Hello, fellow Fashionistas.
My name is Panyia Xiong, and I am a first generation Hmong woman majoring in fashion design at Mount Mary University. There are so many things in my life that really challenged and influenced me, but if I were to narrow it down to what really shaped who I have become today I would have to owe it to my family, my passion for fashion and the relationships of people that I’ve met in my life.
My parents have always been by my side for as long as I can remember. They work super hard all the time to provide for a family of eight kids. They have encouraged and supported me in pursuing a higher education, as well as to pursue the things that I am passionate about. These are just some characteristics that I love about my parents. I’m proud to say that their examples have really influenced me to become a very responsible, hardworking and creative person.
My passion for fashion follows closely with the simple happiness that I find in my daily life. I started to discover my passion for fashion at a very young age. My mom and grandma would spend endless hours embroidering traditional Hmong clothes, and these were the moments when I started learning about traditional Hmong fashion. I started knitting in my elementary school, and this also drew me closer to fashion because it really exposed me to more creativity. During my junior and senior year of high school, I took a fashion and interior design class, which really helped me develop my own keen sense of style. I realized that my fashion sense is very influenced by the happiness that I experience in my life.
A happiness that shapes my fashion style and my life would be the relationships that I’ve made throughout my life. A particular relationship that I find the most important to mention is the one between my best friend who is also my boyfriend. He supports me at everything I do and has inspired me in so many ways unimaginable. He helps keep me sane when my ideas become too crazy, but he also fuels my creative imaginations.
When I start a new project these important aspects of my life influence my designs. These important aspects come from a large pool of my life experiences, and I know that there are many more experiences to share through my work with all of you fabulous Fashionistas/os out there!
