We had much of Afghanistan in the news lately - a lot of violence, war and poverty. But there is so much more to discover from a country where art, philosophy, mathematics, music and poetry have been blossoming for hundreds of years!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYD0ARU3gFfhxjAfKaVne86j-txmpgwptMtOp3NSRjXTQKH6Dfb0d0-7yOFIM-T7HEvb17CeYiZ6L_bQ8QboxbroBjNx2ix5JJkBz7jtuuQ40teDf_uU7ZhasfNLJjR-NTVvF367mRRdx/s400/stripes.png)
(Handloomed fabric for a long jacket)
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(Long Chapan with antique emboidery)
Nowadays beauty is a hidden flower in Afghanistan, but it's still growing. For example in the workshops of
Zarif Design, a fashion label created by Zolaykha Sherzad. Architect and founder of an Kabul-based NGO, "School of Hope", Zolaykha began to work in 2004 with traditional artisans and crafters aiming at preserving and reviving the Afghan Artistic Culture.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJzFJ3uPuJhdnDTtdq2EQQmGELYcnnFmc_kjPb125pIbTqS8bvLBZhAUdtOkuLvKhEF6mKXcC-JQnjxWx4flngmkqlJxYF2JKOwKQFqDW2C5JP4j977ZgaLeqANVvXnnKnWuhL-JH7azs/s400/zarif.png)
She draws inspiration from old weaving techniques and needlework of the different populations of Afghanistan, as well as from contemporary Dari (persian dialect of Afghanistan) poetry (see calligraphy below).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7tjHC5WrTN4faRwMcH3iFdIziJG3zuqDENnU1TJ9GUOyqpFIrddKIpCEzZOR0N-_tZzMs7d5uTu7T94cixVXX0CMceXh634PvMPUKrsZZj5AZ6NgxpgwEuUYEIY8VxzNPToTJuRXxqUu/s400/poem.png)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVopEsbJ07y-HPz1PaM_vG4cRFqInuPgeed4q5OXN0TOqJJVOj1Ou6hwfzS8h66xaNXgVRLqBEk688r9vuWmuaVPZf5Eu-qsGzKwNJPy2OVovKIROhNAbDun4bOYnDLHyr5Eu0n-tJkDT0/s400/ikat.png)
(Ikat chapan with antique embroidery)
Every piece of her collections is absolutely stunning combinations of traditional artisanate and timeless elgance.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtX8Y9KdL3ujtJyoGtEBtgBLsLh7xuCP8jf-cNZ4s2B5nqTUmdfqpw9Fm2TFqttfBaZqrlKWlIwvS3J86PNVJ_KWFd5vAZAJgKlLPqjx5Rke908pfFLangCLTjHEcGVaJnVPko5bMXYHTf/s400/chapan.png)
(Chapan from handwoven textile and Zarif embroidery)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHFcJ0XDy-TyhBHONtzx9pfEh7TgsQNnsnQpZQZZJad_eQycPyBZbvwMIl1xuv8bftjD2Ob5Mv79d35iAcDgLWf-CMWVmkKdH43VQLNpTynOdLA1Z8WmSgfbQ4tPPqv9W5Ew1crSQUfBN/s400/calligraphy.png)
(Raw silk with embroidered calligraphy)
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Oh how nice!! the fabrics and the prints are fab.. I so agree with what you've said about Afghanisthan.. I had a friend who worked there for a while as a doctor.. and she thought the people were so nice (minus the fact that they didnt know if they would live the next day!!)
ReplyDeleteArent we so much luckier!