They stock unique pieces and quality brands that are designed and made all over the world including Australia, Turkey and Italy. “What makes our boutique so different is that we find pieces that are unique and we also have exclusivity with a lot of our international labels such as Kompanero and Ministry Of Style, so you don’t have to worry about turning up to an event with someone else wearing your outfit”.
When Walya isn’t busy styling people at one of her stores, she’s either doing a bit of DIY on her own outfits, making alterations and changing their style; or restoring and building furniture – a different kind of styling you could say.
So the next time you’re out at CS Square and are in need of an outfit for an upcoming event, visit Walya at Zarifa’s Collection, located opposite ALDI; and find that unique outfit that will have you looking and feeling fabulous.