THE ART OF SEEING DIFFERENTLY

When you meet Razan, what comes through first is a grounded sense of purpose. She describes herself as driven and passionate, someone who follows the things she loves even when the road is difficult or uncertain. As the first Kuwaiti student to formally study both fashion design and visual merchandising, she carries that accomplishment with quiet pride. It reflects a path she chose early and wholeheartedly. “I could not imagine myself doing anything outside of fashion. Between fabrics, silhouettes, and brand storytelling is where I have always felt the most whole and understood,” she says.

Her relationship with fashion began long before she stepped into a classroom. At ten, she convinced her father to buy her a sewing machine. She remembers sneaking fabric from her mother’s drawers, tracing the outline of her pants, sewing them together, and only afterward realizing she had stitched them inside out. The experiment did not go as planned, but it sparked a fascination that never faded. “Fashion has always been the art of expressing yourself without having to say a word,” she says.

Razan’s studies have taken her from Kuwait to Miami and then to Michigan, each place offering a different kind of growth. Miami exposed her to vibrant cultures and the energy of fashion studios. Studying in Kuwait grounded her sense of identity. Completing her degree online from Michigan required independence and focus. “Every environment pushed me in different ways, spiritually, creatively, and personally,” she says. “I learned to adapt, to see the world through new lenses, and that growth shows in my work.”

She is most energized by visual merchandising, especially the storytelling that sits at its core. She enjoys studying a brand from the inside out and understanding how it communicates emotionally. “An impactful display is one that stops you mid-step,” she says. “It is not just decoration. It is strategy, emotion, and experience woven together.” The displays she admires are the ones that speak without saying a word.

One of her standout academic moments was a CAD project in which she built an entire store concept from scratch. It required her to consider floors, fixtures, palettes, narratives, and merchandise placement as one cohesive system. “It challenged me, but it also showed me what I am capable of,” she says.

Razan comes from both Kuwaiti and British backgrounds, and the influence of that dual heritage appears naturally in her work. She is drawn to the richness, warmth, and ornamentation often found in Middle Eastern aesthetics, but she is equally inspired by British minimalism and structure. “My identity taught me to see beauty in differences,” she says. “I tend to design with both sides in mind: softness and edge, modernity and tradition.”

Trend forecasting has also become one of her strengths. She has always had an eye for early signals and emerging ideas, and studying consumer behavior has sharpened that instinct. She watches everything around her: street style, cultural movements, shifts in mood, and the micro trends that surface on social media. “Trends do not come from one place. They come from conversations, from culture, from what people are feeling,” she says.

Razan is clear-eyed about the realities of the fashion world. The industry moves quickly and demands constant awareness and adaptability. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, she uses that pace as motivation. “It keeps me focused and observant. I have learned to anticipate what might resonate with people and what might shift next,” she says.

Her interests span multiple areas including pattern making, buying, retail management, styling, and writing. Visual display may be where she feels most aligned, but she is also exploring fashion journalism. She recently started her own project called NAQSH Magazine, which allows her to communicate fashion from a different angle. “I love every part of this field. I truly have the passion to explore all of it,” she says.

Paris remains her greatest source of inspiration. “It is where fashion evolves endlessly. Romance and luxury live side by side, and runways feel like art,” she says.

When Razan begins a new project, she always starts with the brand itself. She studies the emotions it evokes, what it stands for, and how it communicates visually. From there she builds a mood, explores color direction, creates narratives, and lets the concept unfold through research and intuition.

As she continues developing her portfolio, she hopes her work reflects the core of who she is: a designer who values bold storytelling, emotional retail spaces, strong narratives, and a thoughtful mix of her cultural influences. She wants her creative identity to feel honest, curious, and future focused.
Razan’s journey of growth into the fashion world with intention, depth, and a perspective that feels entirely her own, is one that we’re excited to watch.

Follow Razan’s journey on Instagram @naqshmagazine.

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