"Divine intervention": Palestinian designer Yasmeen Mjalli reveals how Olivia Rodrigo helped revive Nöl Collective

Daisy Chain Fields Festival 2026 - Source: Getty
Daisy Chain Fields Festival 2026 - Source: Getty

Yasmeen Mjalli said her fashion label Nöl Collective was close to shutting down before Olivia Rodrigo commissioned a dress for her Daisy Chain Fields festival.

The Palestinian-American designer and creative opened up about the challenging time for her fashion line and mentioned that one of the many obstacles that they had faced was losing a shipment of fabric at Israeli customs.

The loss left Yasmeen Mjalli questioning whether Nöl Collective could continue. She said she had reached a point where she was considering ending the brand after years of dealing with obstacles.

"I was genuinely like, maybe we should stop, maybe this is our last effort. I was just so tired."

The situation changed when Olivia Rodrigo commissioned Yasmeen Mjalli to create a dress for the singer's inaugural Daisy Chain Fields festival.

With less than a week to turn around the dress, the designer had to buy what Ramallah had to offer.

The event, held Aug. 29 at Great Park in Irvine, California, brought together an all-female lineup and raised $20 million for women's causes.


Yasmeen Mjalli honors Olivia Rodrigo's commission

For Yasmeen Mjalli, the commission arrived at a moment when she was questioning the future of her label and at the brink of giving up. She described Rodrigo's decision to work with Nöl Collective as "divine intervention."

“Obstacles are always going to be there, but if you can adapt you will be rewarded. I rise and I rise and I rise.”

Yasmeen Mjalli founded Nöl Collective as a Palestinian fashion label focused on traditional Palestinian embroidery and contemporary clothing.

Her work has drawn attention for incorporating Palestinian heritage into modern designs while supporting artisans and communities connected to the craft.

Olivia Rodrigo's commission brought the label into the spotlight during one of the pop star's biggest recent projects.

The Daisy Chain Fields event also featured artists including Sarah McLachlan, Stevie Nicks, Chappell Roan, Doechii, Garbage, Mitski, and The Breeders.

At the festival, Olivia Rodrigo launched into some of her fan-favorite tracks, Drop Dead, Bad Idea Right?, Maggots for Brains, Deja Vu, Drivers Licence, and many more.

The 23-year-old Grammy winner's event initially raised $10 million from ticket sales and net earnings. The amount doubled when philanthropist Melinda French Gates matched it, doubling the final total to $20 million.

The entire proceeds are divided among ten organizations focusing on reproductive rights, maternal health, economic empowerment, and gender equity.

Meanwhile, for Yasmeen Mjalli, the opportunity represented more than a high-profile fashion commission. It arrived when she was considering whether her fashion brand had reached its final chapter and gave her another reason to keep moving forward.

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Edited by Gladys Altamarino