Fashion, Feminity, and the Future

I work in the creative career of confidence, empowering women to be the best version of themselves. Striving to be the best version of ourselves allows us to be of service to the world. I inadvertently developed this mindset from the courageous and majestic women in my life, who inspire my work as a fashion designer.

Growing up, I remember my mother juggling multiple jobs throughout the week. On Sundays after dinner, she drew cartoon characters, florals, and landscapes. I also recall visits to my grandmother’s house in the Bronx, where she would watch wrestling and knit blankets for all her grandchildren. My mother and grandmother would sew clothes for the entire family when they were young. Both were hobby sewers and artists who never fully pursued their passions. They had families to support and did not see fashion or art as a career path for black women from the projects.

As a very perceptive child, I learned something significant about the matriarchs in my life and their creativity – an indication of happiness. If mom had a rough week, she did not draw on Sunday. When my grandma would stress about anything, she did not knit. My mom was always proud of my art and wore out the phrase, “ you get It from your mama!” but she knew I was different. When I was upset, I would draw, paint, or sew, then I would return to being a happy child. Oftentimes our family had to do without. Sometimes tv and internet were luxuries we couldn’t afford so creativity was all I had. I have learned that not only is creativity my happiness, but it’s healing as well. All the women in my family struggled and sacrificed their passions to survive. As an adult, I quickly found out that wouldn’t work for me.

At 19, I quit my undergraduate biology studies, moved to Los Angeles, and worked a number of retail jobs before I decided to pursue my happiness as a fashion designer. Both parents taught me to strive for the best, so I transferred to Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to study fashion design. Unlike many of my peers at the high-brow, private institution, I did not have much financial support and worked multiple jobs as a full-time student. My passion for art and desire to succeed was so strong, I would commute an hour to class, work at the school museum and a consignment boutique, walk dogs in the evening, and pull 3 all-nighters a week sewing. Having my grandmother and my mom in my corner reminded me that I was born for this. I have had many experiences where I was mistreated or judged unfairly as a Muslim black female designer, but I stood firm in my power.

I didn’t develop my design aesthetic or find a meaningful source of inspiration until I began my senior thesis collection. My mom had a severe stroke which shook up all our lives. Her recovery needs were so intense and at the time, fashion seemed superficial to me. I was struggling with my creativity when a professor suggested I tell my mom’s story through my work. After much apprehension, an emotional breakdown, and a fear of failing, I began the process. I designed the story of a woman who struggled her whole life, raised three daughters, survived cancer, and was recovering from two strokes. She always put everyone’s needs above her own and it took a toll on her health. It never occurred to her that “pouring from an empty cup” was doing a disservice to herself and all who relied on her. Telling her story was intended to inspire women to reclaim the power we often forget we have by unapologetically choosing ourselves first.

“Trauma and the beauty of recovery” was my concept. I opened the discussion of women’s strength, grace, and resilience through challenges like childbirth, motherhood, and inequality. I communicated these subjects in 3D with fabrication, textile manipulation, and construction. To represent my mother’s protective yet sensitive and warm nature, I combined leather with wool in my coats. She was very stern and favored structure, but loves to laugh and has a free spirit. This juxtaposition can be found in the design of the hand-pleated chiffon gown. Flesh-tone silk organza, visceral hand embroidery, and bright red vein prints highlight the fragility of the body and are a reminder of the necessity of self-care. My mom never slowed down or took time for herself, so I intentionally designed garments that required intricate details i.e. leatherwork, hand pleating ,hand embroidery, and prints developed from my oil paintings. In my eyes, my mother is still chic, sexy, and powerful. I make clothing that requires women to own that energy and radiate it out into the world.

Having graduated first-generation, summa cum laude, and with an academic achievement award from one of the most prestigious schools in the southeast is no small accomplishment. However, I still struggled to find a job in the fashion industry. Eventually, I got tired of the rejections and I opened Ameena Abdul Design for business three months later. Being no stranger to hard work, I am a legal assistant by day and a fashion designer by night. I’m a true 24/7 solo-prenuer on the path to making my dreams a reality. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, my business declined and I had to pivot. In October 2020, I launched MEENA Loungerie, a made-to-order lingerie and loungewear company. I define loungerie as versatile intimates designed with the aesthetic of lingerie, but with the comfort and ease of loungewear. All products are ethically designed and produced by me at my studio in Atlanta, GA. I developed these products to service my clientele who desire to be sexy and confident, in the confines of their own home.

Although I have always designed clothing for women, I have become closer to them through my loungerie. In working with garments that expose more of the female body, I have also uncovered more about our needs, desires, and fears. I have found purpose in my work making the everyday woman feel more confident, comfortable, and in control. This is where my happiness lies. My business is currently at a point where we need to scale to reach its potential. This grant would provide the funding needed for equipment, manufacturing, and marketing costs. One of my long-term goals is to use the success of my business to impact others' lives. Not all young girls have supportive women in their lives who tell them their artistic dreams are possible. We plan to invest in or develop programs that aid young girls from marginalized cultural groups who dream of pursuing artistic careers. I am blessed to be one of those girls, who despite the odds earned an esteemed art degree and became an entrepreneur. I desire to be in a position to give back to that little girl, much like myself, who creates her happiness.