Fashion lovers should take note of an exciting new brand that emerged on the scene less than one month ago. Mataano (which means “twin” in Somali) is a women’s wear collection founded by Somali-American identical twins Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim. The young sisters moved to New York City in 2003 with dreams of making it in the fast-paced world of fashion, and just a few years later their vision is being realized. The dynamic duo recently appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” via Skype in October to get advice from twin titans Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen during a segment called Young Millionaire Moguls. With attention from the likes of Oprah this early in their career, it will only be a matter of time before these design darlings are catapulted to fame. Stars like supermodel Liya Kebede and actress Thandie Newton have already been spotted in pieces from the Mataano collection.
The eager entrepreneurs shared with ESSENCE.com that they love to travel, can’t get enough of Beyoncé and Rihanna’s style and make clothes for women who want to be noticed. “Mataano’s goal is to provide women with simple, stylish and versatile fashion that will complement any accessory and personality,” says Idyl. Check out their colorful spring 2009 collection at mataano.com.