Arooj Aftab’s Unique Collaboration Pays Tribute to Palestinian Heritage
Renowned Pakistani-American singer Arooj Aftab, currently captivating audiences with her album Love in Exile, recently showcased her commitment to merging her music and values during a live performance in London. Aftab joined forces with Yasmeen Mjalli, the visionary behind Nöl Collective, an intersectional fashion house based in the Palestinian territories. Their collaboration resulted in a stunning ensemble: a rusted amber silk suit that beautifully incorporated elements from both Pakistani and Palestinian cultures.
The suit’s jacket featured exquisite tatreez embroidery along the lapels, cuffs, and hem, blending motifs inspired by both cultures. This embroidery weaved a narrative of resilience and shared heritage, symbolizing the connection between Aftab and the Palestinian people. Complementing the jacket, Aftab wore high-waisted silk trousers adorned with delicate gold threadwork, reminiscent of traditional Pakistani craftsmanship.
Expressing her gratitude for this meaningful collaboration, Aftab took to Instagram to share a photo of her outfit and reflect on its significance. She described the collaboration as deeply touching and emphasized how the fabric, infused with the troubled history and sorrow of a precious land, represented resistance and hope. Aftab wore the ensemble on stage during her Love in Exile performance in London, intending to channel the shades of collective pain into power, aspiring for a world where change is realized.
The journey between Aftab and Nöl Collective began when her manager gifted her a Nöl blazer adorned with an embroidered Palestinian children’s poem. Aftab wore this blazer during her debut NPR Tiny Desk concert in December 2021, catching Mjalli’s attention. Inspired by Aftab’s commanding aesthetic, Mjalli aimed to create a powerful presence for the artist on stage through their collaboration for the Barbican performance and Aftab’s international tour.
Aftab expressed her admiration for Nöl Collective’s commitment to sustainability and cultural preservation. She shared her preference for a regal styling that aligned with her album Vulture Prince and embodied both bravery and femininity. Aftab appreciated how Mjalli understood her vision, emphasizing angles, big shoulders, and straight lines over flowy elements.
Mjalli’s suits and blazers are meticulously crafted in the Askar refugee camp, a source of immense pride for Aftab. Wearing garments made by individuals in Palestinian refugee camps holds profound meaning for her, symbolizing support and adding a new dimension to her performances. Mjalli’s dedication to slow fashion drives her involvement in every step of the production process, employing Palestinian craftspeople and reviving ancestral techniques like tatreez—a laborious cross-stitch embroidery traditionally passed down through generations of women. Mjalli highlighted how this embroidery once served as a visual autobiography, revealing a woman’s origin based on specific motifs and colors unique to her village or region.
Mjalli explained that after the Palestinian Nakba in 1948, tatreez assumed an even deeper significance. Palestinians, uprooted from their villages and faced with destruction, kept the memory of their ancestral homes alive through embroidery and dresses handed down through generations. These garments became living maps and poignant reminders of Palestine’s past.
Operating under Israeli occupation presents ongoing challenges for Nöl Collective. Restricted movement and checkpoints hinder the transportation of people and goods among Palestinian territories. Despite these obstacles, Mjalli perseveres, sometimes personally undertaking hours-long journeys to ensure the safe delivery of her textiles. The creation of Aftab’s stage ensemble encountered its own hurdles, with the package containing the tailored suit unexpectedly blocked by the Tel Aviv post office. Nevertheless, Mjalli remained determined, rerouting the package through Jordan and Saudi Arabia to ensure its timely arrival in London for Aftab’s performance.
