Building, Rebuilding, and Launching a Fashion Brand
I joined the project in October 2024 after being recommended by previous clients. At that stage, the founders were looking for a creative partner to build the brand foundations for a new womenswear label originally named Thousand&One.
My initial scope was branding. Shortly after delivering the first phase, I was invited to join full-time as Creative Director and support the full launch of the brand- from strategy to execution.
Over the following year, the project went through multiple structural shifts: a naming restart, a market pivot, and a launch executed with very limited resources. My role evolved accordingly.
Phase I - Brand Foundation (Thousand&One)
I began by designing the complete brand system for Thousand&One, including: visual identity, typography and symbols, tone of voice, content and communication strategy.
The goal was to create a restrained, culturally grounded fashion brand built around calm, presence, and materiality rather than trend-driven noise. The project was accepted and ready to move into execution.
Phase II - Naming Crisis & Rebrand (Thousand&One → Tenoone)
During trademark registration, it turned out the name Thousand&One was already registered. This forced the brand back to the starting point at a critical moment. The challenge was to find a new name and protect the brand equity already created. The founders wanted to preserve the visual identity. I led the transition to Tenoone:
maintaining the symbolic and illustrative language; adapting typography from a wordmark-based system to a shorter, stronger name; ensuring continuity rather than restarting visually.
Once the new identity was approved, the trademark for Tenoone was successfully registered. This phase required speed, restraint and strategic compromise.
Logotype (Trademark registered):
Packaging assets:
Clothing label, care labels & clothing tags:
Phase III - Market Pivot: US → GCC
The original launch strategy focused on the US market, with long-term expansion into Europe.
Due to regulatory complexity and cost considerations, the founders later decided to pivot and launch first in the GCC region. This decision was founder-led. My role was to adapt quickly.
Due to regulatory complexity and cost considerations, the founders later decided to pivot and launch first in the GCC region. This decision was founder-led. My role was to adapt quickly.
I rebuilt the strategic foundation: market and trend research, competitor analysis, customer personas, creative strategy and positioning, updated mood-boards and styling direction. The shift required rethinking the target customer and visual expression while keeping the brand’s core identity intact.
Phase IV - From Strategy to Reality: Launch With Limited Resources
Early discussions included a significantly higher marketing and production budget. By the time of launch, the available budget for creative production was reduced to approximately 10,000 AED.
This required a fundamental change in execution, in method.
Campaign & Production
With this budget, I produced the main launch photoshoot in a countryside location; executed art direction, photography, and post-production myself; organized models, makeup, hair, assistant support, and logistics; used my own professional photography equipment and software; delivered aprox.30 final campaign images.
Additional assets included:
Founder portraits shot in a café setting; AI-generated campaign visuals, still lifes, and backgrounds.
AI wasn't used as a shortcut, but as a strategic creative tool. The only way to visualize the brand’s intended communication level under the constraints.
AI wasn't used as a shortcut, but as a strategic creative tool. The only way to visualize the brand’s intended communication level under the constraints.
Creative direction, Production + Photography
Product packshots (photography + prompt + editing)
Art direction, Photography, GenAI + Editing
E-commerce Website
Alongside campaign production, I designed the entire Tenoone e-commerce website:
UX and UI structure; visual system and layouts; content hierarchy and brand expression.
The site was later coded by external developers, but the creative and functional design was fully my responsibility. The objective was to ensure that, regardless of budget limitations, the digital experience felt premium, calm and coherent.
Website design - 1. Functionality
Desktop view - Navigation
Mobile view - Navigation
Landing page (Desktop view):
Landing page (Mobile view):
Explore page (Desktop view):
Explore page (Mobile view):
Execution Reality
The brand officially launched on October 3rd, 2025. At launch: paid marketing spend was minimal; growth was primarily organic; I managed social media alongside creative responsibilities.
Despite constraints, the brand established: a consistent visual language; a clear narrative and positioning; a functional digital infrastructure ready for future scaling. The foundations were built correctly. Even if growth was intentionally slow.
Storytelling video content for social media “Founder Vision Call”
Scripts:
Scripts:
1.Leyla & Bibigul Call:
Leyla: Have you noticed how everyone’s running after trends again?
Bibigul: Yes. But what we’re doing with Tenoone isn’t about chasing—it’s about remembering.
Leyla: Exactly. Our pieces aren’t loud. They whisper. They carry something from home, something from us.
Bibigul: I want people to feel that silence has power.
Leyla: That’s why we chose black. It’s not absence. It’s presence.
Bibigul: Yes. But what we’re doing with Tenoone isn’t about chasing—it’s about remembering.
Leyla: Exactly. Our pieces aren’t loud. They whisper. They carry something from home, something from us.
Bibigul: I want people to feel that silence has power.
Leyla: That’s why we chose black. It’s not absence. It’s presence.
2. Creative Direction Call:
Leyla: Zuza, when you designed this campaign… what was the one word you kept in mind?
Zuza: Restraint. Power that doesn’t need to prove itself.
Leyla: That’s Tenoone. Silent strength.
Zuza: Yes. The woman who wears it doesn’t need anyone to notice her. But they do anyway.
Leyla: We should let people hear this. The tone. The intention.
Zuza: We already are. Through the clothes.
Zuza: Restraint. Power that doesn’t need to prove itself.
Leyla: That’s Tenoone. Silent strength.
Zuza: Yes. The woman who wears it doesn’t need anyone to notice her. But they do anyway.
Leyla: We should let people hear this. The tone. The intention.
Zuza: We already are. Through the clothes.
3. Candid Team Call:
Leyla: Hey, did you see the new silk sample?
Zuza: Yes, and I’m officially obsessed. It’s giving “boardroom meets Marrakech.”
Leyla: (laughs) That’s exactly what I wanted. Strength with soul.
Zuza: We should make this part of the video script. Like... “When minimalism meets meaning.”
Leyla: Done. And let’s record this call. It already sounds like a campaign.
Zuza: Yes, and I’m officially obsessed. It’s giving “boardroom meets Marrakech.”
Leyla: (laughs) That’s exactly what I wanted. Strength with soul.
Zuza: We should make this part of the video script. Like... “When minimalism meets meaning.”
Leyla: Done. And let’s record this call. It already sounds like a campaign.
4. The Budget Call (Start-up energy, irony):
Leyla: How’s the budget?
Zuza: (laughs) What budget?
Bibigul: We spent it on coffee, silk, and emotional damage.
Leyla: That’s okay. That’s how Chanel started. Probably.
Zuza: (laughs) What budget?
Bibigul: We spent it on coffee, silk, and emotional damage.
Leyla: That’s okay. That’s how Chanel started. Probably.
6. The Launch Panic:
Leyla: The site is live.
Zuza: Wait. Live... live?
Leyla: Yes. Like people can buy now.
Zuza: Okay, breathe. I need to post something mysterious immediately.
Zuza: Wait. Live... live?
Leyla: Yes. Like people can buy now.
Zuza: Okay, breathe. I need to post something mysterious immediately.
7. Creative Direction Chaos:
Zuza: I want it to look like "if Margiela met a sandstorm".
Leyla: …So beige?
Zuza: No. Conceptually beige. Emotionally black.
Bibigul: That’s not a color, that’s trauma.
Leyla: …So beige?
Zuza: No. Conceptually beige. Emotionally black.
Bibigul: That’s not a color, that’s trauma.
8. The Photoshoot:
Zuza: The model’s late.
Leyla: Okay, we’ll shoot me again.
Zuza: You said that last time and we ended up with a campaign called "accidental self-portrait".
Leyla: And it did numbers.
Zuza: Yeah, because you were holding a croissant and crying.
Leyla: Okay, we’ll shoot me again.
Zuza: You said that last time and we ended up with a campaign called "accidental self-portrait".
Leyla: And it did numbers.
Zuza: Yeah, because you were holding a croissant and crying.
9. The Budget Situation:
Bibigul: We need more budget for the shoot.
Leyla: We are the budget.
Zuza: If we sell one hoodie, we can afford lunch.
Leyla: Perfect. Starving, but make it fashion.
Leyla: We are the budget.
Zuza: If we sell one hoodie, we can afford lunch.
Leyla: Perfect. Starving, but make it fashion.
10. The Group Chat:
Leyla: Someone left a review saying "I wore it once, my ex texted me."
Zuza: Should we put that on the website?
Bibigul: That’s better than Vogue.
Leyla: Yeah, let’s call it "Results may vary."
Zuza: Should we put that on the website?
Bibigul: That’s better than Vogue.
Leyla: Yeah, let’s call it "Results may vary."
11. Naming Fey Cap
Bibigul: Why is it called Fey, again?
Leyla: Because it survived five sampling rounds and still believes in magic.
Zuza: It’s a cap with main character energy.
Leyla: We should write that in the product description.
Leyla: Because it survived five sampling rounds and still believes in magic.
Zuza: It’s a cap with main character energy.
Leyla: We should write that in the product description.
12. Candid BTS:
Zuza: Did you see the new sample?
Leyla: Yes. I tried it on. I think it fixed my posture.
Zuza: Good. For that price, it should fix my life.
Leyla: Yes. I tried it on. I think it fixed my posture.
Zuza: Good. For that price, it should fix my life.
13. The Delayed Delivery
Leyla: They said the shipment’s delayed again.
Zuza: Perfect. The suspense adds value.
Bibigul: At this rate, it’s Couture.
Leyla: Let’s call it "limited availability".
Zuza: Perfect. The suspense adds value.
Bibigul: At this rate, it’s Couture.
Leyla: Let’s call it "limited availability".
14. The Review Gone Viral (Follow-up to "I wore it once…" - expanding the brand myth)
Bibigul: Someone commented, "I wore it once, my ex apologized."
Leyla: Wait. Should we make that a campaign?
Zuza: Yes. "Tenoone: proven to cause emotional accountability."
Leyla: Wait. Should we make that a campaign?
Zuza: Yes. "Tenoone: proven to cause emotional accountability."
15. The Cinematic Investor Call
Investor: What makes your brand different?
Leyla: We don’t sell trends. We sell identity.
Investor: And your customer?
Zuza: She already knows who she is. She just needed the wardrobe to match.
Leyla: We don’t sell trends. We sell identity.
Investor: And your customer?
Zuza: She already knows who she is. She just needed the wardrobe to match.
16. The Rebrand Panic (Existential founder chat: funny, relatable, painfully accurate):
Leyla: Do you ever feel like the brand is smarter than us?
Zuza: Completely. It has a clearer aesthetic than my emotional state.
Bibigul: Same. I dress for meetings with my own company now.
Leyla: I speak in taglines when I’m nervous.
Zuza: I made a moodboard for my breakdown.
Bibigul: At least the breakdown has a consistent color palette.
Zuza: Completely. It has a clearer aesthetic than my emotional state.
Bibigul: Same. I dress for meetings with my own company now.
Leyla: I speak in taglines when I’m nervous.
Zuza: I made a moodboard for my breakdown.
Bibigul: At least the breakdown has a consistent color palette.
17. The Dry Humor Version "Creative Disagreement in C Minor":
Zuza: This black feels too cold.
Leyla: It’s literally black.
Zuza: Yes, but emotionally it’s giving "corporate".
Leyla: So what do you want?
Zuza: A black that could cry, but never would.
Leyla: I’ll call the factory.
Leyla: It’s literally black.
Zuza: Yes, but emotionally it’s giving "corporate".
Leyla: So what do you want?
Zuza: A black that could cry, but never would.
Leyla: I’ll call the factory.
What This Project Taught Me
This experience clarified several things about my work as a Creative Director. I am capable of operating as a one-person creative system across strategy, design, production, and execution. Strong branding can be built under pressure, but scaling requires investment and alignment beyond creativity. I work best when creative ambition and operational reality are aligned early and transparently. Most importantly, this project showed me the full lifecycle of a fashion brand as a real business with real constraints.
