Fashion Design
Fashion Design
From Cultural Heritage to Contemporary Design
Fashion Through the Ages:
Fashion reflects history, identity and artistic change. From royal dress and Parisian haute couture to Coco Chanel’s modern silhouettes and Christian Dior’s iconic New Look, each era has shaped the way we dress. Today, fashion spans haute couture, ready-to-wear, avant-garde and sustainable design, continually evolving through the work of established houses and innovative designers.
Afghan Fashion: A Heritage of Craftsmanship
Afghan traditional dress reflects the country’s cultural diversity through vibrant colours, distinctive silhouettes and intricate handwork. Pleated dresses, shalwar trousers, shawls and traditional menswear are enriched by coin embellishment, bead embroidery, beadwork, mirror work, decorative braid and regional embroidery traditions such as khamak and chirma dozi.
Contemporary designers, including Zolaykha Sherzad of Zarif Design, bring this heritage into modern fashion, showing how traditional craftsmanship can inspire new forms of expression.
At SOHA;From Sketch to Garment:
My journey into fashion design began when a conversation with a team member who also practised tailoring inspired me to explore how artistic ideas could become wearable designs. After completing an online fashion design course and receiving a certificate of participation, I began bringing my interests in painting, decorative arts, resin work and bead embroidery together through fashion.
Design begins with an idea, developed on paper or digitally. Fashion sketches and figure illustrations explore poses, proportions and silhouettes, while details such as facial features, hairstyles, colours, fabric textures and draping help define a garment’s character. Fabric selection, pattern development, construction and hand embellishment then transform the concept into a finished piece.
At SOHA, these stages connect my different artistic skills, informing both individual garments and coordinated looks, including pieces designed to be styled in different combinations.
A Vision Beyond Fashion:
My ambition is to develop SOHA into an internationally recognised fashion brand that brings Afghan cultural heritage into dialogue with contemporary design. Despite the limitations I may face, I hope to continue my education at an international level and deepen my knowledge of fashion, from illustration and textile exploration to garment construction and collection development.
Beyond design, I want SOHA to create meaningful opportunities for women and skilled makers through employment, entrepreneurship and access to wider markets. For me, fashion is not only a form of artistic expression, but also a way to preserve heritage and help create new possibilities for others.
Shine On, Hopeful Artist:
At SOHA; “Shine on, hopeful artist” is more than a phrase. It is a message for every girl and woman who enters our welcoming space to learn, grow and discover her creative potential. Even in difficult circumstances, when opportunities are limited and the future feels uncertain, the courage to keep learning and the hope for a better tomorrow can remain alive.
I believe that the dreams nurtured at SOHA can one day become reality. And I hope these words will travel far beyond our doors, reaching thousands of girls and women across borders—encouraging them to believe in their abilities, keep creating and hold on to the possibility of a brighter future.
Shine on, hopeful artist. Your journey matters, your creativity has value, and your future is still yours to shape.