MEET MEERA ALBABA

Meera AlBaba would very simply consider herself an explorer. Impressively working in fashion, she enjoys experimenting in her own field as an opportunity to grow as a creative and delve into new approaches of expression. In her interview, Meera told Fekr that if she were to describe her brand she would say it’s, “romantic, nostalgic, and loud.” Although she goes about her field charismatically, she admitted that she once struggled with dealing with social conventions living in “the City Under Siege”. She explained that the path to finding her identity and being able to express herself seemed like a challenge due to the society she was in. She found that self-expression was her muse to grow as an individual and to cope with the reality of being in a society that was under plenty of political restrictions. She revealed in her interview, “Surprisingly, I found an outlet in using garments to express my thoughts and independence. Yet more interesting, fashion remains as my favorite escape from the harsh political and social realities."

The creative believes that her favorite design is the “Forgiven” sweatshirt. It’s a simple sweatshirt that shows a woman's hand with a wooden rosary. The reason for this piece being her favorite is the process that went into making it. “The hands belong to one of my favorite Gazan artist, also taken and edited by Gazan creatives,” she also said, “The hands belong to one of my favorite Gazan artist, also taken and edited by Gazan creatives. I love how asymmetrical the photo looks, which highlights an element of realness and authenticity.” Meera’s brand is set to be influenced by the aspects of her life that shaped her into the person she is today. Local and religious references show “rawness and vulnerability” that come into play in her pieces. Using these elements is the basis of her inspiration to create common ground, “I feel like our societies are still to a certain level homogeneous, where there is a strong sense of polarity that stands in the way of creating a healthy diverse society.”

An issue that Meera believes is prominent in the industry is that there’s a need to maintain a status quo on a global level, “Though we have been witnessing some ‘woke’ initiatives by big brands, to my personal belief, they barely scratch the surface. The creative field is very dominant by western ideals and most people are not allowed to step out and actually break the rules.” She also believes that it’s important to keep art from being “commercialized” in the fields of the capitalist global economy. The creative believes that there should be more support for small and medium businesses in such an economy. She has found that small businesses present art that's more valuable and unique with more compelling messages than that of bigger corporations. Meera claims that in our time and age, we have been convinced by the modern marketing industry that trends and celebrities' opinions are more valid than that of the creative world itself. Allowing more light to be shed on smaller creatives can give a platform for more social justice, change, and political reform.

Over the past few months, Meera admits that she feels familiar with the feeling of isolation with a global pandemic. “As someone living in ‘the City Under Siege’ for 13 years now. I fully understand the heavy sense of isolation and uncertainty and how daunting it can be especially on creatives. The limitations of the unknown along with the geographical limitations have doubled with the current pandemic and made me face new challenges, which are a bit tricky to deal with as a small business owner.” She also acknowledges the impact the world current situation can have on mental health and the social pressure and shame that creates an ideal for others to be productive. As for our creative, however, she has found comfort and ease as she’s witnessed different people come together regardless of their physical distance as they heart-warmingly support each other during this time.

Meeras brand’s vision strives to “explore the ramifications of separation and geography on the Palestinian identity as a collective and the individual level for the coming generations.” A heartening and inspiring impact that she aims for is to create a platform for Palestinians in the future. As Palestinians have been systematically separated by policies and geography, it has become one of the goals of her brand to have diverse Palestinian support that can be home to different types of creativity. Her best piece of advice is, “Take it easy. Things take time, but eventually, they go more smoothly than expected. Also, work on your self-confidence because you will face so many moments of self-doubt. Reach out for your support system and ask for help whenever you feel like it.”