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ABOUT

Fashion & Surface Pattern Designer

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© Roba Khorshid

I am a fashion and surface pattern designer based in Boston. I find inspiration in ethnic clothing, embroidery, and crafts, as well as feminine vintage silhouettes and often combine both influences in my designs. 

I am fascinated by the history of fashion, and how the clothes we wear relate to the social, political, and art movements of the time. I am especially passionate about researching my Egyptian cultural heritage. I am also interested in exploring the clothing/motifs of West Asia, East Africa, and Eastern and Central Europe, regions where my great grandparents were from.

I caught the sewing bug as a child watching my mother make beautiful clothes for herself and matching outfits for my sister and me. By the age of 10, I could use a sewing machine and started making myself clothes from Burda patterns. In my teens, I started collecting fabrics, first by "borrowing" fabrics from my mother's and grandmother's collections, and then by exploring the wholesale fabric and notions markets in Cairo where I grew up. In high school, I started making handbags out of brightly colored striped Egyptian cotton duck. The bags caught my friends' attention and turned into a small business throughout college.

As an adult, I finally pursued my passion and formally studied fashion design to expand my skills. In addition to improving my sewing skills, I learned to drape, draft my own patterns, and design a cohesive collection. I also discovered my love for textile/surface pattern design and watercolor illustrations.

Education

Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston

Fashion Design Certificate

The American University in Cairo, Egypt

B.A. in Integrated Marketing Communication

Follow me on Instagram @roba.khorshid

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