palestine

Photo: Instagram.com/chvkerjewelry
As a model who frequently champions her Palestinian heritage, it’s natural that Bella Hadid does so sartorially too. The part-Arab daughter of real estate developer Mohamed Hadid, known for actively advocating her support for Palestine, was recently spotted wearing its name around her neck. While out in West Hollywood with her brother Anwar Hadid, and friends including Euphoria star Alexa Demie, the model accessorized her look with gold necklaces that read ‘Palestine’, and her full name, ‘Isabella’.

These are not just necklaces bought off-the-shelf, but custom pieces created on Hadid’s request by Chvker Jewelry’s designer Nazlia Yunus. She revealed that Hadid commissioned her to design around eight bespoke nameplate necklaces in gold, reading:  ‘Pizza Queen’, ‘Libra Angel’, ‘Hellz Bellz’, ‘Baby Bellz’, ‘Bella Hadid’, and her middle name, ‘Khair’. Chvker Jewelry is known for its trendy Y2K pieces, in line with the 25-year-old model’s current style. In fact, Hadid is not the only popular name the brand has found a fan in. Yunus’ designs have also been spotted on Demie, beauty mogul Kylie Jenner, Stranger Things actor Millie Bobby Brown, and rapper Becky G.

Hadid complemented her necklaces with a pair of classic oversized golden hoops. Her outfit of choice for attending artist Alana O’Herlihy’s birthday at The Nice Guy restaurant consisted of a brown backless halter dress with a plunging neckline and a high-low neckline, and white knee-high leather boots. She completed her look with a leopard print purse slung over her shoulder, and wore her hair in a messy bun with a side fringe, which has fast become her signature hairstyle.
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Model and stylist Sharon Rose wearing Dar Noora
When you hear the word Palestine, a plethora of images appears in your mind’s eye. The territory and her people continue to suffer and endure unspeakable indignities on a daily basis; such scenes leave little room for hope. And yet amid the pain sits a remarkable creative community of designers. They celebrate Palestinian culture as they bring fashion to life; fashion that stands for a spirit of perseverance and determination.
Gigi Hadid wearing a Chanel keffiyeh styled jacket in honour of World Keffiyah Day. Photo: Getty
This new wave of creativity is gaining traction on the international stage, with public figures such as US politician Rashida Tlaib wearing a Palestinian gown as she was sworn into Congress, and Queen Rania of Jordan wearing a blue kaftan with Palestinian embroidery from Dar Noora. Oscar-nominated film director Farah Nabulsi and model sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid are also known for wearing Palestinian brands or wrapping a keffiyeh around themselves to underline their cultural background and draw attention to Palestine and her people. The upsurge in the popularity of Palestinian design is often not just about the fashion, it’s grounded in the desire to make a statement. Here, Vogue Arabia speaks to Palestinian designers about their work and the challenges they face.
Hind Hilal
Hind Hilal (right) with Palestian musician Maysa Daw. Photo: Julie Dakwar
Living under occupation, Hind Hilal has fought to create her eponymous contemporary ready-to-wear collection. Hilal studied architectural design upon discovering that there were no degrees in fashion offered in Palestine, however, she quickly decided to follow her dreams and create her first lines. Hilal’s pieces speak to strength and femininity and create a balance between structure and fluidity through form, flow, layers, and volume. Each piece is designed and made following eco-friendly practices and ethical approaches. Delays imposed by checkpoints, a lack of resources, and competition with Israeli brands for workers are at the root of countless problems, but Hilal’s brand continues to grow. “To be creative while living under occupation is an everyday challenge. Having so little to create something authentic and loud enough to reach further has become my way of resisting and existing as Palestinian and as a designer, despite all limitations,” says Hilal.
US politician Rashida Tlaib wearing a Palestinian gown as she was sworn into Congress. Photo: Getty
Dar Noora
Noora Khalifeh. Photo: Julie Dakwar
Noora Khalifeh created Dar Noora to combine her passions for contemporary fashion and traditional Palestinian tatreez, a centuries-old form of embroidery. Inspired by Khalifeh’s father’s souvenir shop in the Old City of Al-Quds, Dar Noora is testament to the sights, sounds, and experiences its creator reveled in as a child. Dar Noora is a modern take on classic design and Khalifeh works with local women – “the ones who work across Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, who carry out the needlework, and without whom Dar Noora would be incomplete.” The use of tatreez in her designs hints at further possibilities. “There is a rich opportunity to open and expand a uniquely Palestinian fashion industry,” she says. “It would counter the typically foreign-imposed model of economic development and empowerment with an organic, home-grown alternative, that stands to create jobs in which Palestinians would take great pride.”
Queen Rania of Jordan wearing Dar Noora. Photo: Alamy

Suzy Tamimi
Suzy Tamimi. Photo: Wish Thanasarakhan
The child of Palestinian immigrants to the US, New York-based Suzy Tamimi has long been drawn to Palestinian textiles. “I have always felt a deep connection to my Palestinian roots. Palestine has always lived in my heart, it feels like home,” she says. Her latest collection fuses traditional fabrics and design elements with contemporary concepts to create practical, streamlined athletic gear. Tamimi’s use of tatreez is purposeful. “I choose tatreez as my weapon to bring about awareness and share the beauty of Palestine,” she shares. “Tatreez in itself is proof of our existence, especially the old, tattered pieces that I’ve collected – they serve as Palestinian artifacts. We have been constantly trying to defend our existence and this is a beautiful reminder that we existed – and still do,” she says. She regards each design as a small victory: bringing traditional elements into a contemporary space ensures the continuation of Palestinian heritage and helps to tell the story of Palestine.
A young woman from Bethlehem in a traditional headdress and embroidered gown, early 20th century. Photo: Getty
Trashy Clothing
Omar Braika (left) and Shukri Lawrence of Trashy Clothing with model Fouz Musse. Photo: Hiba Nabulsi
Trashy Clothing is a ready-to-wear Palestinian fashion label created by Shukri Lawrence and Omar Braika and was named to symbolize having to start from “ground zero.” Operating out of Palestine and Jordan, the brand works hard to reduce waste, maximize efficiency, and overcome obstacles. “We sample our collections digitally before going into production; we’re able to see the way the garments would move digitally and reduce sampling fabric waste at the same time,” Braika shares. “With all the restrictions around us as Palestinians, we’ve used the internet to our benefit since we launched.” Their pieces speak to both beauty and pain, and symbolize Palestinians’ ability to overcome hardship. With references to workwear, clubwear, sportswear, Arab pop icons, and eveningwear, each collection presents a theme and topic with the spirit of anti-fashion. With its unique blend of political satire, kitsch, culture, and humor, the brand seeks to present an enduring take on Arab and Palestinian identity by playing with the idea of what is considered “cheap” or “trashy” in today’s society.
Read Next: “It’s reflective of Palestine’s larger pain” – Director Farah Nabulsi on Her Bafta-Winning and Oscar-Nominated Film
Originally published in the September 2021 issue of Vogue Arabia
Style: Sharon Rose, Mauricio QuezadaHair and makeup: Lara Hodaly, Hany ArdatPhotography assistant: Majdy AB

Harvey Nichols in Kuwait
Harvey Nichols Kuwait has taken action with regards to one of its stocked brands following comments made by its founder that were deemed anti-Palestine. Amid escalating violence in the country, Jasmin Larian of Cult Gaia, the Los Angeles-based ready-to-wear brand in question, recently came under fire following her Instagram post which was considered to be against human rights.
Her post read, “I am seeing so much misinformation on social… One-sided and spreading hate. Please educate yourself on the full story before reposting. I’m praying for everyone on both sides who are a victim of this violence.” According to health officials, as of May 15, the Israel-Gaza violence has caused the death of 132 Palestinians, among them women and children. Eight people have died in Israel. As such, given the escalation of violence in the region, Larian’s post was perceived as slanted by those in support of Palestine and heavily criticized by the clients of the department store. It lead to mass outrage on social media calling for Cult Gaia’s boycott by consumers and its stockists around the Gulf.
Photo: Instagram/@harveynicholskuwait
In response to the backlash, Larian later shared, “I realize I am part of the problem by failing to share both sides.” She added, “I also want to be clear that I am in support of the Palestinian people and their rights but not of the leadership that uses them to incite violence and hatred for Israel and Jews. In a perfect world, Israel should be a place for all people and all religions.” However, a chain reaction of stores actioning the feedback asking for the brand’s removal had already begun.
Photo: Instagram/@harveynicholsdubai
Today, May 17, Harvey Nichols Kuwait took to Instagram to announce its decision to “remove” Cult Gaia. The statement posted to its Instagram stories read, “Our dear followers, due to the current escalation of events, the decision has been made to remove Cult Gaia from Harvey Nichols.” The same was called for by social media users from the luxury department store’s other Middle Eastern branches. Since then, Harvey Nichols Dubai and Bloomingdales Middle East have stated on their Instagram stories that they have “escalated this matter and will ensure” that it takes “any necessary steps.” While no comment has been made by Harvey Nichols Riyadh, an Instagram direct message from the department store in Doha says that it has “removed the brand from display.” A similar message from Galeries Lafayette in Doha reads that it will be removing the brand from the store.
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“Palestinian Refugees” (study, 1967) Bajeel Art collection. Courtesy Instagram.com/Sultanalqassemi
As violence escalates in Palestine, prominent figures from all over the world shared messages pleading for peace and the respect of human rights. United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres issued a statement via his spokesperson, “He is deeply saddened to learn of increasingly large numbers of casualties, including children, from Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, and of Israeli fatalities from rockets launched from Gaza. The Secretary-General’s thoughts are with the families of the victims.” He called on Israeli security forces to “exercise maximum restraint and calibrate their use of force,” and stated that “indiscriminate launching of rockets and mortars towards Israeli population centers is unacceptable.” In the UAE, foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called for a ceasefire in a statement. “The UAE is alarmed by the escalating spiral of violence in Israel and Palestine. We express our condolences to all victims of the recent fighting, and join others in calling for an immediate cessation of violence and hostilities,” he said. “The UAE calls on all parties to take immediate steps to commit to a ceasefire, initiate a political dialogue, and exercise maximum restraint.”
Having into consideration the complexity of the dispute and the violence of the acts, opinions are polarized. From the Arab world – and Arabs abroad – leading figures in culture and entertainment are using their vast audiences to generate awareness in support of Palestinians, and what they are describing as arbitrary violence. The most powerful messages are in defense of children that have been killed in residential neighborhood attacks, and innocent civilians losing their lives.
Read some of the reactions below.

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