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17-25 October 2026

Leavers

Exploring the refugee experience through clothing – a personal journey of loss, hope, and strength.

Hosted by Kahrawan Suleiman

This project is now archived and was part of DDW24

This project is part of
Incubators... What is new in 2024?
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The 3 phases of my journey.
The 3 phases of my journey.
Orbitvu Benelux
Leavers is a project by a former refugee that uses clothing to explore the refugee experience. Each piece represents a stage of my journey, highlighting the struggles, resilience, and emotions faced. My work captures the uncertainty and hope of leaving everything behind and starting anew.

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Personal My theme, Leavers, is about refugees, a subject close to my heart as I have been a refugee myself. In today’s world, it is important for people to understand what refugees go through. It is crucial to grasp the struggles and daily challenges that refugees face. Story Through my clothing, I aim to share my story of fleeing my home. Each piece represents different phases of my journey, capturing how it happened and the emotions I felt. I want to show the challenges, hope, and strength through these clothes, telling a story that words alone cannot fully convey. Uncertainty Leaving behind everything you’ve ever known and arriving somewhere completely unknown is daunting. What do they eat there? Is it cold? So many questions and so much uncertainty fill the mind of a refugee. My clothing seeks to capture these emotions and raise awareness of the refugee experience.
The 3 phases of my journey.
The 3 phases of my journey.
Orbitvu Benelux

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