GR London/Paris: Gotal Ryam

The Designer Refusing to Follow the Fashion Crowd
From IT professional to independent fashion visionary, Gotal is creating a label built on craftsmanship, individuality and the power of human creativity.

​SøEdited Team
Article: Kellie Neilson
SøEditor-in-Chief: Chris Saint Sims 
​SøFashion Director: Savannah Barthorpe

In a fashion world moving at a relentless pace, where trends are born, amplified and forgotten within a matter of weeks,  Gotal is choosing another path.

The London and Paris-based designer is not interested in chasing the algorithm. Her collections are not created for a fleeting moment online, nor designed around the demands of constant consumption. Instead, they are shaped by memory, observation and a fascination with the details that make clothing meaningful: the cut of a sleeve, the weight of a fabric, the story behind a garment.

Her work occupies a space between past and future where contemporary silhouettes are informed by traditional craftsmanship and modern ideas grounded in a respect for how clothes are made.

“I want people to feel something when they wear my pieces,” she says. “A garment should become part of someone’s story.”

A Fashion Destiny Discovered Later in Life
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Gotal’s journey into fashion was not a conventional one.
Before becoming a designer, she worked in IT. A world defined by systems, logic and technology rather than textiles and ateliers. Yet her relationship with fashion began long before she entered the industry.

Growing up, she developed an instinctive understanding of clothing. She could recognise designers, identify quality and notice the construction details that often go unseen.

That eye for fashion became impossible to ignore after she moved to London.

“I used to go shopping with my flatmate every weekend,” she recalls. “She would pick up an item and I could usually tell where it came from and roughly how much it cost. One day she said, ‘You should work in fashion.’”

It was a simple comment, but it planted the seed of a new future.

Soon afterwards, Gotal applied to Central Saint Martins, an institution synonymous with some of Britain’s most influential creative voices, and was accepted.

The decision represented more than a career change. It was a return to something that had always been there.

Her appreciation for craftsmanship was also shaped at home. Her mother’s ability in sewing and pattern cutting gave her an early understanding that fashion is both artistic expression and technical discipline.

“Fashion is not only about making something beautiful,” she explains. “It is about understanding the structure behind it.”
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The Art of Emotion Through Clothing
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For Gotal, the most memorable designers are not simply those who create beautiful garments, but those who communicate ideas.

One of her greatest influences is Alexander McQueen, whose ability to combine emotion, storytelling and precision continues to inspire her.

What draws her to McQueen is not only the spectacle, but the intelligence behind the work and the way clothing can become a vehicle for deeper conversations.

“I admire designers who can create something emotional while keeping it clear and powerful,” 

That philosophy is reflected in Gotal’s own collections: considered rather than excessive, expressive rather than obvious.

Building Slowly in an Instant World

Since launching her label in 2016, Gotal has experienced the reality of building an independent fashion brand from the ground up.

The image of overnight success, she believes, rarely reflects the truth.

“Every season is another lesson,” she says. “Every collection teaches you something.”

For independent designers, creativity is only one part of the equation. There are financial pressures, production challenges and the constant work of introducing a new voice to an already crowded industry.

Yet Gotal sees the process as an evolution rather than a race.
Her life between London and Paris has informed that journey. London, in particular, remains a source of inspiration, a city where different cultures, ideas and creative movements collide.

“There is an energy here,” she says. “People come with dreams and ideas. It encourages experimentation.”

But she is also thoughtful about how fashion culture itself is changing.
In an age of social media aesthetics, she believes individuality is sometimes being replaced by belonging.

“People used to be passionate about fashion itself,” she says. “Now sometimes it feels more about being part of a certain identity or community.”

Finding Beauty Beyond the Runway

Unlike designers who look solely to trend reports and fashion calendars, Gotal finds inspiration in the wider world.

Architecture, travel, museums, markets and social change all influence her creative process.

A visit to Bangkok’s floating markets sparked ideas around colour, texture and movement, demonstrating her belief that inspiration exists everywhere.

“It can come from a building, an object or a feeling,”

Her fascination with vintage clothing remains central to her practice. She spends time exploring flea markets and studying garments from previous decades, particularly the 1960s.

“The quality was extraordinary,” she says. “The fabrics, the construction, the attention to detail, there is so much to learn.”

For Gotal, looking backwards is not nostalgia. It is a way of understanding the future.

Fashion After the Algorithm

One of Gotal’s recent collections explored one of the defining questions of contemporary life: the relationship between artificial intelligence and human creativity.

The collection was born from her concerns about speed, technology and emotional connection.

“Everything is becoming faster,” she says. “Sometimes it feels like we are losing depth.”

The result was a collection defined by sharper forms, geometric silhouettes and a sense of tension between the human and the digital.

Although she uses AI tools where they can support the technical side of her work, she remains committed to the instinctive process of design.

“I still sketch everything by hand. That is where the ideas begin.”

For Gotal, technology can enhance creativity, but it cannot replace intuition.

Clothing as a Conversation

For Gotal, fashion has always been about more than appearance.
Her collections explore contemporary emotions: including loneliness, digital isolation and the changing ways people connect.

The themes are personal. Independent design can be a solitary pursuit, requiring hours of reflection and experimentation.

“Design can be surprisingly lonely,” she says. “You spend so much time sketching, thinking and creating.”
That solitude becomes part of the work itself.

Her garments become reflections of modern life and a dialogue between the individual and the world around them.

A Future Built on Authenticity

Gotal’s ambitions are not simply about becoming widely known. They are about reaching the right audience.

Recognition from retailers that champion independent designers remains an important milestone, particularly platforms such as Farfetch, which have helped bring distinctive creative voices to a global audience.

She also sees potential in collaborations with brands such as Ray-Ban, whose combination of heritage and innovation reflects values close to her own.
But for Gotal, the greatest measure of success remains human connection.

“In today’s world, people want authenticity,” she says. “They want to connect with real people.”

The Legacy She Wants to Leave

When asked how she hopes her label will be remembered, her answer is immediate.
Quality.

Not luxury as a symbol of status, but quality as a commitment: to materials, craftsmanship and thoughtful design.

Her preference for fabrics such as linen and silk reflects this philosophy. She chooses textiles that age beautifully, developing character rather than losing relevance.

The goal is simple: create clothing worth keeping.
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In an industry constantly searching for what comes next, she is making a case for something increasingly rare: patience, authenticity and the belief that the most powerful designs are the ones that endure.

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