Award winning Costume Designer Zohra Shahalimi has traveled the globe, leaving her mark as a fashion designer, a business owner, fashion buyer and stylist. Now, she divides her time between Vancouver and Los Angeles to design A-list film and television projects.
Zohra was born to an affluent family in Kabul, Afghanistan. Growing up in the rarefied circles of politics and arts, she learned early to cultivate a keen sense of awareness and a call to responsible leadership. After the controversial death of her patriot father, to survive, her family escaped from Kabul and the unwelcome occupation of Russian Communist regime. In disguise, she embarked on a 5-day hike through back-country roads and Hindu-Kush Mountains and managed to escape to the relative safety of Pakistan. Her family immigrated to Montreal, Canada in 1986 and later, Zohra moved to Vancouver.
In 2009, she was granted the status of an individual of extraordinary abilities by the United States Government. Prior to completing her business studies in Vancouver, Canada, Zohra graduated with honors from internationally acclaimed fashion school, LaSalle College of Montreal, in Montreal, Canada, where she received her Diploma in Fashion Design and Marketing. In 1996, Zohra was elected to coordinate the largest fashion show in Montreal, the Signature 96 Fashion Show, where 170 designers showcased their creations at a runway show. After graduating with honors, one of Zohra's original art deco creations won a coveted spot in the McCord Museum of Montreal's fashion show. On the heels of this success, Zohra was recruited to join the innovative team of a major Montreal based manufacturing/import company. Clients included La Senza (a Canadian division of Victoria's Secret), la Vie en Rose, Le Chateau and Jacob.
Zohra's deep knowledge of the apparel industry, style, trends and the commercial viability of products have helped her succeed as a buyer for major North American retail chains (Mariposa in Canada and Berg in the US) and as a merchandise developer for an international woman's wear company. She has a strong background in sales and advertising and was one of the pioneers in the introduction of billboard advertising in the Montreal Metro system in Montreal, Canada. As a result, Zohra, a top earning Account Executive for the advertising agency, moved to Florida where she led the Florida division. She later became a partner before transitioning out to the film industry. It is this breadth of expertise that she applies in designing costumes for film.
As a small business and apparel industry expert and motivational speaker, Zohra has been invited on numerous occasions to lend her expertise as a guest speaker for the Vancouver and Los Angeles business community. She has been a start up business consultant in the fashion industry since 2002. She is also member of "Group de femme Entrepreneurs de Vancouver"- a francophone women's business group and has been featured in countless publications such as Style, The Province and many local newspapers.
One of Zohra's most impressive accomplishments has been designing her "ZOOZY" line of handbags - manufactured in Italy - and "AMUZE" line of handbags and accessories - manufactured in Asia. They were the foundation of her first entrepreneurial endeavor. The line opened to great success in New York and Toronto and sales exceeded all expectations. It was not long before major retail chains including Hudson's Bay Company, Costco and Suzy Shier came knocking to carry her line. It was her fashion-forward designs and savvy marketing efforts that won her a nomination for "Inspiration 2002 Entrepreneur of the Year Award" just one year after starting her business.
A creative vision came to fruition in 2013, when Zohra received top honors for "Best Costume Design in a Feature Length Drama", receiving 2 nominations in the category, and subsequently winning the Leo Awards.
Zohra is fluent in French, English, Dari / Farsi, and Urdu. She also has high achievements in martial arts and is a member of the International Karate Organisation (IKO), Kyokushinkaikan. As a Kyokushin fighter, she has competed in the international arena. Even though her work schedule often limits her ability to fit in training time, she continues to compete in North American tournaments. She is an eager skydiver as well.
In 2004, Zohra traveled to Afghanistan after 20 years of exile, under incredibly dangerous circumstances and was inspired to keep a photo journal during her month long trip to the ruins left behind by the Taliban. Many of her images have been used as reference and stock footage for film productions in Hollywood. Her images continue to be used as references for production research.
She is also a very proud mom to her rescue dog Boston, with whom she is madly in love.
