'Not Your Habibti', Palestinian Designer Fights to Stop Harassment

Published January 16th, 2019 - 07:52 GMT

While defining herself as a feminist, Mjalli says that her fight against harassment of women is unconnected to the #MeToo movement.

On fabrics of muted colours and on canvas bags from her BabyFist label, she places messages in English and Arabic inside drawings of flowers and other designs. It's only three words on a T-shirt or embroidered on a denim jacket in Palestinian designer Yasmeen Mjalli's collection, but they carry a powerful message: "Not your habibti", or darling.

Yasmeen Mjalli, 22 is "BabyFist" label founder. She sees the clothes as helping empower Palestinian women facing unwelcome male attention in public. In August 2017, she launched her first collection and a few months later opened the Ramallah shop to complement her existing online sales.

The goal, Mjalli says, is to create a community.

Using Instagram, free workshops in her shop and public places where she sometimes installs herself with a typewriter, she offers Palestinian women the freedom to express their feelings and tell stories they cannot share elsewhere.

All BabyFist garments are made in the Palestinian territories.

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Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli speaks while standing in her clothing shop where her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans is showcased, in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank ABBAS MOMANI / AFP

Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli arranges leaflets for her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans in her shop in Ramallah ABBAS MOMANI / AFP

This picture shows clothing from the Palestinian feminist fashion label "BabyFist" on display at a shop in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. ABBAS MOMANI / AFP

Amira Khader, Palestinian creative director of the feminist fashion label "BabyFist", poses with one of her canvas bags in her shop in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank ABBAS MOMANI / AFP

Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli in her clothing shop where her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans is showcased, in Ramallah ABBAS MOMANI / AFP

Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli speaks while standing in her clothing shop where her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans is showcased, in Ramallah ABBAS MOMANI / AFP

Amira Khader (L), Palestinian creative director of the feminist fashion label "BabyFist", cuts stickers while founder Yasmeen Mjalli stands next to her in their shop in Ramallah ABBAS MOMANI / AFP

Amira Khader (L), Palestinian creative director of the feminist fashion label "BabyFist", cuts stickers while founder Yasmeen Mjalli stands next to her in their shop in Ramallah ABBAS MOMANI / AFP

This picture shows clothing from the Palestinian feminist fashion label "BabyFist" on display at a shop in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. ABBAS MOMANI / AFP

Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli speaks while standing in her clothing shop where her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans is showcased, in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli arranges leaflets for her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans in her shop in Ramallah 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
This picture shows clothing from the Palestinian feminist fashion label "BabyFist" on display at a shop in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Amira Khader, Palestinian creative director of the feminist fashion label "BabyFist", poses with one of her canvas bags in her shop in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli  in her clothing shop where her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans is showcased, in Ramallah 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli speaks while standing in her clothing shop where her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans is showcased, in Ramallah 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Amira Khader (L), Palestinian creative director of the feminist fashion label "BabyFist", cuts stickers while founder Yasmeen Mjalli stands next to her in their shop in Ramallah 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Amira Khader (L), Palestinian creative director of the feminist fashion label "BabyFist", cuts stickers while founder Yasmeen Mjalli stands next to her in their shop in Ramallah 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
This picture shows clothing from the Palestinian feminist fashion label "BabyFist" on display at a shop in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli speaks while standing in her clothing shop where her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans is showcased, in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli speaks while standing in her clothing shop where her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans is showcased, in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli arranges leaflets for her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans in her shop in Ramallah 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli arranges leaflets for her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans in her shop in Ramallah ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
This picture shows clothing from the Palestinian feminist fashion label "BabyFist" on display at a shop in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
This picture shows clothing from the Palestinian feminist fashion label "BabyFist" on display at a shop in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Amira Khader, Palestinian creative director of the feminist fashion label "BabyFist", poses with one of her canvas bags in her shop in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Amira Khader, Palestinian creative director of the feminist fashion label "BabyFist", poses with one of her canvas bags in her shop in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli  in her clothing shop where her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans is showcased, in Ramallah 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli in her clothing shop where her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans is showcased, in Ramallah ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli speaks while standing in her clothing shop where her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans is showcased, in Ramallah 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Palestinian fashion designer Yasmeen Mjalli speaks while standing in her clothing shop where her label collection "BabyFist" carrying anti-sexual harassment slogans is showcased, in Ramallah ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Amira Khader (L), Palestinian creative director of the feminist fashion label "BabyFist", cuts stickers while founder Yasmeen Mjalli stands next to her in their shop in Ramallah 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Amira Khader (L), Palestinian creative director of the feminist fashion label "BabyFist", cuts stickers while founder Yasmeen Mjalli stands next to her in their shop in Ramallah ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Amira Khader (L), Palestinian creative director of the feminist fashion label "BabyFist", cuts stickers while founder Yasmeen Mjalli stands next to her in their shop in Ramallah 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
Amira Khader (L), Palestinian creative director of the feminist fashion label "BabyFist", cuts stickers while founder Yasmeen Mjalli stands next to her in their shop in Ramallah ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
This picture shows clothing from the Palestinian feminist fashion label "BabyFist" on display at a shop in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. 
ABBAS MOMANI / AFP
This picture shows clothing from the Palestinian feminist fashion label "BabyFist" on display at a shop in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. ABBAS MOMANI / AFP

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