Jeramiah Irwin, @jerairwin
The Jersey City–based designer attended Afropunk for the first time last year, and the festival’s accepting ethos made him come back again this year. “I love festivals in general, but this one to me is so different. Everyone is so friendly. There’s no judgment,” he says. “It’s really true what they say—the no sexism, no homophobia here.” And given the opportunity to fully express himself, Jeremiah chose a denim corset and ripped jeans that were inspired by the pop-country music he’s been listening to. Says Irwin, “I was going to wear a cowboy hat, but I’m saving that for later.”
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NOOR-U-NISA KHAN
Photographer and Videographer
London-born and South Africa-raised British Pakistani Noor-u-Nisa's passion for photography led her to earn a degree in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography from UAL. After completing internships with London publications like The Telegraph Magazine, she has since gone on to capture international fashion weeks and shoot editorial work for companies like Elle and Vogue. As a visible Muslim, Noor-u-Nisa has a keen eye for championing ethnic minorities and Muslims through her work."
Contributor: Adam Katz Sinding
Published Febraury 2025
Having been drawn to your craft at a young age, I'm curious to know what your journey has taught you about yourself.
In 2020, I was badly hit by a car whilst I was working, and that taught me that I have a lot more strength and resilience than I thought I had. I also always thought that if I missed one fashion week, I would be forgotten about, but my accident and the pandemic showed me that you can always bounce back. Not even being hit by a car could stop me from continuing work, so I guess not much else can! I have a bittersweet relationship with Italy (where my accident happened), but there were also so many blessings that I can see in hindsight. I am grateful for that time now."
Your resilience through that experience is truly inspiring. Now that you’ve overcome the fear of being forgotten, do you feel you’ve found a balance between meeting industry demand and maintaining your authenticity?
I feel like I am my brand, so when it comes to being authentic, it's about trying to stay true to who I am. Before being a photographer or anything else, I’m a Muslim. I’ve struggled quite a bit being in the middle of an industry that is largely centered around partying and drinking, which doesn’t welcome or accommodate Muslims. I have turned down jobs that do not align with my morals, but it’s also a balancing act of figuring out what is and isn’t something I’m comfortable being a part of.
Have there been times when the industry made your background feel like a barrier? You’ve mentioned making choices based on your morals—have those ever conflicted with industry expectations?
As far as I am aware, being Muslim, a Hijabi, and a person of color has never stopped people from hiring me. I’ve been really blessed to work with incredible teams and individuals who are open-minded. However, despite being an optimist, I am not completely naive about the industry. I can say that racism and discrimination are rife in the fashion world. I have been kicked out of a fashion show when I was hired to work there by a racist PR, and since publicly speaking out about the atrocities in Palestine, I have lost clients who used to be regulars.
I used to think that I was doing something by being in these spaces because it normalized different communities being part of the fashion world, but now I think it’s more important to create our own spaces where we feel safe and seen, instead of trying to alter one that already exists, which was maybe never meant for us in the first place.
Q&A
Have you had the opportunity to work on any projects, or are you currently working on projects that you feel speak to that idea of creating authentic spaces?
This year, I had a fourteen-page spread in Vogue India, which is the biggest magazine feature I’ve ever done. The piece was about spotlighting amazing South Asians in London who are excelling in their fields. As a British-Pakistani myself, it was such an honor to shoot this. It came at a poignant time for me as well, as I was thinking more and more about doing work that was meaningful instead of doing work that builds up communities that don’t often consider my own. Sadly, I feel that this lack of consideration is often the standard in the wider fashion community.
Doing work that matters to the individual and to the world seems to be harder and harder to come by in this industry.
I agree. I think there’s a lack of work that matters to us, as it’s so easy to get caught up in trying to achieve what is important to others that you almost convince yourself it’s important to you too. Sometimes, you need to take a minute and reevaluate what really matters to you and ask yourself if you’re working towards it.
The genocide in Palestine triggered this thought for me. My work takes up 80% of my time, and if that 80% is contributing to people and an industry that doesn’t care about the same things I care about, what’s the point? It’s easier said than done, as I’ve spent years building the foundation of my career. I can’t just drop it, but I know I am now in a space of wanting some change. It’s more important to me now to create work that matters to me than it ever has been.
If you could get one message out to the industry, what would it be?
Don’t take the fashion world so seriously unless you’re using it to make a difference in the world. I feel like people in this industry forget that a whole world exists outside of their bubble. I’ve been a victim of this mentality at times too, but we need to remind ourselves that there’s more to life than fashion month.
Q&A
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