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ABEER IS AN URBAN DESIGNER AND LIFELONG TATREEZ ENTHUSIAST, USING DESIGN AS A WAY TO CONNECT WITH HER PALESTINIAN ROOTS (@taqaclothing). Abeer shares her family's connection to Palestine — her mother from Yaffa and father from Jerusalem, though her family was displaced during the 1948 Nakba. She started Taqa Clothing as a way to experiment with applying traditional Palestinian embroidery to everyday clothing while maintaining its cultural significance.

For Abeer, Taqa is an ongoing experiment around creating wearable Palestinian designs that don't scream "traditional costume" but subtly carry cultural heritage, experimenting with larger stitches and modern interpretations while staying true to traditional patterns. She’s also developing a digital archive to document historical Tatreez patterns and ensure Palestinian embroidery continues to thrive. 

Taqa has become more than just a creative project, it's now a vehicle for supporting Palestine, with all proceeds going to Gaza-based initiatives. Despite the difficulty of creating during the ongoing genocide, Abeer continues to participate in fundraising efforts like silent auctions. Ultimately, Tatreez has connected Abeer to her Palestinian roots, served as a conversation starter about Palestine, and taught her the importance of cultural preservation in the face of heritage theft. She’s open to collaborations and offers to help other Palestinian women who want to start their own Tatreez businesses.

You’ll hear about:

>> 0:50: Abeer’s connection to Palestine

>> 3:15: The role of tatreez in Abeer’s upbringing

>> 5:05: Starting Taqa

>> 8:41: The evolution of Taqa and developing a digital archive

>> 16:45: Reflections after exploring old Palestinian dresses

>> 19:56: Experimenting with how to tatreez

>> 24:45: Abeer’s design process

>> 29:02: The feeling when wearing Taqa

>> 33:17: Palestinian dress embroidery archive

>> 39:00: Fundraising through Taqa

>> 41:37: Life lessons from tatreez

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