Throughout this journey, I explored the mental and emotional burdens imposed on women by societal, cultural, and religious stereotypes—roles that overlook the consciousness of women as life-sustaining beings. My project reflects on how these imposed ideals weigh heavily, distorting identity, while the woman’s true essence, like a leaf, holds both vulnerability and strength.
Using fabric manipulation, stitching, printing, and layering, I developed a visual language that embodies this contrast. I experimented with a variety of techniques including screen printing, disperse printing, natural dyeing, cyanotype, and embroidery. The two most prominent in my body of work were cyanotype and embroidery, which became key methods in visually expressing emotional weight, lightness, and transformation. Each technique offered a different way to explore softness, texture, and meaning. I am only beginning to understand their possibilities and feel excited for what lies ahead.
From the beginning, I gravitated toward natural fabrics such as hessian, silk, cotton organza, canvas, cotton mesh, and muslin. These materials better support the conceptual foundations of my work by evoking softness, tactility, and emotional authenticity. Most of the fabrics I used were remnants from previous projects, gifted leftovers (such as the hessian), or selected from the fashion scrap bin. My purchase of new materials was minimal, in line with my values of sustainability and conscious making. Polyester was used only when necessary, especially for sublimation techniques which require synthetic fabric.
Establishing the narrative of this project felt natural. However, expressing it artistically through textiles was initially challenging. Visits to exhibitions, like Naomi Campbell’s show supported by the university and the textile galleries at the V&A Museum in London, deeply motivated me. They expanded my visual vocabulary and connected me with historical and contemporary textile stories.
My trip to Saudi Arabia further enriched my visual references, especially through the Biennale in Jeddah. The intricate geometric patterns and repeat motifs present in Islamic art—seen in the Kiswa and Qur’an pages—brought awareness of how deeply embedded cultural visual languages shape perception. They also inspired several of my own pattern explorations. Similarly, visiting the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris and experiencing Frank Gehry’s architectural design gave me a new perspective on form, space, and creativity.
The leaf, like the woman in my project, became a powerful symbol of support, vulnerability, and resilience. As she breaks away from imposed beliefs and rediscovers her value internally, she becomes lighter—floating like a leaf in the wind. Letting go of mental burdens is not a single moment, but an ongoing path. That is why my sketchbook ends with the phrase my project is unfinished—because lightness is something one must continually seek.
My learning throughout this year has been immense. I’ve gained confidence, developed critical technical and conceptual skills, and expanded my vision. I am fully aware that my journey in textile design is just beginning—and I look forward to improving, learning, and growing with each step ahead.
