Maryam Oria, Anya Hurwood feature in Fabrics of Multicultural Australia at Golden Eagle Day

When the Taliban reprised its rule, a Canberra woman’s clothing factory in Afghanistan collapsed but the business made a comeback as a clandestine workshop making dresses for Aussies.

When the Taliban reprised its rule, a Canberra woman’s clothing factory in Afghanistan collapsed.

But the business made a comeback as a clandestine workshop in Kabul producing dresses for Aussies.

Those striking, embroidered garments will be on show when racegoers descend on the Fabrics of Multicultural Australia lunch at Rosehill Gardens’ Golden Eagle Day on October 29.

Entrepreneur Maryam Oria, the founder of Sakena the Label, had to scramble to relocate the business from a Kabul factory with a shopfront to a home when the Taliban swept back into power in August last year.

She said they banned women’s right to hold a job and express themselves through wearing vibrant colours.

Entrepreneur Maryam Oria runs Sakena the Label. She employs women in Afghanistan who make garments in a secret home after the Taliban shut their factory and banned colourful clothing.

Ms Oria, 34, said more freedoms existed in her homeland in 2019 than today.

“It’s a massive difference,’’ she said.

“People would go to the bazaar, the shops, they would wear anything they wanted to, it was a different world and after the Taliban, they’re forcing the black burqas on women.’’

The mother of two daughters formed the business, which produces dresses and handbags by reusing donated materials, after she became unemployed in 2020 as the Covid pandemic set in.

As if a pandemic wasn’t enough of a challenge, the Islamic fundamentalist group returned to power the next year.

“It was a tragedy, of course, but after a couple of months I started over again,’’ Oria said.

The label employs 15 women in Afghanistan, five women in Australia and two men who upcycle dresses using pieces of materials from vintage pieces and “whatever is available” after viewing Ms Oria’s sketches as the design brief.

“We don’t want any waste,’’ she said.

A model wearing Sakena the Label clothing, run by Maryam Oria. She employs women in Afghanistan who make garments in a secret home after the Taliban shut their factory and banned colourful clothing.

“We want to use whatever is available because there’s so many materials in Afghanistan.

“The only passion ladies have at home is embroidery but a lot of the time it goes to landfill.’’

Along with the thrifty style, she is able to continue providing women with an income.

“It’s really rewarding,’’ she said.

“I get to do what I really love and at the same time it benefits people who would not otherwise have a job.’’

To avoid detection, packages are dispatched to Pakistan before arriving in Australia.

Her showcase at the invitation-only FOMA lunch on Golden Eagle features 10 “flowing and contemporary” dresses, which have also been crafted for Australians.

“The whole idea of Sakena the Label is to create a fresh look of the traditional dresses of Afghanistan and present it to the world, not just for Afghans but non-Afghans can also wear them,’’ she said.

Maryam Oria founded Sakena the Label.

“There’s lots of detail, a lot of hard work, it takes them two to three months to make a dress but it’s also very heavy so I wanted to create something light and breezy with a lighter touch so our younger generation can wear it.

“I’ve kept it very modern as well so if someone wants to wear it with a pair of heels they don’t have to wear it with trousers so it is a very versatile piece.’’

Her fashion is also a platform to show the beauty in her homeland, which she left with her husband Waleed Payenda in 2011 to study in Australia.

“Unfortunately we are known for war, poverty and the Taliban but then Afghanistan has so many other things to offer; so many beautiful things in that country but no one is focusing on that,’’ she said.

With women’s rights trampled in Afghanistan, it’s no surprise the death of Iranian 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for not wearing her headscarf properly, has resonated with Ms Oria.

“It’s very sad. I don’t know why women aren’t given the very basic rights, which is education and their own will to say what they want to,’’ she said.

“It’s a male-dominated society.’’

Sakena the Label clothing.

When Ms Oria is not building her fashion brand, she works as a program support officer for the federal government.

She eventually wants to establish a factory to employ refugees in Sydney, where she will move from this month after living in Canberra.

Joining her at Rosehill Gardens is Ukraine-born designer Anya Hurwood, who has found an outlet in her fashion while her parents are trapped in Kherson.

Russian troops have invaded the strategic southern industrial port city.

Mrs Hurwood attempted to help her mum Natalia, 76, and father Valeriy, a 77 year old who has Parkinson’s disease and dementia, flee their home but can only send money as the risk of escaping remains perilous, particularly for the elderly.

“If the bomb happens, it happens,’’ Mrs Hurwood said.

Ukraine-born designer Anya Hurwood. Picture: Vivek Basnet Photography

“For her it’s going to be so much more difficult and God knows if you’re going to be killed on the way out, and the Red Cross is not helping. It’s just insane.

“The Russians already lost the war. It’s just stupid.’’

Half of the Cronulla designer’s showcase at Rosehill will reflect the blue and yellow of Ukraine’s flag, with a line that is 30 per cent evening wear along with formal attire, office outfits and athletic street style.

The 46 year old makes all her pieces by hand.

“I do everything myself because of my fashion style, I do many things against the sewing rules, and I can’t trust someone to do it because I don’t even know what I’m going to get, so I create my own way on the go,’’ she said.

Compared with Aussie fashion, she describes the Eastern European country’s wardrobe as bolder and more creative and is proud of Ukraine.

“Ukrainians have a hard work ethic and we’ve got knowledge,’’ she said.

“Ukrainians are very practical and hard workers. The quality of Ukraine production is incredible.

“I’m extremely proud of my nation.’’

MORE NEWS

Dundas, North Parramatta, Pendle Hill hardest hit by housing rent

North Rocks: Development on former Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children site