10 BRILLIANT PALESTINIAN FASHION DESIGNERS WHO ARE TURNING THEIR HERITAGE INTO ART
BY GRACE GORDON5-MINUTE READNOVEMBER 16, 2023
Fashion’s power to tell a story without words is integral to the work of these 10 Palestinian fashion designers.
In the world of fashion, the stories told through cloth and stitch often carry layers of cultural significance, weaving together threads of history, identity, and resilience.
The Palestinian fashion scene is an unyielding force of creativity where designers are not just crafting garments but making bold statements about their heritage and place in the world. Pioneers like Zeid Hijazi, Reemami, and Trashy Clothing are leading this movement, infusing traditional Palestinian motifs with contemporary aesthetics.
Their work is a testament to how fashion can be both a mirror reflecting societal challenges and a beacon of hope, showcasing the indomitable spirit of a people. Each design echoes tales of tradition, ambition, and an inherent desire to break barriers. They’re not just pieces of clothing but symbols of a vibrant culture asserting its space on the global stage.
Palestinian-Jordanian designer and winner of the Fashion Trust Arabia ‘Debut Talent’ prize in 2020, Zeid Hijazi, was inspired to create his debut collection ‘Kalt’ after watching the Tunisian film Bedwin Hackers, in which the titular character, Kalt, hacks television frequencies and broadcasts messages and symbology around freedom and equality for North Africans.
The film prompted Zeid to think of how he could use Palestinian symbology – which is embedded in his culture’s traditional embroidery – to broadcast a message. “My work is drenched in symbolism at the moment,” Zeid said in an exclusive interview with Savoir Flair. “When I started designing this collection, Sheikh Jarrah, where my grandmother lives, was going through hell.
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“The first thing you notice, coming to Israel from the Arab world, is that you have left the most courteous region of the globe and entered the rudest. The difference is so profound that you’re left wondering when the mutation in Semitic blood occurred, as though God parted the Red Sea and said: “Okay, you rude ones, keep wandering toward the Promised Land. The rest of you can stay here and rot in the desert, saying ‘welcome, most welcome’ and drowning each other in tea until the end of time.”
― Tony Horwitz, Baghdad without a Map and Other Misadventures in Arabia