A passion for fashion and giving back
BY OLIVIA RIEMENSCHNEIDER FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — A senior at Auburn University is making history. The student, an apparel merchandising major, has not only started her own business but has also used her platform to support an amazing cause.
Abby Taylor owns an online clothing boutique called Nameless. Nameless sells clothing items, jewelry and accessories. One of her items is the “T” bag, a green tote bag released in support of “T,” a 17-year-old Afghan refugee living just two hours away from Auburn.
“Her story is absolutely incredible,” Taylor said. “She came to the United States by herself at 15 and has had to support herself since then. I wanted to find a way to support her, so I created the ‘T’ bag. All the proceeds of that bag go directly toward supporting her.”
One day, Abby met a young Afghan refugee while volunteering at Peace of Thread, a clothing store that employs and supports refugee women. Abby refers to her as “T” to protect her identity due to the dangerous environment in Afghanistan. T told her story, and they instantly connected.
Since coming to the United States, T’s life has been far from luxurious. She lives with her uncle, who enforces demanding rules. T explained that he says things like, “Follow the rules, or get out of my house,” or “Watch my kids or get out.” She is responsible for cooking, cleaning and babysitting her uncle’s children on top of supporting her family back in Afghanistan.
“I am paying for my family, for the rent of their house, for their food, for my mom’s health,” T said. Each month, T sends $500 to her family to help them with these bills.
A common misconception is that refugees who flee to countries such as the United States have an increased quality of life as soon as they arrive. As seen in T’s situation, being a young woman in an unfamiliar place has been far from easy.
She sits next to students in class whose biggest worries are an upcoming homework assignment or test, while she has other responsibilities on her plate.
“They are often struggling to gain a foothold in a new land, straining to pay their bills as assistance from the government and resettlement agencies starts to run out, stuck in temporary housing and trying to figure out how to apply for asylum,” according to an article published by PBS.
Programs and organizations have been created to help refugees find their way once they arrive in the United States.
In the state of Alabama, the Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) provides services to refugees and other eligible populations arriving in the state, according to the Refugee Council USA (RCUSA), a non-profit organization supporting and advocating for refugees. Primary program services include cash and medical assistance, access to English language classes and vocational and employment assistance.
Between organizations like this and people like Taylor, refugees can receive the support they need to begin their new life.
Taylor’s passion for supporting refugees began at a young age. Her parents were missionaries to refugees in Clarkston, Georgia, a city that is known for refugee resettlement.
“I grew up the only American in our apartment complex, so every single one of my friends were international,” Taylor said. “I grew up seeing how refugees struggled to live in a new country, so I have always had a large heart for the refugee community.”
As an apparel merchandising major, Taylor knew her interests were in clothing and fashion. However, she said she wanted to create something bigger than just an online boutique — she wanted to make a difference in her community.
“I knew I wanted to go into fashion, but I also knew I wanted to work with refugees,” she said. “Nameless was a way for me to bring the two together.”
Taylor started Nameless just under two years ago in March 2022. However, she is still a full-time student with responsibilities of her own. Each day, she balances her classes, extracurriculars, a part-time job and owning her own business.
“It’s hard, I’m not going to lie,” she said. “Until I graduate, school comes first, so I’ve just been working on Nameless when I have the time.”
Taylor said she has big plans for the future of Nameless. Currently, it’s just a hobby she works on when she has time in her busy schedule. However, once she graduates, she said she hopes to expand her business.
“Right now, Nameless is just a small boutique that caters to mostly women ages 18-24,” she said. “I want to expand my market to reach a larger age range. My long-term goal would be to employ refugee women and to work with designers to create clothing lines/collections inspired by different countries.”
