If you ever wondered if there are still gentlemen in town here are some guys from Iraq and their fine-tailoring club Mr. Erbil.
A group of bearded hipsters are revolutionizing the way fashion - and Iraq - are seen. Mr. Erbil, founded in 2016, is a gentleman’s club that is boosting the economy and the inclusivity in the old capital of the Kurdish region of northern Iraq.
Through tailored fashion and Iraqi tradition, ties, suits and shoes are matched with perfect photos and a bit of narcissism.
Mr Erbil is bringing new followers with it, 91,000 Instagrammers that probably didn’t even know about a tailoring culture in the remote and often misunderstood Iraq.
“Iraq, unfortunately, is a country which always has been at war! It is rarely stable and settled. Wars need financing and countries at war spend huge amounts. For this, their infrastructure and economy fall or sometimes is destroyed,” says Benjamin Yalda co-founder of Mr.Erbil and fashion influencer.
“However, Iraq especially Kurdistan region is growing and getting better gradually. But still, everything published and shown on media is not 100% correct,” he says.
The Gentlemen’s Club was founded in February 2016 by a group of Yalda and his colleagues, and is now composed of 16 members. The oldest one is 33 years old and the youngest one 23.
Yalda and the other members travel the world, from Milan to Florence’s Pitti Uomo menswear fair, sourcing new garments and high-quality designs. Mr. Erbil, though, is different from any other club, in that it promotes international understanding as well as clothes.
“In the last 15 years, direct contact between Kurdistan region people and western people was more than ever before. This led to more recognition of each other's culture and exchange between them,” says Yalda.
In addition, the brand also advocates for women’s rights and sustainable fashion.
“I personally have always looked at the ties we produce at Mr. Erbil as a mix of Eastern and Western cultures,” says Yalda.
“A tie is a western elegance accessory, but the local handmade fabric we use in producing it is the same fabric used for Assyrians and Kurdish traditional clothes! For me, this is the best example of culture mix.”
The club is going to include also a barber, tailor and a barista to amplify the experience but that’s not all.
Mr. Erbil brought culture to another level even during the dark times of ISIS. “We as a part of this society no doubt would have been suffered in their hands a lot, if they were to reach us. And of course in their targeting, they would have been prioritizing the icons and role models of this society, including Mr. Erbil,” says Yalda.
Fashion enthusiast Annachiara Naddeo follows Mr.Erbil from a couple of years, “I would have never guessed that they were from Iraq but now I have a different opinion about it, Iraq must be different,” says Naddeo, 22, hotel receptionist.
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