Designer's Milan Fashion Week collection incorporates Kalash valley's craft

Haitian-Italian designer Stella Jean’s collection at the Milan Fashion Week stood out as it incorporated embroideries from northern Pakistan.

She showcased her latest Spring/Summer 2020 which features elements from Chitral, Hunza and Kalash’s culture.

Pakistani model Mushk Kaleem opened the show for Jean and Alicia Khan also walked the ramp.

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Her collection in collaboration with Chitral Women’s Handicrafts Center, founded by the 22-year-old Karishma Ali,  paid homage to Pakistan’s culture. She travelled to the country earlier this year.

It was the first time embroideries were ever presented for use outside the Kalash community in the form of colourful stitching wrapped around dresses, adorned belts, and decorated hemlines on the runway.

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Vogue later featured her collection revealing that Jean spent two weeks in remote valleys of Chitral region to learn about the embroidery techniques Kalash women use to adorn their dresses.

“For several weeks, 46 women in the center embroidered more than 4,000 meters of material,” shared Vogue. 

The designer aimed to raise awareness about Kalash, risk of their tradition going extinct and to provide their community with income.