Afghan Vests

The Afghan vest — a sleeveless sheepskin or embroidered waistcoat, also called a gilet — is the most wearable piece of Afghan dress: light enough for spring, warm enough for winter under a coat, and worn open over shirts, dresses and knitwear.

Each vest is made to order and hand-embroidered by women artisans in Afghanistan using Ghazni and suzani stitching passed down through generations. We use natural sheepskin, goat suede and cashmere-wool blends; no two pieces are identical.

How to wear it. Over a white shirt or a fine knit, with jeans or a long skirt; the embroidery does the work, so keep the rest plain. Children's vests are in their own collection.

Sizing and fit. Vests are cut to layer over a shirt or light knit. Each product page has a size chart, and custom sizes are available on request.