Her Story
About Irum
Iram Malik has built a career spanning 18 years in fashion design. She earned an associate degree followed by a Bachelor's of Fine Arts from FIT in 2007, with a specialization in evening wear. Her professional journey includes serving as design director at Alpine for four and a half years, where she managed design and consultation for the Walmart George brand and other major labels, representing the company globally. She now runs Ollie Design Studio, LLC, which she established as a DBA in 2012, and currently holds a contract freelance position with High Life manufacturing company. In this role, she strategizes e-commerce product placement for Reebok and One brands across men's, women's, kids, and infant-toddler lines for Walmart, collaborating with merchandisers and design teams to align in-store and online offerings based on customer feedback and sales data.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Irum
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my children first, myself for working hard, my family, and my friends. I recognize that I put in the effort and dedication over the years.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Always keep learning and never say you know everything. Stay humble and be ready to do anything and everything to help.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be patient, keep going, and keep working hard. It's very hard work in the beginning, but it pays off in the end.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges are the limited number of positions available, especially executive roles, and the need to be in specific geographic areas like the tri-state area, New York, LA, or Dallas. There's intense competition and interviews. Additionally, lack of flexibility for women during pregnancy and family planning is a major issue, as companies often don't accommodate medical leave or remote work post-pandemic.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Valuing yourself as a worker and employee is the biggest one. Education, knowledge, common sense, and experiences - both professional and personal - are also highly important.
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