Afghan designer Nazila Sawhney strives to revive her history and culture through contemporary designs
When I was a little girl, I would see flocks of birds swarming over the mosque. I believed they were seeking the divine creator and were his messengers. later, I realised the birds were loyalists of some women devotees who fed and cared for them selflessly. The women, on their part, came to the mosque for hope, for the promise that things would be better. Perhaps there is a greater harmony and understanding between the birds and the women, a connection that is deeper than we can understand,’’ says Afghanistan-born Canadian fashion designer Nazila Sawhney.
It is nostalgia that lights up her golden tulle dress, with embroidered birds flying freely, symbolising the symbiotic relationship between the women and the birds. “It’s a vision of how it used to be and how it could have been if Afghan wasn’t set back with decades of war,” says Sawhney, who now works from USA but whose clinging of geographic memory has defined her design grammar.
Her diverse background arms her with an advantage in creating vintage, ethnic Afghan inspired looks with a contemporary edge. Through her collection, she has been striving hard to creatively keeping her heritage alive while setting new ethnic trends.
Sawhney has participated in numerous fashion shows in Canada, US and most recently in India’s runway platforms. Many icons from Bollywood have already donned her outfit. ‘‘I believe in uniqueness and luxury of the outfits and most importantly their need to be wearable and comfortable,’’ she says.
Her most recent collection, Afghan, A Forgotten land Collection, at the Asian Fashion Week is inspired by the heritage, historical monuments and the people of Afghanistan in which each silhouette narrates a story. “Today, Afghanistan’s national dress is recognised by only one garment, the burkha and that was never our national dress,” says Sawhney, whose collection is available online and in studios in USA and Canada.
Designing for her is a form of meditation. According to her, it invigorates her creative mind and soul. Asked on how she stepped into the world of design, she says, ‘‘I decided to take on designing for personal reasons as I wanted to create a platform for myself and my family and since it provided balance between work and family, it seemed a perfect place for me to be able to do both.’’
She credits her diverse background to be the inspiration behind her versatile designs. Says she, ‘‘I am an Afghan who was raised mostly in Canada but lived in India. Now, that I am residing in the US, I see fashion and cultures through many lenses.’’
Her designs are a mosaic of her past and present experiences that primarily boast of old techniques of embroidery engaged in new techniques and traditional cuts. But they have an upgraded edge to keep linear with today’s ever changing trends.
However, she challenges her creativity and relishes in incepting designs that are unconventional yet wearable. One can trace pieces from prét to couture in separates, as well as evening. The cuts in her designs are carefully configured to flatter the shape and size of the individual.
She mostly uses natural fabrics, traditional block printing techniques mixed with digital prints and embellished with cross stitching, metal embroidery, crystal and resham.
‘‘lately I have found happiness in learning about Afghan history and letting each outfit tell a story through careful manipulation of old techniques of embroidery with the traditional nomad feel,’’ she says.