Every fashion lover will tell you, Italy is the fashion capital of the world. And it’s definitely the place one of today’s most notable fashion influencers hails from. Melika Najafizadeh is the founder and owner of L’Akilem luxury menswear brand, founded in Milan, Italy. Currently heading an Instagram following of over 1 million people, L’Akilem is more than just elegant menswear. It’s a fashion brand that blends together concepts of elegance and couture with personal values, such as freedom and personal expression. Melika combines these two things to create an online presence that is powerful and unique and provides a critically needed something in the fashion world of today.
Ever since she was a little girl, Melika was serious about fashion. She enrolled in the prestigious Istituto Marangoni, one of Italy’s greatest learning centers for everything fashion-related, and graduated at the top of her class. But for Melika, it’s not just about knowing a good look when you see one. Running her million-follower business has also been about gathering around herself a powerful team of creatives, and people with vision to help propel her along, and support her in her mission. Moreover, it’s been about learning the social media trade, and knowing how to use it to your advantage.
Most of all, for Melika, her job is about staying true to herself. As a deeply spiritual and religious person, Melika has always sought to imbibe her work with a deeper meaning. In her personal life, as in her professional one, Melika seeks the common vibes that bring us together. So far, L’Akilem has never been solely about fashion, but also about freedom of expression. It’s about being you.
In that sense, Melika admits to having been tremendously lucky.
“My career is my personal life too! I’m so lucky that I’m living my dream, and my work is actually my passion, and I can’t wait in the morning (even on weekends) to wake up and live it!”
For Melika, the future of L’Akilem is looking bright. She hopes that in the near future, she might grow her business internationally, but also wants to focus on giving back. One thing she’d like to see more of in L’Akilem and the rest of her professional life is young creators and designers. Helping other creatives, and empowering women creators are two lifelong goals for Melika that she hopes to achieve with L’Akilem.
Asked what advice she would give young people who dream of following their passion, and getting into the business, Melika says:
“Everything you believe affects what comes to you, and in order to receive it you must believe you deserve it. Don’t give up and never lose hope, create opportunities and everything comes your way when the timing is right.”
A deceptively simple piece of advice, it comes from someone who knows the true weight of following your passion through thick and thin. For Melika, moving forward hasn’t always been the easiest, but as long as she was moving forward, she says, she knew she was doing it right.
