Migrants in the Usivak Temporary Reception Center near Sarajevo are working hard to prepare the first fashion collection. Accommodation is provided by UNHCR through BHWI. Unique pieces of clothing are sewn with the help of designer from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Aleksandra Lovric, who spoke about this project.
“This activity started in June last year as part of a project that is being implemented as a preventive measure against covid-19. Through the workshops, the participants started making protective masks in order to improve their knowledge and usetheir time. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) launched this activity, and the project was supported by the European Union (EU),” Lovric said.
All clothing, bags and other items are made from recycled materials.
“In the process of creation, we came across people who have potential because these people have the skills and knowledge of working on machines, i.e. manual work. We came up with the idea of creating a small brand called ‘Made in BiH by people on the move’. We are currently working on the preparation graphic solutions for the purpose of branding handmade products created in BiH by people on the move,” told Lovric.
She points out that the goal is for the people who stay here to primarily feel fulfilled and satisfied. In addition to their basic needs, they also have a need for creative creation and expression.
The fashion corner in Usivak is visited daily by 15 to 20 people who want to contribute to the creation of a fashion collection and leave their mark. Considering that they are on the move, you never know how long they will stay in this space, so everything is a matter of their free will.
Most of these people have already worked in the textile industry in Afghanistan, Turkey or Iran. Their mission is to continue being designers, tailors or to do sewing as a hobby.
“We are trying to create a synergy between our local textile industry and people on the move. This implies an exchange of experiences. Maybe those in BiH, if they get the opportunity to regulate their residence status, will find a job because we certainly have a workforce deficit, especially in the fashion industry. This project can start the awakening of consciousness because, regardless of everything, we are all inhabitants of the planet Earth,” explains Lovric.
One of the girls who spends her time here is called Zahra and emphasizes how much she loves working with Aleksandra.
“I am currently sewing a dress. I want to continue doing this work because I like it very much. I have been a beneficiary of the center for more than a year. The International Children’s Fund of the United Nations (UNICEF) provided me with a stay in Sarajevo and I am here with my family. Soon I will get a job,” she says.
The future designer Melina told us how she adores the people who work at the Fashion Corner because they are kind.
“I came from Afghanistan. Aleksandra helps us a lot in making clothes. This whole process is fun for me. I will definitely continue to be in the world of fashion,” she says.
Aleksandra Lovric recently implemented an interesting idea. She gathered Fatma, Melina, Meliz, Rosse and Amina to have their photo taken based on the legendary photo of Peter Lindbergh.
Namely, in 1990, he photographed models Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford for the British edition of Vogue.
“These girls are not supermodels of the nineties. They are more than that. They are girls on the move and deserve to have the same chance to dream, hope, ‘bloom’ and be successful,” concludes Lovric, Klix.ba writes.
E.Dz.
Photo: illustration
