PAKISTANIS IN ITALY HIGH STAKES IN A FASHION FORWARD WORLD.

ITALY -- Most first-generation Pakistani immigrants living in Italy have limited education and training. The majority are stuck in low income activities such as picking fruit and vegetables, managing livestock, working as un-skilled or semi-skilled workers in factories, and selling trinkets often on the beaches during the summer. However, second generation Pakistanis are beginning to break out, creating new lives, and reaching for success.

Farwa Zulfiqar arrived in Macerta, Italy in 1995 when she was five years old, moving with her family from Bhurewala, near Multan. Finding herself in a new country, unable to speak a word of Italian, she was frightened and disoriented, scared of even leaving the house. While at elementary and middle school she struggled to learn Italian and make friends. She often felt isolated and marginalised. Soon after 9/11, when she was still only 11 years old, Farwa began facing racist bullying. Her class mates began taunting her and calling her a 'terrorist' and saying hurtful things such as, 'Why don't you go back to Afghanistan?'

But hard work and strong support from her family helped her overcome the myriad difficulties. At 14, she enrolled in the local school of art and fashion and graduated top of her class; several of her creations were showcased in the school's end-of-year fashion show. She then went on to get a top class degree in fashion styling from the Academy of Fine Arts in Macerata. After two years of hard work building up her portfolio, she now works as a fashion stylist in Milan - one of the world capitals of high fashion. Although still working to establish herself in this cut-throat world, she is being increasingly called upon by various agencies who work with the top fashion houses. She has also launched her own fashion line specialising in high quality, eco-sustainable children's clothing.

I met Farwa through a common friend. I have been doing a series of articles on the Pakistani diaspora in Italy with a particular focus on documenting success stories - stories of those who were making a new life here and not forever hankering after the old country. However, most of those I interviewed were men and despite my best efforts I could not identify many successful women.

Young Pakistani women in Italy often find life difficult. There is little family support for education, social restrictions are stifling, and often working outside the house is frowned upon. And then there is the question of marriage...