Jordan Fashion Week, Jordan’s official fashion week, organized last week at The Onyx Hall managed by Kempenski Amman is a non-profit organization founded by Shirene Rifai. JFW encompasses a series of fashion events by designers from the heart of Jordan and is also a platform that puts into light the creative community of Jordan, their emerging designers and enables them to develop relationships with international media, buyers, public.
One exciting participant, Trashy Clothing, breaks stereotypes put upon the Middle East and is creating its own rules.
The team of tRASHY (Shukri Lawrence, Reem Kawasmi, Luai Al-Shuaibi, Omar Braika, and Sereen Khass) debuted their SS19 Collection “XD” at DSFW.
“XD is the birth of Middle Eastern internet culture in 2010. Highlighting the culture of expressing feelings and personalities by using fake names, profiles, and pictures online. During that time, most Middle Eastern countries were either going through war or post-wars and the internet was a tool of survival and distraction from reality. This internet renaissance was also away for Middle Eastern teen girls to express themselves online freely rather than in real life by using other girls’ photos and creating their own cyber reality.”
We chatted with founder Shukri Lawrence about tRASHY.
AMMAN, JORDAN – MARCH 29: A model walks the runway at the tRASHY CLOTHING show during Jordan Fashion Week 019 at the Kempinski Amman on March 29, 2019 in Amman, Jordan. (Photo by Thomas Concordia/Getty Images for Jordan Fashion Week)
So tell us how tRASHY Clothing started?
Shurki Lawrence: tRASHY was born online through my Instagram when I started mixing brand logos with Arab pop culture and politics as a way to fight stereotypes put upon us as Arab people. I got tired of being defined by stereotypes that don’t represent me or my people. After 1 year, tRASHY became a collective with my friends Omar, Reem, Luai, and Sereen and we’ve felt unstoppable ever since! tRASHY’s message is to reclaim and represent the Arab world through the Arab people. As a collective of Palestinians with different backgrounds we’ve all experienced Palestine in different ways, and that is what I think is crucial for representing such a region.
How did XD come to life?
SL: Our first interaction with the internet was during the (what we like to call) “cyber renaissance of the Arab world” in 2010. It was the era of experimenting with expressing yourself online with imagery and text through the web. With so many wars around us, we saw the internet as an escape from reality. The collection highlights the culture of emo-ish poetic imagery that was all over Facebook and online blogs in 2010.
AMMAN, JORDAN – MARCH 29: A model walks the runway at the tRASHY CLOTHING show during Jordan Fashion Week 019 at the Kempinski Amman on March 29, 2019 in Amman, Jordan. (Photo by Thomas Concordia/Getty Images for Jordan Fashion Week)
How is the fashion scene in your region today and how are people welcoming tRASHY clothing?
SL:The fashion scene in the region right now is so collaborative. We have such a strong community of designers, photographers, models, stylists, and makeup artists that work and shoot together frequently.
tRASHY’s reception in the region is beautiful, it makes us really happy to see how many people have a connection with what we’re trying to do and say and it pushes us to keep creating more and more.
Are you afraid of controversy?
SL:In order to make a change, controversy needs to somehow exist. I think as long as people are questioning beliefs and doubting creations then something is working!
What are your plans for the future?
SL:tRASHY is expanding year by year and everyday is a surprise for us! The brand will be two years old this Summer and we definitely have some surprises coming this year, no spoilers but we have a lil song coming out soon with some special features on it 😉
AMMAN, JORDAN – MARCH 29: Models walk the runway at the tRASHY CLOTHING show during Jordan Fashion Week 019 at the Kempinski Amman on March 29, 2019 in Amman, Jordan. (Photo by Thomas Concordia/Getty Images for Jordan Fashion Week)
Show stylist: Uns Ghassib
Collection sponsored by: Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development
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