Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's journey from arbitrary detention in Iran to creating a collaboration with the Imperial War Museum (IWM) is one of hope, resilience, and the power of creativity.
When she returned home after six years behind bars, Zaghari-Ratcliffe brought back a small patchwork cushion made from scrap material and her single sewing machine. The cushion was a product of a communal craft circle, where women in prison learned various skills such as woodwork and knitting to cope with their confinement.
The experience taught her that creativity is essential for survival, even when the external world is taken away. Zaghari-Ratcliffe recalled that "they can take away the world you live in, but they can't take away what's happening in your mind, your imagination and your creativity."
This idea of using art as a means of resistance has guided the collaboration between IWM and Liberty, a renowned textile brand. The project, titled Creativity in Conflict and Confinement, explores how craftwork helped people retain dignity and survive during times of conflict and incarceration.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe worked closely with Liberty designers to create three new fabrics: Passage of Time, Obscured Landscape, and Stitch and Community. Each fabric reflects different themes that shaped her experience in prison, such as the passage of time, hope, resilience, and solidarity.
The project is also a return to Liberty's own history of creativity under pressure. The company's store operated during World War II, and now it has teamed up with IWM to bring this important story to life through fabric designs that will be displayed across the museum's entrance and atrium until February 2026.
The new designs are available in-store and online as scarves, ties, pillowcases, and other accessories, while 225 meters of fabric will be donated to the charity Fine Cell Work. This organization supports people in prison through paid craftwork opportunities, helping them gain dignity to aid their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe's story is a testament to the power of creativity as a means of survival and resistance. Her journey from arbitrary detention to creating art that reflects her experience has given her hope for the future. As she said, "these fabrics cover so many elements related to incarceration – the passage of time, hope, resilience – but more than anything else, solidarity."
When she returned home after six years behind bars, Zaghari-Ratcliffe brought back a small patchwork cushion made from scrap material and her single sewing machine. The cushion was a product of a communal craft circle, where women in prison learned various skills such as woodwork and knitting to cope with their confinement.
The experience taught her that creativity is essential for survival, even when the external world is taken away. Zaghari-Ratcliffe recalled that "they can take away the world you live in, but they can't take away what's happening in your mind, your imagination and your creativity."
This idea of using art as a means of resistance has guided the collaboration between IWM and Liberty, a renowned textile brand. The project, titled Creativity in Conflict and Confinement, explores how craftwork helped people retain dignity and survive during times of conflict and incarceration.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe worked closely with Liberty designers to create three new fabrics: Passage of Time, Obscured Landscape, and Stitch and Community. Each fabric reflects different themes that shaped her experience in prison, such as the passage of time, hope, resilience, and solidarity.
The project is also a return to Liberty's own history of creativity under pressure. The company's store operated during World War II, and now it has teamed up with IWM to bring this important story to life through fabric designs that will be displayed across the museum's entrance and atrium until February 2026.
The new designs are available in-store and online as scarves, ties, pillowcases, and other accessories, while 225 meters of fabric will be donated to the charity Fine Cell Work. This organization supports people in prison through paid craftwork opportunities, helping them gain dignity to aid their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe's story is a testament to the power of creativity as a means of survival and resistance. Her journey from arbitrary detention to creating art that reflects her experience has given her hope for the future. As she said, "these fabrics cover so many elements related to incarceration – the passage of time, hope, resilience – but more than anything else, solidarity."
OMG have you seen the new collaboration between Imperial War Museum and Liberty? Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's story is literally the most inspiring thing I've ever read - from being detained in Iran to creating these beautiful fabrics that reflect her experience. It's like she took all the darkness and turned it into something beautiful. And now they're donating some of the fabric to Fine Cell Work, which is amazing! 
It just goes to show how art can be a powerful tool for survival and resistance. I'm low-key obsessed with these new designs, gotta get me some scarves and ties ASAP 
She's proof that even in the darkest times, creativity can be the light at the end of the tunnel. I love how she turned her experience into something beautiful and meaningful with the collaboration between IWM and Liberty. It's a reminder that art can be a powerful tool for healing and resilience 
And it's amazing to see how this project is going to help Fine Cell Work support people in prison, giving them dignity and opportunities for rehabilitation 
. And now her fabrics are being used to raise awareness for people in prison who need support 
. And the fact that Fine Cell Work is going to get 225 meters of fabric from this partnership is just amazing 
, it's like they're giving people a chance to regain their dignity and rebuild their lives 
! She went through some crazy stuff in Iran and yet she still managed to create something beautiful out of nothing. It's like, even when we feel trapped or stuck, our minds can still be creative and find ways to survive. And I love how this project is helping people remember the power of art as a means of resistance 
. IT'S SO INSPIRING TO SEE HOW HER STORY IS HELPING OTHERS BY RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THE POWER OF CRAFTWORK AS A MEANS OF RESISTANCE 
. I HOPE PEOPLE GET TO SEE THESE FABRICS AND REMEMBER NAZANIN'S JOURNEY, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES 
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. And have you ever noticed how when you're cooking, the smell of food can transport you to another time and place? Like, I was thinking about making some pasta for dinner and suddenly I was back at my grandma's house as a kid 
. she took something that could've been a negative experience and turned it into something positive, a way to express herself and help others through her art. we can all learn from her resilience and creativity in the face of adversity 
. just think about it: what would happen if everyone around you was trying to break your spirit, but you kept creating something beautiful instead?