Tabban Soleimani is a multidisciplinary artist and designer based in Toronto. Her vibrant, playful, and deliciously funky visual fingerprint has touched every medium — from silk scarves to Nike(ish) socks, skateboards to Air Force 1s, lapel pins to human-sized canvases. She’s created a set of inner-child-healing flower stools for the Art Gallery of Ontario, designed a T-shirt for Nike Toronto, and remixed the Air Max 270 for Nike’s #AirMaxMonday. She also sketches tattoo designs and molds tiny Telfar bags out of clay. Tabban is insanely cool — luckily, she had a few minutes to tell us what she’s been up to.
Name: Tabban (@tabban__)
Age: –
Zodiac Sign: Taurus Sun, Pisces Moon babyyy
Where are you from, and where are you right now?
Born in Iran. Currently working and living in Toronto. Right now I’m at my studio sitting very close to the A/C, lol.
What’s your first memory with streetwear?
I remember my dad taking me to a shop in Iran, before we migrated, and telling me I could pick any pair of sneakers for school. I’m pretty sure I got some white Fila joints. It was one of the first times I remember being like, “I want to look fly for school.” After that, I started to pay attention to footwear.
My interest started to grow more from watching MTV + BET after school and flipping through magazines. Think Eve and Mya in their early 2000’s prime. Looking for Phat Farm shoes and Baby Phat tops at Athletes World (shop that isn’t around anymore) at the mall.
If you had to compress your personal style into one outfit, what would it be?
Let’s say my cartoon ‘fit would be some sort of big cargo pants and little tee. Lots and lots of jewelry, and sneakers that don’t exist yet — a 2030 silhouette. Cozy.
You can only wear three shoes for the rest of your life — what are they?
Black Clark Wallabees
Just purchased a pair of leopard print Nike Air Kukinis, and I’m obsessed
Adidas Samba
Streetwear style icon:
I don’t really have icons, I pull from everywhere. Right now I’m really inspired by London street style and Rihanna, always.
Your last (or favorite) Instagram follow:
I really like what the collective over at Adidem Asteriks* is doing
What’s your biggest creative or career milestone so far? What’s your biggest creative or career goal right now?
Every project has its own milestone in a way, but the one popping into my head right now is from 2020. I was selected to customize my own pair of Air Maxes for a Nike Global campaign, amplifying the ‘Nike By You’ customizer – only three pairs were ever made
What’s your dream collaboration?
Oh man, so many. I’d love my own capsule collection with a brand. I’d love to collaborate with Tierra Whack or Tyler the Creator. Maybe merch, stage visuals, anything tbh.
What are you currently working on?
A silky scarf, which I’m super excited about
When do you feel the most empowered?
When I’m well-rested and grounded in my own energy
What needs to change about the current streetwear landscape, to make it more inclusive?
Embrace a more authentic understanding of what representation actually looks like
Celebrate female designers + doers behind the scenes
Inclusive sizing for every drop, not just women’s releases
What woman in streetwear/sneaker history would you like to see get her flowers?
Julia Lebosse, founder of Sneakers by Women on IG. She puts so much of her heart into that page. I’m always learning something new.
I love her!