Meet the Maker: Imteyaz🇳🇵

Mexicali owners Kim and Pete first met Imteyaz at his original location on the main drag of Thamelin the touristic center of Kathmandu in 2005. Picture a bustling scene that looks more like a Shakedown Street outside of a Grateful Dead show than a conventional cityscape. Imteyaz' beaming smile peered out from a small shop jam packed with colorful clothing reminiscent of Sunshine Daydreams. Since, Imteyaz has moved onto a much larger shop but her still has a fair few Steal Your Face Patches and Dancing Bear designs leftover, evidence of the "Hippie Trail" of yesteryear that put Kathmandu's counterculture on the map. It's fitting that we found each other, Imteyaz' designs perfectly complement a hippie store named after a Grateful Dead song such as Mexicali Blues.

Once we came to know Imteyaz, we really came to love him and his infectious energy! While he's a big guy, he's soft-spoken with a melodious voice, and an incredible laugh, the kind you can't help but join in on. Creative and passionate about his textile art, Imteyaz is also an amazing listener and applies that to crafting unique fashion with Mexicali customers in mind. Every trip to Nepal we craft samples together, and after so many sessions of bouncing ideas off of one another he has a keen understanding of what our customers are looking for. Our designs often align and he will tweak them and improve upon them, creating the perfect item we didn't realize we had been wishing for! 

In one of life's symbolic circles Imteyaz is now working with his daughter Nadya, just as Kim and Pete are working with their daughter Carly and their son Chauncey. It's so special to develop a deep connection with someone and then to pass that off to the next generation, and it's these connections that make buying for Mexicali Blues a labor of love. 

Imteyaz employees and empowers 78 employees, most of whom are makers in his factory. Something unrelated to work specifically, but which we really admire about Imteyaz, is his dedication to his family and community. The closest mosque is miles away, so he created a prayer room in the back of his shop where locals can come to pray throughout the day. At first we were so confused by all the people who were walking in and out of the shop but not stopping to look at any clothing! When Imteyaz told us what they were doing, we couldn't help but be impressed at how he was using part of his shop-space to help others. Not only is he one of our favorite clothing creators due to his amazing design skills, but he is someone we are proud to call a friend!