Palestinian contemporary clothing and accessories label Meera Adnan has collaborated with Palestinian tatreez fashion house Deerah, to create their Migration collection. The collection reflects the state of displacement suffered by the Palestinian people.
The Migration Collection
The collection uses old and familiar techniques to create modern, relevant pieces of clothing, while honouring tatreez, an embroidery technique which has been used for centuries in this part of the world to create traditional clothing. Designed by Meera Albaba and Sara Jayyusi, Palestinian business owners and entrepreneurs, all the products in the collection were hand embroidered by Palestinian artisans.
A key piece from the collection, the Golden Hour Blazer Dress, dropped earlier this month. The blazer dress is crafted from a velvet silk blend and features hand-couching embroidery, done in Jordan, running down either side of the dress beneath the arm. The collection is modern in inspiration, but the embroidery represents traditional Palestinian work. Likewise, other pieces in the collection are all cut from contemporary silhouettes and feature a little bit of history and craft from Palestine, bringing to light Palestinian artisanship.
Meera Adnan: Reclaiming the narrative
Meera Adnan was founded in Gaza City and focuses on reclaiming the narrative of Palestine, its history, and its people. The brand is influenced by religious, political, and local references, creating the romantic and nostalgic monologue that it has become synonymous with.
Deerah stands against financial exploitation in fashion
Deerah is a sustainable brand that aims to preserve the art of traditional embroidery. The brand works towards adding tatreez prints and embroidery to modern silhouettes, creating timeless pieces that can be worn every day while still maintaining and preserving a unique Palestinian identity.
The brand was created with the social responsibility to benefit and uplift those artisans who create the tatreez patterns. Deerah’s products are made in Jordan to support small businesses and low-income families in Arab countries. The brand’s fabrics, threads, and designs are transparently traced.
Tatreez
Embroidering tatreez was a skill once practised by village women. The patterns are made up of several symbols and every print has a meaning for the one wearing it, and those who can translate the meanings in the print. The motifs will differ depending on which Palestinian area or region it comes, symbolizing everything from health, protection, and prosperity to marital status. Palestinian women who worked with tatreez were constantly learning and creating new techniques. After the Palestinian displacement, the skill was harnessed by women who were forced into exile and encountered different fashion trends.
Black Stars, the first drop from the collection, is available at both www.meeraadnan.com and www.deerah.co.
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