Two weeks ago, I boarded a plane to India, rolled my little carry on all the way to the back of the cabin, and took a seat sandwiched between two strangers for my bi-annual factory visit. Tears welled up in my eyes as the plane started to take off, overwhelmed by the weight of carrying the business through a lull while navigating a recent breakup. My personal life felt impossible to contain, but I desperately needed to put my professional-boss-lady pants back on.
Once I was on the ground—surrounded by fabric, sketches, and the hum of production—I felt things click into place. Getting out of my head and working with my hands helped me alchemize the sadness I’d been carrying. Drawing sketches, feeling textures, and seeing ideas come to life piece by piece grounded me in the present and reminded me why I love this work. Designing for future seasons gave me something hopeful to reach for.
Each garment goes through multiple iterations—we’ll drop the armhole, lengthen the sleeves, remove a ruffle, exaggerate a cuff. These small adjustments have such a big visual impact on the silhouette. The design process reminds me that even the tiniest details make a difference, and sometimes, we have to keep pushing, iterating, and experimenting to land on that final vision. It’s a journey of refining and reimagining, much like navigating life itself, where each choice shapes the life we create.
With 10 collections under my belt(!!!), my voice as a designer is becoming clearer. My style explores and balances different extremes: flow and drape, feminine and masculine, everyday and occasional, print and solid. Like me, my designs aren’t just one thing—they hold many “ands,” coming together in a way that feels whole and true to the Mixed identity.
My journey as a designer has always been about reaching for an ideal. I’ve always said, and still believe, that the work I produce never fully captures the vision I see in my mind. But that never stops me from sharing it. Each collection is a reminder to find acceptance in the not-yet-perfect moment, and to celebrate the strength that comes with making each new attempt.
Happy Sunday,
Nasrin
