Meet Tabassum Mostafa, The Founder Behind Cult Velvet

Blending global influences and personal heritage, Tabassum Mostafa turns her life between worlds into the vision behind Cult Velvet

Tabassum Mostafa has navigated many lives in one: daughter of an entrepreneurial family, architecture enthusiast, global citizen, and now founder of Cult Velvet.

Born in Bangladesh, Tabassum has lived a transcontinental life since infancy. After graduating from high school, she studied in New York, England, and Australia before returning to help lead parts of her family’s empire. From early on, she was drawn to design. Architecture fascinated her. “I wanted to study it formally, but duty called,” she recalls. “So I studied business instead, and found ways to stay close to design in my work.”

Her creative instinct flourished when she founded an architecture and interior design firm in Bangladesh, focusing on elevating even the simplest projects with custom finishes and thoughtful detail. “Bringing beauty to function, that’s always been where I thrive,” she says.

But after finishing her studies and venturing into the business world, through a boutique brokerage firm, Tabassum quickly realized how gendered and performative the business world could be, especially in industries dominated by men. “Even when it was my company, I was advised to be seen but not heard, to let men be the voice,” she says. “And I did for a while.”

Eventually, she chose to stop apologizing for her presence, to stop compromising, and to build something that made space for every version of herself and others like her. That something is Cult Velvet.

A lifestyle brand centered around “daily ritual objects,” Cult Velvet’s first collection includes makeup brushes, durable and elegant makeup bags, sun visors, and limited-edition fragrances. But the heart of the brand lies in its ethos, not just what it sells, but what it says.

“This is not about trends,” Tabassum says. “It’s about creating pieces you reach for every day. Things that last. Things that feel like you.”

The brand name itself speaks volumes. “The word ‘cult’ captures a sense of belonging, of shared belief,” she explains. “And ‘velvet’, its texture, its warmth, its softness with depth. That’s what I want the brand to feel like.”

Cult Velvet also embraces the contradictions women navigate daily. “You are told to be ambitious, but not aggressive. Stylish, but not superficial. Soft, but not weak. I have lived that duality for years,” Tabassum says. “This brand is not about choosing between them, it’s about the rebellion of honoring them all.”

While products are designed in-house, Cult Velvet is also deeply collaborative. Tabassum has already begun forging partnerships with perfumers, herbalists, and artisans across the GCC. She wants the brand to champion a mix of identities, cultures, and creative voices. “For too long, ‘local’ only meant one thing,” she notes. “But this city belongs to all of us who have built a life here.”

The launch will be marked by a slew of events held locally, with activations planned, from yoga mornings to coworking pop-ups. “I want to show up where real women already are,” Tabassum says. “Whether that’s at a brunch, a boardroom, or a beach day.”

She has bigger plans for the long term, including building a platform that supports other women founders through funding and mentorship. “If I can help other women bring their ideas to life, especially those who don’t have the access I had, that’s a legacy I would be proud of,” she says.

Tabassum is the first to admit her journey has been full of privilege, but it’s also been full of pressure. Pressure to meet expectations, to play a role, to be enough of everything and not too much of anything. “For a long time, I tried to fit the mold,” she says. “Now I’m making my own.”

Cult Velvet is the product of that transformation, not just a brand, but a belief that women deserve to take up space, to feel good in their skin, and to own their choices. “Cult Velvet is a love letter to every woman who’s ever been asked to tone it down,” she says. “To play small. To shrink herself to fit a room that wasn’t built for her.” It’s personal, political, and for Tabassum Mostafa, it’s just the beginning.

“I’m crossing the barriers,” she says. “And next I’ll build the bridge.”

Images: Supplied

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