“Golnar Ahmadian’s Vision: Embracing Seasonless Elegance with Golshaah”

Twice nominated for a CAFA (Canadian Arts and Fashion Award) showcasing up-and-coming talent in fashion design, Golnar Ahmadian, the sole visionary and founder of Golshaah, a lifestyle label based in Toronto, is merely beginning her journey.

With a previous background in architecture, Ahmadian initially believed she would pursue a career in interior design. Originating from Iran, she relocated to Canada nearly six years ago, where she attended fashion studies at George Brown College. To cultivate her artistic expression during her education, she engaged in experimental endeavors such as styling and even launched a successful accessories line called Lo’bat, which produces jewellery from recycled materials. Lo’bat expanded quickly, prompting her to explore further pathways for her creative ambitions, ultimately leading to the inception of Golshaah.

As a lifestyle label without a restrictive focus, Golshaah diversifies into fashion and homeware, undertaking ventures that genuinely exemplify Ahmadian’s vision. The initial Golshaah collection consisted of knitwear, born from a desire to experiment with yarns. “From that point, the brand evolved to encompass timeless, seasonless, always wearable items. There was a period when I struggled to find pieces that resonated with me, or if I did, they were scarce, so I resolved to create my own collections,” she remarks. Her architectural studies facilitated her understanding of shapes and their combinations, rendering garment construction a natural calling.

The essence of the brand centers around culture and identity. “Having been born and raised in Iran, where hijabs and scarves are integral to the daily laws I had to navigate, this reality is reflected in my creations,” she states. “While I lived there, I had to layer creatively while making it stylish. Across the collections, many silhouettes, details, and layering techniques persist, even in a spring/summer collection, which bring this concept to fruition. In fact, numerous silhouettes are designed as single pieces but create the illusion of multiple layers.”

Despite its accolades and expansion, Golshaah remains committed to its core values. “I don’t engage in projects based on fleeting trends; instead, we intentionally weave ourselves into all aspects of our work,” she shares. “That’s why I prefer to label Golshaah a lifestyle brand. Even amidst different collections, there is a consistent language.” She notes that whether it’s a piece of knitwear or a homeware item, there is cohesiveness throughout each creation, yielding something distinctly Golshaah.