Atelier Jolie’s Latest Collaboration Highlights the Work of Afghan Artisans

No doubt Angelina Jolie has a packed schedule. But between producing an award-winning musical and attending major film festivals, the actor’s still been able to focus on her fashion-focused endeavor, Atelier Jolie. Just in time for the seasonal transition from summer to fall, the philanthropist is teaming up with Afghan fashion brand Zarif Design to create a limited capsule collection.

The capsule collection at Atelier Jolie.

Embroidery details from Zarif Design’s artisans.

The goal of the collection is simple: to showcase the makers behind the clothes. “What I want to normalize is knowing who did the embroidery you are wearing,” Jolie shared with ELLE.com. “To see and respect the craft and skills of artisans around the world. We wanted to show how beautiful their work was.” Zolay Sherzad, the founder and creative director of Zarif, explained that the collection’s pieces feature weaving techniques and designs based on century-old patterns from Afghanistan and Central Asia. The label, which works with a network of Afghan dyers, silk and cotton weavers, embroiderers, tailors, and others, was created as a social enterprise that not only provides Afghan women and men a safe work environment but also the opportunity to further develop their skills—all the while building upon their country’s traditional culture. “After four years of running [the NGO], School of Hope, I realized that young women faced a lot of challenges to access higher education and professional development opportunities. That’s when I decided to start Zarif,” Sherzad said.

For Jolie, building a relationship between Atelier Jolie and Zarif was one of the best ways to support this community. The collaboration not only provides work opportunities but also highlights Afghanistan—which, according to Sherzad, is only seen through the lens of war and conflict—in a positive way. “I believe [that it is] better than aid relief through others to find a way to partner and work with the very capable people of Afghanistan,” Jolie said. “To bring business directly to women—that is something I encourage everyone to do.”

In terms of the actual pieces—which are available to shop at the Atelier Jolie brick-and-mortar store in New York—Jolie and Sherzad opted for simple, easy-to-wear options in order to let the work of Zarif’s artisans shine. Whether styled with Atelier Jolie’s in-house blazers or on their own, the actress describes these lightweight designs as pieces that will go with anything. Look closely, and you’ll see intricate details that Zarif aims to preserve through the designs. “Sadly, many of these traditional skills are dying out, as the younger generation seeks other types of opportunities,” Sherzad told ELLE. “This is an important reason why Zarif is very focused on providing a market for these artisans to continue their skills and trade, and hopefully pass on this important cultural knowledge to a new generation who can continue these traditions into the future.”

Afghan women embroidering an Atelier Jolie x Zarif Design piece.

With fast fashion as big as it is, it’s easy for consumers to overlook the many hands that touch a garment—especially those with complex designs and embellishments like the embroidery seen on these pieces. Through Zarif, Sherzad hopes to connect the wearer with the maker more closely. As for Jolie, she simply hopes that the collection will inspire others to work directly with these Afghan women: “I hope when you see the work, you are reminded of the very rich culture and think of them.”

Dale Arden Chong is the senior fashion commerce editor at ELLE.com, where she edits and reports on the latest trends, labels, and designers in the fashion space to bring you the best items that will elevate your wardrobe. With a passion for great sartorial stories and getting dressed (as well as a knack for nerding out over the details), she has a robust knowledge of high-quality design, construction, and materials based on testing hundreds of products over her eight-plus years in the industry, writing stories for Glamour, Who What Wear, Entertainment Tonight, and others. So, if you ask her for a shopping recommendation, she’ll give you five picks plus her honest, unfiltered opinions. Dale graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Communication Design. In 2015, she was a finalist for the National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Award in the Online category of “Commentary/Analysis/Trend” for her article “Calvin Klein Underwear: What Is Plus Size?” Outside of the style world, her hobbies include cooking, playing tennis, ceramics, and watching BTS dance videos on YouTube, among other things. Follow her on Instagram at @dalearden.