A good example of an attempt to create an Afghan national dress is demonstrated by the former Afghan president, Hamid Karzai.

Himself a Westernised Pashtun, when he accepted the position of President in late 2001, he chose to wear clothing that would make clear that he was president of all the peoples of Afghanistan, rather than a Pashtun leader.

Instead of the normal Pashtun costume, he opted to wear a chapan (a coat with very long sleeves, worn mainly by the Uzbeks in the north of the country). He also likes to wear the karakuli headdress, an astrakhan cap, which is worn all over Afghanistan by the rich and influential people, but is more closely linked with the Turkmen living in the northwest of the country.

Man's coat (chapan) from northern Afghanistan, second half 20th century (TRC collection 2016.1853). For more information, click the illustration.In 2002, Afghan people were still laughing about this outfit, because it was completely made up and ‘fake’, as it combined garments from various different regions and groups. But as one elderly Pashtun from Kandahar noted: “he may look ridiculous, but the foreigners like it and they therefore bring in the money.” Tom Ford, by then (2001-2002) the creative force of Gucci, labelled him the "chicest [sic] man on the planet today".