“I think that clothes are such an important part of nonverbal communication, especially nowadays. Being Americans, individualism is an aspect of us that is so clearly defined. ”

I'm a co-founder of a modest clothing and hijab line called Ethereal Thread. I started observing the hijab in summer of 2017. When I found out that there wasn't my particular choice of style in the modest fashion market, I decided to do my research and find manufacturers that were able to create styles for me. I went to my local markets in downtown LA to pick out my favorite fabric style, did some online shopping to find clothes that fit me in a way that I knew that my friends also would like, and focused on my own creative direction in terms of the aesthetic I wanted to go for.

Fashion has always been such an inspiring thing for me. When I was 10 years old, I'd watch Chanel runway shows. From that moment, I really realized this is something that I definitely could do. In terms of creating the clothing, that was where I got to get really creative because I really like the planning. In 2018, I launched a collection that I really loved. We were able to create different modest coverings that even people would only see at conventions and they hadn't seen anything like this on the market before and so that was an incredibly rewarding collection. And that's really where I got my foot in the door. 

When I personally look at somebody, my attention goes immediately to their clothes. And I think that clothes are such an important part of nonverbal communication, especially nowadays. Being Americans, individualism is an aspect of us that is so clearly defined. That’s why people won’t wear masks now because the level of individualism is so high. So when you are raised in a society that completely praises this idea of ‘be yourself’ I think fashion really goes into that aspect where it tells you more about yourself. 

I would see my dad going to trade shows and sell products, and I've come along with them from a really young age. It was the high of selling the product that was so exceptional to me that I was like, ‘I want to do this.’ Every single time you make a sale, it feels so rewarding because somebody is leaving with a product that you created and they love it. Seeing that someone is satisfied with my work is something that's a great experience. You can't beat it.