Ziryab
'Ziryab' by Shek Tarawallie & Tim Smith
The myth of Ziryab struck me as impossible. Just didn’t make sense. Not because I didn’t believe this man existed, but how could a man with so much influence on our day to day lives be left out of common history? It doesn’t make sense that we argue about music daily yet have little knowledge of a man that could play thousands of songs by heart, opened one of the first music schools on Earth and added the 5th pair of strings to an original version of the guitar. A black man. A former slave.
We can argue about religion and politics but we were never told in school that Muslims ruled Spain for over 800 years. (711-1492). I never once wondered why we eat asparagus or why we have the concept of the three-course meal. I never wondered where toothpaste came from even though I use it every day. Ziryab is created to have also added innovation in perfumes, cosmetics and opened hair salons all across Europe. “Bangs” are considered to be a Ziryab innovation.
He is credited to have invented the first seasonal fashion calendar in Spain. So basically, in the spring people should wear bright colors with lighter fabrics. In the winter time, wear longer jackets with trimmed furs. In dining he introduced crystal glasses for cups and leather furniture.
I could continue this rants but I’m pretty sure you get the point by now. If 1/3 of these things are true, why have I never heard about this man? The jersey is fire no doubt about it. But before I put my pen to paper to design anything, I have to find a story point. There has to be a meaning. Ziryab’s nickname in the western world was “Blackbird” due to his skin complexion. So Tim & I built this jersey around the concept of a red-wing blackbird as a tribute to what seems like a forgotten legacy.
I am never going to be a person on social media that tweets the new woke thing of the day. I understand that social media is the new form of literature. But while we are arguing about things that are trivial, we are no longer questioning the things in front of us. Historians say when the Muslims lost control of Spain, the Spaniards burned over 1,000,000 books. We will never know what was in these books, much we never knew about Ziryab and his contributions. I’ll leave you to wonder why.
I haven’t dropped a full collection in 4 years. Just uninspired I guess. But this collection is very deep rooted I story-telling and hopefully introducing things that ignite dialogue. There isn’t a single thing out of place or for without reason. Whether the story has to do with my personal life or a grander scheme, I hope the clothes are appealing without any context. Equally so, I hope they are still appealing with context.
Regardless, Long Live Ziryab. The black slave from Iraq that helped revolutionize Europe. An unsung hero in the Western world but hopefully a new hero in your heart. If soccer is the global game and sports in general provide kinship amongst people, I’d hope you would join us in spreading our little secret. Maybe next time you see a blackbird in the sky, you will think of us.
The myth of Ziryab struck me as impossible. Just didn’t make sense. Not because I didn’t believe this man existed, but how could a man with so much influence on our day to day lives be left out of common history? It doesn’t make sense that we argue about music daily yet have little knowledge of a man that could play thousands of songs by heart, opened one of the first music schools on Earth and added the 5th pair of strings to an original version of the guitar. A black man. A former slave.
We can argue about religion and politics but we were never told in school that Muslims ruled Spain for over 800 years. (711-1492). I never once wondered why we eat asparagus or why we have the concept of the three-course meal. I never wondered where toothpaste came from even though I use it every day. Ziryab is created to have also added innovation in perfumes, cosmetics and opened hair salons all across Europe. “Bangs” are considered to be a Ziryab innovation.
He is credited to have invented the first seasonal fashion calendar in Spain. So basically, in the spring people should wear bright colors with lighter fabrics. In the winter time, wear longer jackets with trimmed furs. In dining he introduced crystal glasses for cups and leather furniture.
I could continue this rants but I’m pretty sure you get the point by now. If 1/3 of these things are true, why have I never heard about this man? The jersey is fire no doubt about it. But before I put my pen to paper to design anything, I have to find a story point. There has to be a meaning. Ziryab’s nickname in the western world was “Blackbird” due to his skin complexion. So Tim & I built this jersey around the concept of a red-wing blackbird as a tribute to what seems like a forgotten legacy.
I am never going to be a person on social media that tweets the new woke thing of the day. I understand that social media is the new form of literature. But while we are arguing about things that are trivial, we are no longer questioning the things in front of us. Historians say when the Muslims lost control of Spain, the Spaniards burned over 1,000,000 books. We will never know what was in these books, much we never knew about Ziryab and his contributions. I’ll leave you to wonder why.
I haven’t dropped a full collection in 4 years. Just uninspired I guess. But this collection is very deep rooted I story-telling and hopefully introducing things that ignite dialogue. There isn’t a single thing out of place or for without reason. Whether the story has to do with my personal life or a grander scheme, I hope the clothes are appealing without any context. Equally so, I hope they are still appealing with context.
Regardless, Long Live Ziryab. The black slave from Iraq that helped revolutionize Europe. An unsung hero in the Western world but hopefully a new hero in your heart. If soccer is the global game and sports in general provide kinship amongst people, I’d hope you would join us in spreading our little secret. Maybe next time you see a blackbird in the sky, you will think of us.
Creative Director, Shek Tarawallie
Designed by Shek Tarawallie & Tim Smith
100% Dri - Fit