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From Zeyne and Simi and Haze Khadra to Saoirse Ronan and Lily Allen, the Palestinian-rooted Amman-based label is making its way into some very recognisable wardrobes.
There is something instantly recognisable about a Nafiksa Skourti look. Maybe it is the crystal-covered separates, the sharp tailoring or the unexpected mix of glamour and something a little more playful. Either way, this Arab label has developed a visual language of its own and celebs have clearly taken notice.
Founded by Greek-Palestinian designer Nafsika Skourti and her sister Stephanie in the Jordanian capital in 2014, the label is built around what it calls “everyday glamour”: contemporary silhouettes, high-end craftsmanship and electric textile work. Rather than creating pieces that are reserved for an occasion, Skourti reworks wardrobe staples into statement separates that can be dressed up or down.
That versatility is part of what makes the brand so recognisable. Corset-backed tops, crystal embellishment, feathers, sheer fabrics, tailoring and intricate embroidery appear throughout its collections, often taking an otherwise familiar piece somewhere less expected. Its aesthetic sits somewhere between glamour and anti-glamour; polished, but never too serious.
The textile work is another important part of the brand. Skourti’s collections incorporate embroidery, beadwork, prints and ongoing textile development, with the brand working with artisans in Jordan, including Syrian refugee women, on hand embroidery and beadwork.
Nafsika Skourti is not simply making clothes for a celebrity wardrobe. One of the collections, فِلَسْطِين Volume II: Traces of Being, turns clothing into something closer to an archive. Drawing from Palestinian newspapers, family photographs, handwritten letters, currency and other historical fragments, the collection translates pieces of Palestinian memory into contemporary clothing.
It is this combination that makes the label stand out. The clothes are glamorous enough for the red carpet, but there is always something beneath the surface. Whether it is the craftsmanship, the cultural references or simply the way a familiar wardrobe piece has been turned into something new.
And then there is the celebrity following.
Saoirse Ronan wore Nafsika Skourti on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2015, choosing a printed Fall 2015 look that mixed masculine tailoring with a more unexpected silhouette. Lily Allen has also become one of the label’s more memorable international wearers, stepping out in several Nafsika Skourti looks in London, including its crystal-embellished separates.
Closer to home, the label has become a favourite among regional talent. Palestinian-Jordanian singer and former GRAZIA cover star Zeyne has worn the brand, while Simi Haze is among the international names Skourti herself cites as part of the brand’s community. Dana Salad, Saja Kilani, Lina Makhoul and Sarah Bahbah have also worn or collaborated with the label.
