This is kind of a no-brainer, right? Anyone who's ever set foot in the garment district knows that we are totally dependent on the immigrants that work there. No one is free of that label 'immigrant,' which is really empowering because 'immigrant' means that you made a decision to leave your loved ones to pursue your dreams, to make a name, for a better life–not just for yourself but your family. In a time like today, where there's an air of othering–you belong here, you don't belong here–the shirts in my show were a gentle reminder to all of us that even if you were born here, your parents or grandparents, or great grandparents came here from somewhere.
You can come from a country like Nepal and make a name for yourself and eventually dress the First Lady of America and the Duchess of Cambridge. I came because of the history associated with this country of immigrants: the American Dream. I made a decision to come to America to pursue my dream of becoming a designer. It is a country that's made of them, and it is also country that I decided to come 17 years ago. The fabric of this nation is based on history of immigrants.
