Spotlight: “Seeing how confident TheVinTea makes other girls feel makes me so proud.”
Since January 2023, TheVinTea’s t-shirts have become a classic in wardrobes across both girls in the region and the diaspora. Founder Thurayya Abu Faza talks to Nada Naya Nemer about the sought-after brand.
Doubling as a psychology student at CalState University in LA and founder of TheVinTea, Thurayya Abu Faza is paving the way for young female streetwear designers in the region. Launched only in January 2023,TheVinTea’s effortless and distinct, t-shirts are becoming a staple in Arab girls’ wardrobes across the globe. Born in Jordan to Palestinian parents, Faza established the brand to use fashion to talk about and support causes she cares about. “I knew that I wanted to start a clothing brand, but it had to be something that I was passionate about, so the first collection is all about Palestine.”
The brand is definitely for the girls – the Gen Z girls. Girls, who like Faza herself, grew up loving fashion because of Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place. TheVinTea’s shirts all provide a figure-hugging silhouette, and an effortless LA meets Scandi-girl coolness pinned to countless mood boards on Pinterest and TikTok. The brand knows its place in the market and the trends that their customers are after; rhinestones featured in the ‘Dump Him’ t-shirt are reminiscent of the noughties, a trend that has surfaced over the past few months, and the shirts provide a Skims-esque fit. “I wanted to make something I can wear every day, not something traditional. It had to feel different, younger and cooler.”
Promotional photo used for TheVinTea Instagram, featuring the ‘Soup Tee’ that Thurayya Abu Faza designed with her friend, 2023. Image courtesy of Instagram @thevintea.
Most importantly, TheVinTea is about pride and confidence. The brand is subtle in their designs, yet they speak volumes in reclaiming identity for Arab and Palestinian girls. As a result, girls in the region can firmly establish their place in fashion, wearing something trendy yet homegrown. Belonging and community are a biproduct of TheVinTea. Despite some backlash over the Dump Him tee (a minority considered it as creating a ‘division’ between communities) the brand is quickly becoming a cult favourite for Arab girls globally. “I think what differentiates me as a brand is that I genuinely want a relationship with my customer,” she explains, “I’m always replying to DMs, so when someone tells me that they don’t like something, I do care.” So far, the brand has restocked the t-shirts several times to accommodate the demand.
Faza’s attention to detail and relationship with her customers seems to be her secret to success, allowing her to create and grow alongside a community of likeminded, fashionable individuals she wants to build. Making mistakes has been crucial to the process, with each drop getting closer to the perfect tee. After receiving an initial sample of cropped shirts, the founder spoke to her businesswoman mum for advice. “She asked me: if you were in Jordan would you wear your own shirt? I was like, yes, she’s right. It’s not even about being more conservative, just that crop tops aren’t for everyone, and I want to build a brand that’s accessible.”
The ‘Dump Him Tee’, 2023. Image courtesy of Instagram @thevintea.
“My mum is a major creative and a businesswoman,” says Faza, “She’s had this company called Hands since before I was born to help women in Jordan to sell their crafts.” Hands was set up by Hanan Hallaq to provide a platform for women to advertise and sell handmade crafts. Across various countries in the region, including Lebanon and Egypt, Hands hold four annual bazaars for three days in locations such as The Ritz and The Four Seasons, as well as operating from their concept store. It’s no surprise then, that Thurayya Abu Faza herself is working on projects that are equal parts creative and business-led. “I’ve never seen anyone like my mum, she’s definitely where I get my work ethic from. I was always inspired to hustle like her because she’s a really hard working woman.”
Faza’s hustle started as a vintage consignment Instagram account under the name of ‘TheVinTea’. After receiving her first vintage designer bag as a graduation gift, the founder set up the account, resulting in her first business venture. After deciding that the consignment business wasn’t for her – due to its risky nature and the fact that it didn’t represent her and her developing interests – TheVinTea account was abandoned for four years. “When I was in London, I kept seeing all these fashionable girls and I said to myself I need to do something creative before I graduate university, and that’s how it all started again.”
Inspired by the aesthetics and attitudes of LA-based brands such as Madhappy and Cherry Los Angeles, the relaunch of TheVinTea saw adopted a very relaxed yet active approach with its advertisement on social media. “At first with the consignment business I was trying too hard. I’d take pictures and edit the background to make sure it was super clean and white. When I moved to LA, I noticed that everyone was super relaxed – no one really cares what anyone else is doing. My dad told me I need to take more professional pictures and I literally said to him: you just don’t get it,” she jokes.
Promotional image used for Instagram featuring founder Thurayya Abu Faza wearing the ‘Dump Him Tee’, 2024. Image courtesy of Instagram @thevintea.
Now, Faza hopes to grow the brand. “Something about me is that I really like to take my time. I have so many designs that I could have released by now, but I want to make sure that I’m always putting out something that’s better than before.” Expanding the collection into other garments such as knitwear is a current aspiration for her, whilst still making sure to spotlight causes she is passionate about. Faza notes that in future drops she wants to talk about mental health, donating to charities that support this cause - for past collections she has supported charities such as The Spafford Children’s Centre in East Jerusalem. “Launching the brand has been the greatest experience of my life, I treat it like it’s my baby. Just seeing how confident it makes other girls and how they feel more comfortable representing their identity whilst feeling safe, whether it’s at school or at a protest, makes me so proud.”