ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A 20-year-old Kurdish female designer born in Germany showcased traditional clothing from across Kurdistan in a fashion show on Sunday in the Kurdistan Region’s capital, presenting 41 designs in what she dubbed as a “revival” of styles she believes are disappearing. Lana Sara Piran, whose mother hails from the Kurdish-majority region of Iran (Rojhelat) and whose father is from the Kurdish-majority region of Turkey (Bakur), spent three years researching and developing the collection, drawing inspiration from old photographs. “I saw pictures of Kurdish people, very old pictures, black and white… and their clothing looked very different from what people wear nowadays,” Lana told Rudaw's Dilnya Rahman on Sunday. “Why are people not wearing this anymore?” That inquiry led her down a path ultimately culminating in the creation of the collection “to bring back different styles of Kurdish clothing,” which was presented in Erbil under the title Donadon, meaning “Reincarnation” or “Revival.” The 41 designs combine traditional symbols and showcase clothing styles associated with different parts of Kurdistan, including iconic Kurdish cities such as Amed, Urmia, Saqez, Hawraman, Kobane and Barzan, with contemporary elements. For Piran, the project represents far more than a fashion collection; it is an effort to document and bring renewed attention to heritage attire that has changed or faded over generations. Ardalan Sabir, who worked alongside Piran as a tailor, helped complete more than 17 men's designs in the span of about two and a half months, saying that some date back 300 to 400 years. “She was passionate about this project,” Sabir said, adding that Lana did the handwork herself. The collection also gives individual outfits a connection to Kurdish history and communities. Saro Atta, one of the models, said one outfit was inspired by the Shorishvanan [fighters] of Kobane, while another represented Yazidi women. Lana's father, Rojhat Amedi, said Piran’s interest in design stemmed from childhood and underscored her dedication in continuing to work despite difficulties. “Sometimes it reached a point where she worked day and night,” he said. Lana, a recent high school graduate, said she plans on studying film directing and production at university and hopes to continue working in the Kurdistan Region. “I do hope to work here in Kurdistan,” she said, adding that she aspires to use film as an avenue to contribute to her people.
