Romana Mirza 
PhD Candidate | Romana B. Mirza
Toronto, Canada Area, ON, CANADA
PhD Candidate | Brand Strategist | Scholar | Educator
Biography
Charismatic. Energizing. Powerful. Torontobased brand strategist, visionary, and consummate connector, Romana Mirza is an engaging entrepreneur. As Studio Pinpoint™ founder & President, she is reputed for her integrity-based, results-driven approach drawing on her 20-year marketing expertise to cleverly demystify brands, helping businesses increase profitability and earn industry awards.
Industry Expertise (3)
Manufacturing
Furniture
Design
Areas of Expertise (2)
Brand Strategy
Social Media
Accomplishments (1)
International Femtor Business Matchmaker of the Year Award Finalist (professional)
2010-07-01
This prestigious international honor is awarded to women who have proven themselves to be exemplary role models in the world of business. These awards allow us to say, in effect, “We See You” and acknowledge their outstanding achievements, skills, positive "can do" attitude and commitment to giving back to their communities. These women inspire others, are respected by their peers and volunteer their time and energy to serve others less fortunate.
Education (3)
Toronto Metropolitan University and York University: PhD Candidate, Communication and Culture | Media and Culture 2024
HONOURS & AWARDS: Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships - Doctoral (SSHRC), 2021-2024. Ontario Graduate Scholarship, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. Edward S. Rogers Sr. Graduate Student Fellowship in recognition of high academic standing, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021.
Toronto Metropolitan University: MA, Fashion 2019
HONOURS & AWARDS: Major Research Project Book Award for academic excellence. School of Fashion, Faculty of Communication and Design, Ryerson University. 2019. Book Prize Award for academic excellence. School of Fashion, Faculty of Communications and Design, Ryerson University. 2018. Ryerson Graduate Fellowship, 2017 and 2018. Ontario Graduate Scholarship, 2017 and 2018.
University of Waterloo: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Links (1)
Availability
- Keynote
- Moderator
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
- Corporate Training
Fees
Research Focus (1)
Layering Muslim Women’s Identities
Challenging Dominant Narratives Through Fashion
2022-10-04
My academic research focuses on fashion, gender, identity and arts- and media-engaged research methods.
Research Grants (1)
Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships - Doctoral
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
2022-06-03
Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships - Doctoral (SSHRC), 2021-2024.
Courses (1)
Fashion Theory
This course introduces students to the study of fashion as an industry and an everyday practice. It will examine the relationship between fashion and gender, disability, race, indigeneity, class, sexuality, body shape and other social locations, and places these locations within a sociological, cultural, historical and business contexts. Students develop radical ways of understanding and engaging with fashion in order to ignite systemic social transformation.
Articles (1)
Contemporizing Modesty
Fashion StudiesRomana B. Mirza
2019-11-01
Contemporary Muslim Fashions, September 22, 2018 – January 6, 2019 was organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, shown in the de Young Museum and curated by Jill D’Alessandro and Laura Camerlengo, both curators at the museum, and consulting curator Reina Lewis, a scholar at the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London. The aim was to represent contemporary Muslim fashions. To this end, they assembled and exhibited a collection of garments from the most popular fashion designers of the day, chosen from a series of shows at modest fashion weeks around the world. Supplemented by key pieces that have gained traction in the news such as the Burkini™ and Nike®’s sport hijab, this exhibit elevated perceptions and highlighted a global view by showing designs from around the globe, honouring the African-American, Muslim-American, Arab, and South East Asian cultures and aesthetics. Supporting the sartorial narrative was a display of visual and multimedia art from hip hop music videos, film, Instagram feeds, photography, magazine covers, and prints. The multimedia “exhibit within an exhibit” complemented the sartorial narrative by providing a contemporary context for the clothing. It reminded the observer that the exhibit was not merely about fashion history or the evolution of modesty in dress but about a contemporary moment. The relationship between fashion and the body was explored through designs that cover the body and intentionally hide the often objectified and sexualized female figure to reveal a contemporary approach to fashion that is empowering.
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