Quote of the week: Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on the power of fashion
Nazanin Zaghari- Ratcliffe in Harper’s Bazaar
Stitched Back Together is a wonderful feature in Harper’s Bazaar May issue written by Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. The British-Iranian journalist emphasizes the relationship between clothes and identity and how this was removed from her during the six years she was held as a political prisoner. ‘Clothes are a crucial part of our identity. They reveal such a lot about us…In most circumstances in life, we own the power over what we wear.’
Incarcerated in jail, prisoners are dressed identically in oversized uniforms; the 50-year-old writes about the value of upcycling, inventiveness, making clothes and passing them on. Creativity and sharing make life more bearable. For the feature, Zaghari-Ratcliffe models a couple of the made-in-prison dresses, including the mustard yellow one she wore on her release (above).
‘Passing on clothes was a common practice as a way of showing people they were special to you. Through clothes, you were connected to the prisoners before and after you, just a temporary custodian of these garments. It made you realise you were part of a wider struggle, a broader community of women enduring injustice.’
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s embroidery. Photo: Harper’s Bazaar
The women are allowed to receive a seasonal quota of garments from their families, and, unusually, to dress up for special occasions. Zaghari-Ratcliffe talks about her collection of Liberty print fabrics back in London and saving them for best. ‘Somehow, I managed to get them sent over to me… Prison had taught me there was no such thing as a special moment; the only special moment we have is now. Ironically, the Liberty fabric that I had bought as a free person landed in my hands when I had no liberty at all, and connected me to the days I was free.’
While inside, separated from her young daughter, Zaghari-Ratcliffe knitted two children’s cardigans and made a Liberty print romper suit. ‘Clothes were a huge part of our survival – the way they helped us make a different world inside and kept our connections to the world outside.’
Read the Harper’s Bazaar feature HERE. And listen to a recent interview with Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour HERE.
Discussion (15 Comments)
Thank you, Katharina. I’m sure your great aunt had some haunting stories to tell about her experience. And I think that’s true about staying human; Nazanin writes about how dehumanising prison uniforms are and how being creative helped to make life inside more tolerable.
ursula says:
Great post. I have been brought up to think fashion is frivolous and am still a bit guilty of hiding shopping bags in wardrobe, under bed, for the first few hours or days of having hauled something expensive home! Also a sense that being interested in clothes and what people wear is a distraction from being interested in who they are and what is going on in their brains. But this piece really resonates with the pleasure and freedom that enjoying wearing , making and exchanging clothes can bring. I am currently giving certain items of clothes and accessories away to colleagues and friends – nice pieces that I no longer wear for a variety of reasons. It’s a real pleasure seeing them move on and feeling that a connection is made with well-placed gifts. I’m also taking much more care with the few pieces I decide to buy – which should lead to less free floating guilt and hiding going forward.
Eve McBride says:
I have been incredibly moved by this post and by the article in Harpers Bazaar. Like Katharina, my grandmother and her sister were imprisoned by the Nazis. I never met either of them but treasure their photographs taken upon their liberation, wearing lovely floral dresses that had been donated to the International Red Cross. Given the clothes rationing at that time, it is wonderful to think that people were generous enough to donate their treasured items of clothing.
Cindy from Canada says:
This was a very powerful blog. After reading this, and the feature in Harper’s Bazaar, I reflected on what I wear and my clothing choices. Thank you for this.
Patrish says:
This is yet another perfect example of why I faithfully read your blog. Thank you.
Mary says:
The Thoughtful Dresser by Linda Grant is a well written book that covers the importance of fashion and clothes adding meaning to life. It also used to be a blog in the 2000s.
Claudia says:
There was an excellent Netflix special about how different people expressed themselves through clothes. One episode was with male prisoners who refashioned their issued uniforms, and with released prisoners for whom new clothes were a symbolic milestone.
Julia says:
I found this post, the article and Woman’s Hour interview all very moving. How wonderful that, in her awful imprisonment, Nazanin was able to learn to make clothes for herself to express her own individuality. And that, having discovered how enjoyable it is (which I can attest to), has continued sewing since her release.
Annette says:
My father loved clothes – both for himself but also bought lovely clothes for my mother. He was very fond of cravats and had many of them. When he died at 87, I cleaned them all, folded them into a box and took them to his funeral. I asked all the men who came if they would like one – I wasn’t sure of their reaction, they came from another generation, but they were all so pleased to take this reminder of their old friend. I was very touched by their response.
What a moving piece by Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, thank you for highlighting it. She’s right about the importance of having the freedom to choose what we wear. As someone who works from home and lives mainly in ‘leisure-wear’ I feel inspired to start sewing again and to appreciate that freedom. Sewing is so very cathartic and empowering.
Tuuli 
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How interesting. I somehow fear that my interest in fashion is superficial. But of course it is not.
My great aunt was imprisoned in the Ravensbrück concentration camp during WWII.
I remember her telling me that some women tried to tie their scarves in a fashionable way, this was a way of staying human.