Clothes That Speak: Bella Hadid Keffiyeh Dress

Can fashion make a statement? Model Bella Hadid proved so. While out for ice cream at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Hadid donned a Michael and Hushi archival red Keffiyeh-inspired dress styled by Molly Dickson.

The History of Michael and Hushi’s Keffiyeh Dress

New York's iconic ‘90s label Michael and Hushi continues to make headlines. Be it in a black and white keffiyeh tank worn by Carrie Brashaw in the third season of the cult show Sex and The City or with Hadid's matching red dress and ice cream moment in France. 

The dress was introduced in the 2001 collection, which was presented as a protest against the conflict in the Middle East.

Designer Mortezaie’s Intentions Behind the Garment

On his social platforms, designer Mortezaie discussed the intentions behind the garment.  "This dress was made 23 years ago, and everyone from the region was grouped as one big Other. There was no Google. Only what could be put together with little resources. Hopefully, we can all learn to stand in unity and love against genocide," he wrote on Instagram. 

The Keffiyeh: From Symbol to Statement

While the Keffiyeh scarf is worn all over the Middle East, in the past decades it has evolved into a symbol of Palestinian identity and resistance.

Fashion as a Tool for Political Awareness

As a nod to her Palestinian heritage and a way to get the public's attention on the ongoing attacks on Gaza, Hadid has bridged fashion and politics, demonstrating that the two are indeed connected, and donning the most powerful look of 2024.