'Success is a form of resistance': Rami Al Ali makes triumphant haute couture debut in Paris
For his debut on July 10 in Paris – having shown off-schedule for a decade – Al Ali presented Guardians of Light, conceived as an homage to the precious handicrafts of his Syrian homeland, which had been endangered and almost forgotten during the country's long civil war.
Drawing on the beauty of courtyards in private Ottoman-era homes, the painted panels of Al Azem Palace, the dramatic splendour of Jami Al Darwishiyya and Khan As'ad Pasha, and the hypnotic rhythm of geometric mosque tiles, Al Ali distilled it all into a parade of looks united in an airy lightness.
In a discreet palette of cream, bisque, oat, crepe pink, powder blue, ash, dove grey, muted gold, black and white, Al Ali offered a plisse blue dress etched with mashrabiya patterns. The motif appeared again on a bone dress with a skirt that stood out like a bell; scattered in bronze around a long gold sheath; and as a gown in bone with the design built in three dimensions across the surface.
Elsewhere, a crisp patterning of blue lines traced from a halterneck fell to the floor, in geometric contrast to the flowing, plisse skirt, while two looks seemed to be woven from an intricate matrix of golden threads, echoing traditional Aghabani embroidery. This plaiting was also used to create a corset that floated over a gossamer chiffon gown.
Between these, Al Ali delivered the sculptural forms he's known for: a stiff ruff rippling from shoulder to floor, beaded inside and out; cream folds that wrapped the body and spilled into kick-flare skirts like reams of paper; and high arcs framing the face and arms. Softer iterations appeared as long origami folds in eau de nil that swept the floor, and light latte pleats that swayed with each step.
In a statement to the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode ahead of the show, Al Ali explained why reworking Syrian heritage was important for him. 'Every step forward, especially when you're coming from a place that's underrepresented or misunderstood, is an act of quiet defiance,' he said.
With fitted silhouettes that offered sleek lines and restrained refinement, Al Ali proved why he deserves to be among the ranks of haute couture. It is the highest stage a dressmaker can aspire to, and a title bestowed on only a select few.
Having established his brand in Dubai in 2001, and showing his creations alongside the official haute couture week in Paris for 10 years, Al Ali has been quietly honing his skill to arrive at this point.
Devotees of his work will recognise his touches in this collection, from his whisper-light touch of placing a fold here, and deftly turning down a shoulder strap there. To the rest of the world, this show will announce the arrival of a talent worthy of their attention.
With the restraint and elegance he has made his own, Al Ali offered propositions that are refined, poised and achingly beautiful.
Al Ali has staked his claim on the international stage, with a collection filled with remarkable savoir-faire. A decade in the making, it has been well worth the wait.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UAE Moments
5 hours ago
- UAE Moments
Zein Qutami Marries Celio Saab in Glam Lebanese Wedding
Abu Dhabi-raised Palestinian-Jordanian influencer Zein Qutami and Celio Saab, son of legendary designer Elie Saab, tied the knot in a lavish celebration that combined family legacy, iconic fashion, and fairytale romance. The wedding weekend was split across two dreamy events. The pre-wedding bash, held on July 17 with sweeping mountain views and a towering 10-tier cake, set the tone. But it was the July 19 ceremony at Lebanon's historic Bkerki Church that stole the spotlight. The guest list? Only 1,000+ big names like Nancy Ajram, Karen Wazen, and Balqees Fathi. Meet Zein Qutami Raised in Abu Dhabi, Zein is known for her soft-glam aesthetic and warm social media presence. She's a lifestyle influencer with roots in both Palestine and Jordan. Her love story with Celio began in Dubai in 2021 and reached its dreamy peak with a custom-designed engagement ring and now, an unforgettable wedding. The Fashion Moment (Times Two) Naturally, the gowns were the talk of the town. Elie Saab designed two custom masterpieces for his daughter-in-law. For the ceremony, Zein wore a long-sleeved, silver-embroidered gown with a cathedral train and a matching veil and headpiece. The caption on Instagram read: "Five sketches, three prototypes, and 780 hours later... We take you behind the scenes of Zein's custom creation by Maison Elie Saab." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jamalouki Magazine (@jamaloukimag) The second gown, worn during the candlelit reception, was pure drama: a champagne-toned mermaid silhouette with a plunging neckline, a 4.5-meter overskirt, and intricate crystal and sequin embroidery. In her Harper's Bazaar Arabia interview, Zein described the look as 'something radiant and unapologetically glamorous.' She added, 'The look was designed to embody boldness and femininity in perfect balance; powerful, yet graceful.' A Love Story Worth the Hype The Qutami-Saab wedding wasn't just a celeb-studded fashion fantasy—it was a celebration of heritage, style, and modern Arab romance.
The National
6 hours ago
- The National
A voice in exile: Tania Saleh's search for belonging in new album Fragile
Tania Saleh is known for resisting constraints, whether it's creative or emotional. Looked upon as doyen of Lebanon's indie music scene, the acclaimed singer and visual artist's three-decade career has produced politically charged and socially conscious songs that reflect both the vibrancy and fissures of her homeland. But when leaving Beirut in 2022, she realised the weight that comes with the decision to leave home. The suitcases indeed have limits – physical, emotional and psychological. "I couldn't take my house with me. I couldn't take my books, my paintings, my drawings, the photos of my family, my sofa, my bed, my pillows," she says. "I took maybe the collection of Joni Mitchell CDs, a book or two, some photos of my boys, simple dresses, simple shoes, and I put them all in one suitcase and I just closed the door behind me and left." Saleh speaks to The National from her apartment in Paris, where she now lives and works. The relocation was due to a series of what she calls "unfortunate events" – the 2019 uprising, Lebanon's economic collapse, the Beirut port explosion and the lack of reliable electricity and internet. When her two sons left to study abroad (one in Manchester, the other in Paris) she realised she could no longer stay behind alone. "If I stayed in Lebanon by myself, I would rot slowly, but surely," she says. "Emotionally, at least. I couldn't have lived away from my boys. So I put all my energy into joining them in Europe. I didn't even know I'd end up in Paris. I applied for this special talent visa, they accepted it and I arrived." Fragile, her new album, is a response to the change and a record of its aftermath. While Saleh has long been known for blending lyricism with social critique, Fragile marks a turn inward. Its songs unfold like private journal entries, stripped of overt commentary, marked instead by meditations, allegory and introspection. "I love Paris, and it's a very good place for an artist to be, but I always feel like something is missing since I left Lebanon,' she says. 'The warmth of the people, the weather, the details of daily life in Lebanon - I miss them all. And the moment I don't have anything to do, the emotions creep in and eat me from the inside. That's why I run to creativity. To avoid the news. To avoid reality. To keep going." And in those moments where that refuge doesn't work? "Oh, then I will cry my heart out," she says. "Which is not a very common thing to happen to me." There is no grand gesture in Fragile, no sweeping statement about the state of Lebanon or the Arab world. Instead, the album's most powerful commentary lies in its restraint. Saleh worked closely with Norwegian pianist and composer Ornulf Sigernes Kristiansen to craft a soundscape that feels stark and weightless. The brooding track Inta Mashi (You Are Nothing) crystallised during those daily metro commutes in Paris, where Saleh would quietly observe the disconnection between strangers. Over a minimal synths and subdued beats, her resigned voice unfolds like both a sullen observation and an internal monologue: 'You are nothing: hunching, thriving, dreaming. / You are nothing: sleeping, awake, standing and seated.' The song ends with Saleh shaking off that inertia and reclaiming herself amid the masses: 'One life within, another one abroad. They're in your heart and you in theirs/You know if you ask them, they'll say. You are everything.' Saleh says the lyrical structure often reflects the pep talks she would give herself when the encroaching sense of isolation creeps in. 'When I thought of my loved ones, of the people who care about me and whom I care for, I thought maybe that's where I become important,' she notes. That's the only place where I matter." The album's title emerged from another minor, but evocative observation. "My suitcases sometimes will have this sticker that reads fragile and it made me realise it was more than just my belongings,' she says. "It was also about my voice. I'm used to being critical, to speaking out. But now, I find myself silenced. Not because anyone told me to be quiet, but because I don't feel like I have the right to criticise this country that welcomed me. So I shut up. And that silence, that was hard." That sense of quiet seeps into every song. Marajeeh (Swings) is less about the changing fortunes of relationships but the sense of being suspended above its daily pressures. In Matrah (territory) a conversation with birds, fish and trees becomes an allegory for belonging. "They have a place in the world where many of us humans don't," she says. "And yet, somehow, that conversation with them gave me comfort. Like maybe there's still something to learn from creatures that don't question their presence." What surprised Saleh most, however, was how much painting, a form of creative therapy, became part of the album-making process. "I took that as a concept for the album, both visual and lyrical and musical," she says. "I started drawing paintings and working on a series of people living in their suitcases. Because it's not only me, I look around me and see almost everybody living in a small apartment, maybe one room, cramming themselves in. So I tried to translate that into paintings, in a visual storytelling kind of way." Those paintings will be turned into postcards and shared during her coming concert in Beirut on July 30, her first show back since leaving. What will it mean for her to return, even briefly? "I'm not sure how it will feel," she says. "But I know I want to show what I've made. And maybe offer a bit of beauty back into the hell we're all navigating." The deeper question, though, isn't just how to keep creating in exile – but what it costs to create from that place. "I don't see any artist I know and admire not doing the same," she says. "Sadness is inspiring unfortunately. But the fuel for everything I do is love and my love tank is always full." She has sought therapy in the past, but found greater comfort in more personal forms of emotional processing – writing, drawing, composing – all stemming from the act of making something that feels honest. "It is easy to get into the heady rush of technology and using AI tools. I wanted to return to the essence of creating, the kind of expression that comes from the hand, not the machine," she says. "Maybe that's why this album feels different. Because it's not trying to explain anything. It's just me with my suitcase. Trying to keep going – emotionally, artistically, mentally."
The National
7 hours ago
- The National
Elie Saab's son weds at sparkling three-day celebration in Lebanon
Celio Saab, son of the Lebanese couturier Elie Saab, married his fiancee, Zein Qutami, in Lebanon. Surrounded by friends and family, the pair exchanged vows at the historic Bkerke church in Jounieh, followed by a glittering reception as part of the three-day celebration. The bride, of course, wore Elie Saab. With a fashion designer as her new father-in-law, all eyes were on Qutami and her outfits for the each of the events. For the pre-wedding party, which kicked off the three-day event, Qutami wore a fitted champagne-toned dress, with a beaded bodice and a floor-length, pleated skirt, paired with a matching sheer cape hanging from her shoulders. The groom, meanwhile, wore a single-breasted taupe suit with an open-necked shirt. For the wedding day, the bride wore two looks. She arrived at the church on the arm of her father, wearing a shimmering, off-the-shoulder, silver embellished gown with long sleeves. Fully fitted, the dress featured an overskirt that extended into a cathedral-length train, and was finished with a large ivory bow at the back. Over this, Qutami wore a gossamer veil that was the length of the train. She finished the look with a small bouquet of white and silver flowers, emerald-cut drop diamond earrings and a small headpiece. For the evening event, the bride switched into a champagne-coloured gown, with a similar full skirt and vertical lines of silver beading. She wore a matching veil and carried a small bouquet of tonal flowers. The look was finished with the same diamond earrings. Her husband wore a formal black tuxedo to both events. For the third day of celebrations, Qutami wore a strapless, sweetheart-cut dress in powder blue, which also featured intricate beading. Her husband, meanwhile, arrived looking relaxed wearing all black, wearing a jacket over a T-shirt. In addition to creating the bridal gowns for his new daughter-in-law, Elie Saab also dressed many of the high-profile guests in attendance. Yemeni-Emirati singer Balqees Fathi wore a rose gold beaded and sequinned strapless gown to attend the wedding. "What a magical night," she wrote on Instagram in a post congratulating the couple. Also in attendance was Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram, who wore a fitted, cap-sleeved gown with rich gold sequins and beads. Other guests included influencer Karen Wazen, who arrived in a mustard yellow, halter-neck look with dramatic slashed sleeves, as well as television host Jessica Azar, who wore a black look, made of horizontal bands of cross-hatched beading. Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim was also in attendance. Singer Assi El Hallani shared videos of himself serenading the happy couple at the wedding. The lavish event is the first high-profile Saab family wedding since Elie Saab Jr married Christina Mourad in 2019. The pair have since had two children, Sophia, four, and Elie, two. Celio is the middle son of Elie and Claudine Saab. The newlywed couple met in Dubai in 2021 and they continue to live in the UAE.
