Mission

Zarif Design aims to increase economic opportunities and to revive the cultural heritage of Afghan men and women by developing their skills in traditional textile production and embroidery.

The Zarif line of jackets, dresses and other items relies on traditional craftsmanship, representing decades of cultural history much of it lost in a society torn by more than 25 years of civil war. The materials and patterns are unique to Afghanistan and represent indigenous craftsmanship and tradition.

What We Do

Zarif Design (meaning 'precious' or 'fine' in Dari) creates high quality clothing for women and men, reinterpreting traditional Afghan materials, embroidery and craftsmanship such as calligraphy to render elegant modern designs that successfully merge Eastern attire with contemporary Western fashion.

The Zarif Design line is designed and produced in Kabul, employing the skills of local Afghan women and men working with fabrics original to Afghanistan. Intricate hand embroidery and brightly colored silk “chapans” are combined to create these strikingly unique and magnificently finished coats. The timeless lines of this elegant series of fitted shirts, coats and skirts perfectly bridge Central Asian tradition with contemporary Western sensibility.

All the work in completed in two workshops in Afghanistan with a total of 40 full time employees. The employees are trained in all dressmaking skills as well as English. The high fashion line requires a very high level of skill and many of the employees were trained on site.

The line is sold internationally mainly to expatriates in Afghanistan as well as to markets in Europe and the US mainly through custom designed trunk shows. The line was also featured at the Agnes B. boutique in New York this year.

Zarif Design has been featured in major magazines such as Vogue Italy and Marie Claire.