Fidan Sharifova
In the environment where I grew up, a woman’s value was often measured by whether she got married and obeyed her husband. While struggling with these beliefs, I realized that a woman’s true wealth is her freedom, knowledge, and the value she gives to herself. That is why I started taking small steps in the field I loved. After a period of painting, I decided to follow my childhood dream of combining fashion and art.
Since my early years, pouring my feelings onto pieces of paper was my favorite game. I always dreamed that one day I would have my own fashion house and create clothes and accessories for people. As a child, I would sew dresses and accessories for my dolls or try to knit. I learned bits and pieces from everyone around me. Even though my life story did not fully unfold as I once imagined, I managed to achieve many beautiful parts of that dream. I developed myself in painting, knitting, ceramics, and tailoring. For nearly 8 years, I taught masterclasses in these fields, while also creating and selling clothes and accessories. What I enjoy most is creating pieces that make people feel special and bring color to their lives. The joyful spark in their eyes reflects the shining dream of the little girl I once was.
As a woman, one of the biggest challenges has been learning without support. Another painful reality was experiencing how sometimes one woman can hinder another woman’s success. When I was only 7 or 8 years old, I tried to learn from women with special craft skills. But instead, I often heard words like “you should study, not waste time with this,” “this profession is not for women,” or “learn to knit so you can please your husband in the future.” I ignored such comments and stayed focused on my purpose. I searched, researched, made mistakes, started over many times, but I never gave up. It felt like I was building a fortress around myself where I protected my creations. I no longer needed applause from others, I gave value to my own art. Today, I have a home full of creativity, and together with my husband and child, I live a life surrounded by art.
