WASHINGTON, D.C. – More than two decades after arriving in the United States from Tehran, Iran, Azam Maseeh has become a thriving fashion designer in Southern California. Her story is an inspiring testament to the power of feminine creativity and drive and the opportunities America makes possible.
Maseeh’s designs extend beyond the fabric, reflecting her experiences and understanding of the world. “Every design I have, there is a story behind it,” she told Independent Women Features (IW Features), the grassroots storytelling and original journalism arm of Independent Women.
For its sixth profile in its popular and recently relaunched Champion Women series, IW Features highlights Maseeh, the California-based designer who has been able to turn her lifelong love for fashion into a haute business.
“I didn’t know that I wanted to be a fashion designer, but something was inside always,” Maseeh told IW Features. Even when she was just a little girl, Maseeh recalled, what she wore was “so important” to her, and when she looked at other people, she “was always imagining what they [could] wear.”
While her life was busy with raising two children, however, Maseeh’s passion for fashion never faded. Maseeh shared that she “loved [the] beauty of clothing, fashion,” and “[sees] fashion as an art.”
Maseeh stands as a testament to American exceptionalism: since its Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iran has treated its women like second-class citizens, depriving them of freedom, opportunities, and rights. The United States, on the other hand, was able to give a busy immigrant mother the opportunities she needed to pursue her gifts. And now that she has found success in that pursuit, she is able to create value and jobs for others in the beautiful clothing she has made. Her sex, her race, and her religion were not obstacles in her ability to achieve the American Dream.
Read Azam Maseeh’s profile here: Champion Women: From Tehran to the Golden State—How One Fashion Designer is Utilizing Storytelling
“I am honored to feature Azam Maseeh’s journey to becoming a successful fashion designer for this month’s profile. Maseeh’s determination and willingness to learn proves that anything is possible as long as you work hard and never give up,” said Samantha Aschieris, senior contributor for Independent Women Features and producer of the Champion Women series.
IW Features’ Champion Women series showcases the remarkable women who make up the fabric of America. These are women who inspire generations, give back to their communities, seek change for good, reach new heights, break barriers, tell the truth, care for their families, and believe in what they do.
See more Champion Women profiles below:
- Champion Women: From a Cattle Ranch to the Catholic Church, Barbara Henkels’ Legacy Lives On
- Champion Women: From the Courtroom to the White House: May Mailman’s Journey to ‘the Center of the Universe’
- Champion Women: Why Medical Pioneer Cynthia Fisher is Fighting Her Own Industry
- Champion Women: Charlotte Hays’ Incredible Career and Contributions to Independent Women
- Champion Women: Why Music Powerhouse Carla Ondrasik Wants You to Stop Trying
Direct media inquiries and booking requests to [email protected].
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Through grassroots storytelling and original journalism, IW Features provides unique and personal insight into the biggest issues facing Americans.
