Los Angeles student uses Iranian American upbringing to fuel passion for clothing line
In the midst of turmoil and war between his two homelands, one young Iranian business owner living in Los Angeles is working to merge history with a cultural movement as more Iranian Americans find an appetite for learning more about their culture and history.
Ryan Blourchi is an economics student turned clothing and jewelry designer who began creating his designs by drawing inspiration from his Iranian roots.
"I was just out there working on designs all day, just drawing instead of studying," Blourchi said.
He turned those sketches into Xodafez, a jewelry and clothing line celebrating the culture and history of pre-Islamic Iran.
"What I really like about Iranian history, it's kind of like the patterns on a Persian rug — it's all interconnected," he said. "The mythology and the history, the legends and the truth. And it's kind of one beautiful, but also sad love story of Iranian people's resilience."
Blourchi said that every single design means something special and celebrates the heritage, poetry and Zoroastrianism that spanned over five empires, a far cry from the turmoil that has embroiled his parents' homeland since before he was even born.
"They had armored horses and sold cavalry, like a thousand years before Rome and any other civilization, and this is a Sasanian King, Bahram, and he is a very interesting figure in Iranian history and mythology, because not only is he in the Shahnameh, but he's also a real life king," Blourchi said.
He dreams that one day Iranians in Iran can buy and wear his designs.
"It's kind of sad that they can't buy it," Blourchi said. "There's a lot of potential for Iran that is not being utilized, and I hope to see some changes so that maybe in my life, I could contribute to making Iran a better place."
His nostalgia for a land currently under attack, full of history and meaning for Blourchi's family and so many is a love story that fueled his passion in the footsteps of the Shahnameh, the ancient national poem of Iran. Like the historic epic, full of ups and downs, tragedy and hope, the tale never ends.
"I'm losing money, actually, doing this. It is not about the clothes so much. It is kind of just about the purpose of what I'm doing and trying to, kind of leave something behind after I die," Blourchi said.
