My journey with DEFY’NE was rooted in my deep fascination with the often complex and nuanced relationship we share with our clothes. On one hand, history proved that fashion was a force so powerful that not only did it reflect the times we live in; but also greatly influenced and acted as an impetus-helping things move, starting revolutions and ushering change. A force so strong that it spoke of our identities and aspirations within split seconds of meeting someone without ever having to actually speak. A force so empowering that, certain colours and textures instantly trigger neurological responses in the brain and affect our wellbeing and health. Fashion, I learnt was a conduit for story telling. It helped preserve memories that are seeped in culture and tradition that shape a large part of our identities and the identities of our future generations; both individually and as a collective. 

On the other hand, I also regretfully noticed that over time fashion was stripped off of all of its power and was rebranded instead as a shallow, superficial peddler of soon to be absolute trends inherently changing the way we viewed, interacted and most importantly how we valued it.

Beyond it all, what I understood to be the most powerful dimension of fashion was that in its most empowering form it becomes a vehicle for self expression. The resultant freedom to express oneself as one deems fit throughout one’s lifetime not marred by pre conceived notions, judgments and biases dictated by any other external force but yourself, became the foundation on which DEFY’NE was created.