The Leviathan is Here, and Her Name is Laila Chaaban.

by Alejandro Murillo

Laila Chaaban

Capicúa, just one block from the Malecon, has arrived as one of the trendiest new design stores in Havana. The owner, Laila Chaaban, who recently graduated from Havana’s Instituto Superior de Diseño (ISDi), sat down with EEAbroad to talk about the psychology of zero waste fashion, the eclecticism that is Cuba, entrepreneurship in the Cuban context, and her reverence for the designs of traditional cultures. 

Is it true that you don't use zippers or buttons? Tell me about zero waste fashion. 

I constantly find inspiration in the lack of resources in Cuba to find original solutions to make unique designs that are totally different than what you’ve seen before. To be able to work with quality fabric I have to personally bring it in my own luggage from the US. Since I go through so much trouble to get my textiles, it’s painful to throw away the scraps. This inspired me to start producing zero waste clothing. Keep in mind, today the fashion industry throws away 15-20% of the raw materials in the production of clothing. Now I’ve developed ways of cutting the fabric so there is no waste.

In terms of buttons, there are only 4 types available in Cuba. They are all of low quality and it doesn’t make sense to use an ugly button. Also, zippers and buttons are the most fragile parts of a garment. Oftentimes when buttons fall off and zippers break, you stop wearing the garment.

Instead, I utilize a system of knots to fasten the clothing to one’s body. One thousand years ago, all clothing was made this way. Bedouins pants and Egyptian clothing were adjustable; Indian saris and Andean shawls are still adjustable. My pieces are also designed so that you can play with the size because in your normal life, you gain and lose at least a little bit of weight several times in most months. There are times that you stop wearing something because it doesn't fit anymore. By eliminating buttons and zippers, the clothing acquires a much longer life, practically indestructible. 

Utilizing zippers and the rise of fast fashion has been very abrupt without considering the consequences. The fashion industry is the fifth largest producer of CO2 and the second worst polluter of water. This is because both the way clothes are made and the quantity of clothes produced in the world.

All my pieces are one-of-a-kind. When someone buys my clothing, I don't want it to be just because they like it, but because it makes an emotional connection. If it has a story, if you identify with it, if it's you, you will never throw it away. One will consume less if what they have fulfills them.

Sustainability is not only how you produce, it's also about what you produce that creates a mindset within the consumer. I aim to create an emotional relationship between the consumer and my product. - Laila Chaaban

Do you plan to open a second location?

In Cuba, an entrepreneur is not allowed to open more than one store. But in today’s world, it doesn’t make sense to have a physical store. What's important is an online store. My aspiration is to produce in Cuba and sell internationally. This would be ideal. My business would depend on international e-commerce and not on tourism or the latest travel and trade restrictions implemented by the Trump administration.

Currently, my online presence only consists of Instagram, which cannot be used for e-commerce. Due to the US trade restrictions, Instagram would shut down my account if I announced that I’m going to start selling clothes from Cuba. 

Selling my products from Spain could be an option since I am a Spanish citizen. Currently, however, there is no legal mechanism for Cuban entrepreneurs to export their products abroad. It’s very frustrating. So I’m still investigating ways to be able to accomplish my goal.

What’s it like to be a female entrepreneur in Cuba today?

Curiously, almost all entrepreneurs in Cuba are women. I’m referring to entrepreneurs in creative businesses like design. When I go to meetings of entrepreneurs, almost all of them are women. It's one of the weirdest things happening in Cuba. It seems like some social experiment. Maybe this drive arises from the fact that we have less resources in general or we are driven to provide for our families. I have no idea why it is but there is definitely something interesting happening there.

What does Capicúa mean? 

Cap means head and Cua means tail. It’s a Catalan word, of Celtic origins, which refers to words and numbers that read the same backward as forward - palindromes. I like mythology a lot so for my logo I chose to use an ouroboro - a snake eating its own tail. It symbolizes the relationship between life and death, day and night, and eternal rebirth. Instead of a snake, my ouroboro is a Leviathan - a biblical sea monster from Phonecian mythology.

My brand consists of a Celtic word and a Phonecian image. Both are maritime cultures. I like this because it has a lot in common with Cuba. Who are Cubans? Navigators on an island floating in the middle of nowhere, continuing the tradition of sailors and the ocean. 

It’s an eclectic mix. I took a little bit from everywhere. Then again, that is Cuba. The mix of so many things. Africa with Europe with China with wherever we came from. Our genetic and cultural descent is a mix from everywhere. A culture made from other cultures.

Is there a fashionista or designer that you admire more than most?

Uff, so many! Jil Sander, a US designer with an ultra minimalist style. I really like her designs! It bothers me to look at her pieces because I wish I had come up with them myself.

But what I most admire is the human capacity to make clothing across history. You can go to different places and see ways of dressing that are completely different. For example, the Japanese kimono is totally zero waste fashion. It’s very clever. That creativity across thousands of years, it's not just creative, it's also intelligent.