Mina Sherzoy and Zolaykha Sherzad know Afghanistan is an ongoing battle. Time had stood still here for nearly 30 years. Its people are waking up from forced slumber to realise the world has left them behind. So, when designers Sherzoy and Sherzad sat back to watch the rehearsals of the SAARC Fashion Show-2008 in New Delhi — a novel attempt by the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian Council for Cultural relations — they knew they carried with them a different reality: one of war, poverty, hunger and suppression.
Not a priority
These representatives from Afghanistan for the SAARC Fashion Show know fashion and fashion shows are not really the priority in their country. “Everyone just wants to bring bread to the table,” confesses Sherzoy. But, fashion has acquired a new meaning in the hands of these pioneering women. They work independently, but their focus is similar. Fashion is not statement-making for them. Neither is it frivolous or elitist. It is a way of teaching scores of women and families to live again, of nursing people back to work and work culture and more importantly, making women economically empowered.
Sherzoy is the president of the Afghanistan World Wide Shopping Online Mall. She works with women artisans to stroke back to life the handicraft and textile wealth of this war-ravaged country. Sherzad is the founder of the non-governmental organisation, School of Hope, apart from being a qualified designer. Both women left the country during war and returned to Kabul after the turn of the millennium.
“Kabul had changed, the promises had changed,” Sherzoy is cryptic of the devastation she returned to. “Everything is a challenge and involves risk, even starting a business. It would take us another 30 years to reach the pre-war situation,” she says.
While Sherzoy engages with women to design and make garments in her boutique in Kabul, Sherzad shuttles between New York and Kabul round the year, managing to run her garment company in Kabul.
“I was lucky to leave during the war. If I hadn’t, I would be one of them,” says Sherzoy alluding to the Afghani women who have hardly known freedom. “When I returned from the United States after 23 years, post-Taliban, I searched for women artisans, but it was difficult to find them. That’s when I started a non-governmental organisation for widows and victims of war. Now, about 6,000 people learn tailoring, computer and basic business skills,” recounts Sherzoy.
The women know the concerns in their country are basic. Infrastructure, electricity, education and funding are the issues along with dealing with people’s fear. “The security of women who come for work is a problem. Building skills is another, especially when it comes to tailoring and pattern-making. Most of these people have never worked before, so the quality has to be checked out and their skills polished,” says Sherzad.
But Sherzad is determined, especially as her country is grappling with an identity crisis. “Cultivating an identity, especially for the new generation, is important. Fashion should be a way to build our identity and style. There is no need to copy the West. Our traditional material should be valued and used,” she says. Traditional Afghani embellishments like coins and button find an appearance in her clothes.
“For us fashion is not superficial, but essential to our culture, pride and confidence. We want to present the new face of Afghanistan to the world. It is not merely terrorism here. Before the war, we had a rich and open culture,” says Sherzad.
A tough task ahead
As Sherzoy attempts to revive the age-old handicrafts, embroidery and fabrics and give them a modern makeover, she agrees there are many moulds to be broken. “I brought five people with me to Delhi. They have never seen a fashion show in their life. We have beautiful girls in Afghanistan. But for them to feel confident and secure to come on the ramp is difficult. There is still a lot of fear in the families,” Sherzoy draws attention to why fashion is almost non-existent in her country — there are hardly any models or fashion shows.
Sherzad, who conducted one of the first fashion shows in post-war Afghanistan says, “Fashion shows are not a priority. But it should be known that we have quality work.”
But the unique reality of their home is reflected well in the works of Sherzad and Sherzoy. There was no exposure for models. But the make-over burqas, embroidery, the dark tights, stoles and cleaner, simpler clothes spoke a new fashion language.