“A weirdo in the eyes of ignorants, an artist in the eyes of the educated.”
“Breaking stereotypes is an essential first step towards modernity, peace, and progress. We need more of this young man.” —
His Story
During my whole high school education, I was seen as a “Weirdo” just for being myself. They didn’t accept me as I am. It was probably because of my earrings and the way I dressed. That all discouraged me from going to school, but I saw that it was necessary, so I stuck to it.
Finally, I finished high school and was looking for my next step. I decided to enter a fashion university to study fashion — the thing I loved most. I heard of a certain university that had a branch in Lebanon, and as I was asking about it and getting ready to go there, I discovered there was a branch in Damascus, and so I found my next destination.
I can confidently say that my best memories were in university. People were less judgmental and I had amazing friends who didn’t care about how I looked — they rather did everything to support me. I considered that university as my dream university because I was finally studying what I wanted, what I sought, and what I loved.
By the second year of the university, the situation in Syria was getting worse and I struggled; it affected both my life and education. I wanted to leave the country, but my family convinced me to finish my last year in the university and then leave, and that’s what I did. By 2016, I graduated upon completing my graduation project. Actually, by the end, I was one of the few who graduated, while others dropped out and gave up. It was clear that I won’t be studying in Syria, because after everything you worked for, they’d just call you a “tailor,” ignoring all your effort, knowledge, and experience. I might be specializing in France, but studying in Turkey would be the same as studying in Syria; I wouldn’t learn anything new. After my education, I’m thinking of opening my own small place to work on my own designs, but surely not in Damascus, because it would’ve been both hard and expensive to open a shop there.
As for my family, they’re settled in Syria. They haven’t moved out of there, because my siblings are still continuing their studies there, so my parents are obliged to stay there with them. I’d like to say that my parents were so supportive from the beginning. They supported and encouraged me every step of the way. And actually, I gained my affinity to designing clothes from my mom, for she was a tailor and I always liked to learn from her and innovate on my own.
Upon coming to Turkey, I started working for a designing company run by Syrians. I stayed there for only one month, because I didn’t like the atmosphere at all. One of the reasons is that our boss didn’t have the least experience or knowledge in fashion, and so quality was not of his concern, unlike making money. The other reason is that the business owner gave us unchanging wages, regardless of the money we made for him, and our names weren’t even mentioned on the clothes we designed. Generally, I worked there designing haute couture mostly, and sometimes I’d accompany customers and show them around, especially when they spoke only English, since no one other than me knew English.
As I mentioned before, I dream of having my own small place, maybe with a partner from whom I can learn and with whom I can work. I want to put my own ideas and designs in this shop. I don’t know anything about it, yet, though.
What is Istanbul for me? I think Istanbul is the first step to Europe; It’s a bridge of history and cultures that joins the East and the West; It’s a station at which we stop on our journey to achieve our dreams.
