Zaira
Christa
Barakat
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Zaira Christa Barakat, born March 28, 2004, is a British pianist and creative. She began her journey in fashion through her eponymous label in 2022 and debuted during London Fashion Week 2023. Her achievements include a feature in Vogue magazine and Vanity Fair. She is currently a completing her masters degree at King's College London.
During the summer of 2022, Zaira designed and produced her first couture pieces, which were worn at her 18th birthday debut. An elegant and extravagant set of three dresses was showcased for her guests at her party, alongside an impromptu piano performance. The culmination of her efforts in both forms of art were displayed with a high level of passion and intricacy at this event.
Zaira Christa debuted with House of iKons during London Fashion Week in February 2023. Her debut was a collection of 21 couture dresses, aiming to highlight the beauty of the feminine figure and silhouette. Her designs were featured in the April 2023 issue of both Vanity Fair and British Vogue.
Her career continued soon after at the September London Fashion Week, where her second collection was showcased.
Experience
The Reach Brasserie, Bar Manager - 2025 – Present
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Solely responsible for day-to-day bar operations, maintaining high standards of service and organisation.
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Create and execute a curated cocktail offering, balancing creativity with efficiency.
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Shape the guest experience through consistent service, enhancing brand perception and customer retention.
Zaira Christa Fashion Label, Fashion Designer/Founder - 2022 – Present
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Organised and managed a team through designing and styling two runway shows.
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Developed skills in sewing and craftsmanship, as well as determination, patience, and time efficiency.
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Became confident in handling back-stage crises and last minute garment finishing seconds before the runway.
Mandaloun Westfield, Creative Content and Social Media Designer - 2019 – 2025
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Oversee the social media output for Mandaloun on Instagram and Facebook.
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Engage with a variety of creatives to direct photoshoots, design graphics, and curate campaigns.
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Track customer behaviour to plan shoots and posting schedule and suggest promotions.
Levi Strauss, Stylist - 2025
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Successfully managed sales through Black Friday weekend, helping exceed targets through increased UPT.
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Demonstrated reliability during peak periods, managing heavy footfall while maintaining service quality.
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Strengthened my commercial intuition through understanding global brand operations.
Oxford Fashion Gala, Co-Marketing Director - 2024 – 2025
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Led a team to deliver a cohesive campaign and collaborations for greater reach and exposure.
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Increased our ticket sales almost 3-fold from the previous year’s turnout through social media exposure.
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Lifted Instagram reach from the 100s to the 10,000s in the weeks leading up to the Gala.
Oxford Fashion Gala, Co-Creative Director - 2023 – 2024
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Appointed and led the creative vision of the Oxford Fashion Gala 2024.
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Directed concept shoots, and aligned looks, set, and choreography with a clear visual story.
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Enhanced the Gala’s position as Oxford’s biggest fashion event during the academic year.
Baba G London, Cashier - 2019 – 2021
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Secured customer loyalty through speed; drove add-on sales during lunch rush hours.
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Performed stock counts and replenished inventory regularly.
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Supported both opening and closing, reconciling cash and handling POS.
Zack’s London, Waitress - 2018 – 2023
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Managed the efficiency of table turnover and queue flow as well as staff engagement with customers.
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Handled POS and cash-up during peak rushes; supported closing to ensure cleanliness for the next morning.
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Consistently upsold add-ons and promotions, and maintained friendly, fast service under pressure.
Education
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2022-2025 — Somerville College, University of Oxford
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2025-2026 — King's College London
Shows
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FW23 — Women, Studied. LFW
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SS24 — Reflections on Glamour. LFW
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2023 — British Vogue
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2023 — Vanity Fair, April 2023
2024 — Perazim, Cover Shoot