Kazna Asker

Kazna Asker
Born (1997-01-09) 9 January 1997
Fazakerley, Liverpool, England
Alma mater
FamilyAbtisam Mohamed (aunt)
Websitekaznaasker.com

Kazna Asker (born 1997) is an English fashion designer. She won the Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award at the 2022 Fashion Trust Arabia. A member of the British Fashion Council's NewGen programme, she has presented collections at London Fashion Week and Lakmé Fashion Week.

Biography

Asker was born the eldest of four in Fazakerley, Liverpool to Yemeni parents. When she was 12, the family moved to Sheffield. Her father is a Post Master, while her mother is a Primary School headteacher.[1][2] Asker's aunt is the Labour politician Abtisam Mohamed, who introduced her to politics at a young age.[3]

After completing an Art Foundation in 2017, Asker went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Fashion Design from the Manchester School of Art in 2019[4][5] and a Master of Arts (MA) from Central Saint Martins in 2022. Her graduating collection Watered by One Water was the first to feature a hijab in the CSM Ready-to-Wear AW22 fashion show.[6]

That autumn, Asker won the Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award at the 2022 Fashion Trust Arabia.[7] She was selected for the British Fashion Council's NewGen initiative.[8]

At age 26, Asker made her London Fashion Week (LFW) debut in 2023.[9] At the presentation, she screened a short film titled Fight For Me, Sheffield.[10] Asker represented Kindness in Kurt Geiger's 2023 People's Empowerment campaign.[11]

Asker returned to London Fashion Week to present her AW24 and AW25 collections,[12][13] titled What Are We Fighting For? and Family respectively.[14][15] She also did a presentation at the 2025 Lakmé Fashion Week in India.[16][17] Asker appeared on the 2024 Dazed 100 MENA list.[18]

Artistry

Asker is known for fusing the influences of her Yemeni background with those of her Northern English upbringing. This includes designing jilbab, abaya and thobe using waterproof nylon and zippers,[19] as well as upcycling deadstock tracksuits, jackets and other sportswear with Middle Eastern textiles.[20]

References

  1. ^ Sidhu, TJ (14 February 2024). "Kazna Asker: the radical designer putting protest first". The Face. Archived from the original on 10 September 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  2. ^ Javed, Saman (13 September 2023). "'My clothes represent something greater than fashion'". Hyphen. Archived from the original on 19 May 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  3. ^ Scaife, Abi (23 February 2023). "The Young Fashion Designer Fundraising for Yemen". Smiley Movement. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  4. ^ Anderson, Shelley (29 March 2018). "Manchester interns at the TRC". TRC Leiden. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Designer Q&A Meet Kazna Asker from Manchester to London". Texintel. 31 July 2019. Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  6. ^ Toner, Paul (21 February 2022). "Central Saint Martins MA: Ready-To-Wear AW22". 10. Archived from the original on 23 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  7. ^ Leblanc, Kevin (27 October 2022). "Fashion Trust Arabia Announces 2022 Winners". Elle. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  8. ^ Douglass, Rachel (24 May 2023). "Who are the new faces of BFC's NewGen programme?". Fashion United. Archived from the original on 19 April 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  9. ^ Sherwood, Jessica; Awomoyi, Jonelle (22 September 2023). "London Fashion Week: The British Muslim designer trying to be the future". BBC News. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  10. ^ Murray, Adam (7 December 2023). "A Guide to Fashion in the North of England Today". AnOther. Archived from the original on 31 May 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Sideways not upwards: Kazna Asker on Activism, Community and 'wearing what I believe in'". Build Hollywood. 11 September 2025. Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  12. ^ Tappin, Hannah (21 February 2024). "Kazna Asker AW24 collection". Wonderland. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  13. ^ Koopman, Bella (24 February 2025). "Kazna Asker: Ready-To-Wear AW25". 10. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  14. ^ Abuali, Maya (4 December 2024). "Kazna Asker: Redefining fashion through activism". Dazed. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Kazna Asker Autumn Winter 2025". Story. 4 March 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  16. ^ Mulchandani, Sitara (20 August 2025). "How Kazna Asker's unique upbringing allowed her to carve out a niche in the fashion world". GulfNews. Archived from the original on 30 August 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  17. ^ Baig, Ruman (28 March 2025). "Bridging Cultures: Fashion Trust Arabia and Lakmé Fashion Week Celebrate Global Design Talent". Vogue Arabia. Archived from the original on 31 March 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  18. ^ "Dazed 100 MENA 2024: discover trailblazers in fashion, music". Dazed. 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  19. ^ Peacock, Amy (11 January 2023). "Kazna Asker blends Islamic fashion and sportswear to "showcase the diversity of Britain"". Dezeen. Archived from the original on 28 October 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  20. ^ Chan, Emily (22 April 2024). "In Kazna Asker's Ingenious Upcycled Tracksuits, Sheffield Meets The Middle East". British Vogue. Archived from the original on 5 December 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
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