xile _huma

My experience of moving to New York as a 30-year old Pakistani woman, while navigating the clash of these two distinct cultures, has massively shaped my understanding around sexuality, freedom and desire. I explore and observe these themes through real people, characters and actual places. Both cultures have left a lasting impression on me that I aim to translate through my thesis collection.
The intensity of New York City overwhelmed me for a long time. Tall industrial buildings, the concrete sprawl, the hustle of the subway system. It was so different from the village I grew up in that was rich in community, textures, handcrafts, and familiarity. I was suddenly questioning everything I knew and felt up until that moment. My emotions were tangled and scared from interacting with this new world. I began meeting and conversing with New York women in different walks of life and I began to feel more confident. Fear turned to excitement as I began to understand their different opinions. I became friends with these women, we learned a lot from each other. We explored the differences and the similarities around sexuality and desire. I gained confidence and felt more at home in this city far away from what was familiar and correct in my mind.
With my collection, I want to breakdown the monotony of this conversation and create a new dialogue that supports all women regardless of societal expectations. No more judging of each other. We have a lot of common ground beyond our nationality, and beyond ethnicity.