Migration became a trending topic at New York Fashion Week

Not rags to riches, but Nonation’s fashion in 2010. It’s come a long way since it started in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2021, as a way for people in transit centers to improve their sewing skills.

Participants graduated from creating reusable masks, providing protection against Covid-19, to designing unique clothing items and accessories. Sewing corners became fashion studios, and at the end of the year, the No Nation Fashion Show was held at Sarajevo City Hall to celebrate International Refugee Day.

The beneficiaries of the project are immigrants and members of the local and wider society such as: local fashion brands and designers, artists, artisans, the private sector, media and volunteers.

This year, the initiative made it to one of the most prestigious fashion events of the year, New York Fashion Week, a special event involving students from No Nation Fashion, International Fashion Academy and Ohio’s Kent State University.

The No Nation fashion collection is the result of a creative collaboration between immigrants and the Bosnian fashion industry by Aleksandra Lovric, the famous national designer.

The three garments presented at the show are designed to reflect the journey of immigrants, from the first nomadic way of life; resilience and the ability to rebuild and adapt; and inclusion, social and cultural integration in their destinations.

“We are delighted that the No Nation fashion brand has made it to New York – a city famous for art, fashion and cultural diversity,” said Laura Lungarotti, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “This reminds us that immigration and inclusion of diversity can create beauty and opportunity for all.”

No Nation Fashion’s mission is to build a brand and social enterprise that promotes the inclusion of immigrant communities in host communities and actively participates in making communities more resilient, inclusive and sustainable.

Following the success of New York, the initiative will continue to support refugees in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where talented individuals from different parts of the world are sharing their knowledge, skills and culture to create wearable art.