Tweaking the folds of black silk and gold, Zolaykha Sherzad frowns. Reinventing a country known for wearing women’s burqa as a source of high-end fashion is every stitch to be right and something is not perfect, with a dress.
Negatives of Afghans and modern fabrics and designs drew a steady stream of politicians, diplomats, business, and even some tourists, to his studio and shop in a traditional courtyard in the middle of lush Kabul.
But Sherzad, an Afghan who fled three decades ago to escape the turmoil that has dragged on intermittently since then, has more ambitious goals for a business that currently employs nearly 50 people and is fueling a revival in weaving and embroidery.
"We are launching the line in stores in London, Dubai, Paris and New York," he told Reuters, down from the walls hung with bright silk "Chapo" jackets that are a great inspiration.
Including the rails are filled with wool and silk embroidered jackets, shirts and dresses Gossamer-thin embellished with calligraphy of an Afghan artist.
"The local market is fragile, if something happens people leave," she says, a real risk in a country where violence has risen to its highest levels since the 2001 overthrow of the Taliban regime by US austere and led by Afghan forces.
Under the harsh Islamist Zarif – a fashion company with a female head – would have been inconceivable. Women were banned from working and the recipes in his underwear was beyond any bound burka to cover the type and color of the shoes.
Even now operating in the impoverished capital of a country at war brings unusual challenges.
Kabul’s power supply is cut so frequently that the fuel to keep the operating costs of machines over the rent.
With little mass production in any industry, tailors are used for sewing made to measure garments, and strives to become part of the same size needed to supply a global market.
"The fabrics are back, behind the tailors. If production does not follow orders, will not work," Sherzad said with a sigh, like a silk on shipping.
FIT FOR BOUTIQUES
However, the tailors are highly skilled, fabrics are luxurious and the use of accents in modern ethnic style means that the finished items are not out of place in the design of the capitals of the world, says fashion consultant Christine Manthey .
"People were really surprised that this kind of business even existed," the New Yorker said during a break from a pattern of reduction of the class was to hold the Zarif tailors.
"There is awareness that a contemporary line is occurring here. I see (pictures) in the boutiques, mixed with other designers, not in ethnic stores."
The concept of style has been reinforced by Afghan President Hamid Karzai global plaudits for his regular clothes to luxury.
It may take 20 days just for the thread on silk looms are hand plate, and twice as long to weave 300 meters. The colors come from natural sources such as nuts, onions and pomegranates.
Master weaver Saleh and Mohammed Sherzad regret the cheap imitations that are flooding the country said today, jackets, fabrics made of the poor with the tail and stiff cardboard.
But as the economy expands the demand of the former quality has increased. Mohammed, who learned his craft in a refugee camp, which now employs nearly 30 people, the tissue death and management of small factory that produces silk Zarif.
Jobs are coveted in a country with high unemployment, and Sherzad said that the rapid growth of its business more than half of workers are women.
"This is a place of healing, I only drive to produce, produce. Many of them have some problems at home, which have lost someone in war perhaps, and we can laugh, listening to music, and re – home inspired, positive, "he said.
