Jelena – Brčko

“Set your own trends.”

“When I was a kid, my mom worked at a clothing boutique in this building in downtown Brčko. I spent all my free time there playing games among the clothes. She would even prop me up in the window like a mannequin and see how long it would take the customers to notice me!” Jelena’s time spent in her mother’s shop taught her a love of fashion, but also a love of people. She went on to study law with a hope of helping people fight for better futures with legal action. Despite her enthusiasm, job opportunities are limited in Brčko so she’s not restricting herself to just one dream. “I’d love to live in the big cities like Banja Luka or Sarajevo where the creative side of me could flourish. With access to a bigger market, I could become a fashion or interior designer. I know I’ll find a job soon that fulfills me. I’ve always been told my big imagination sometimes has impossible ideas, but actually it’s my imagination that has given me the courage to try!” While Jelena does believe in her future in BiH, she wishes that her government would provide more support for young people looking for jobs or growing a family. Regardless, she’s not giving up on anything – including her wardrobe. “What you wear is what you feel – and I’ve never let someone else dictate either one for me. If there is a trend that I don’t like, I don’t follow it. In BiH, one current trend right now is for young people to leave. That’s simply not my style. I’ll be here with my best red lipstick on!”

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