First Generation Fashion

Daniela Kucher was raised by Russian refugees who sought political freedom from their home country. Her parents moved to New York City in the late '70s to start a family, and find a better life. Years later, Kucher began looking for other first-generation American women like herself — those whose families came to the United States and brought with them their native values, traditions, and aesthetics.

In September, she launched First Generation Fashion, a style blog and photography project that catalogs women across a variety of ethnic backgrounds, and tells their stories. "Growing up first-generation American meant learning English as a second language, loving food others can't pronounce, and having access to my mother's incredible closet of treasures," she explains on the site. "In a city that represents a microcosm of the world, being a New York native is often synonymous with being of international descent."

Ahead, nine first-generation women featured on Kucher's website reveal how their families wound up in New York City — and what impact it has had on everything from their closets to their identities.