Born and raised in Syria, Rami Al Ali’s interest in fashion dates back to his childhood. Back then, he enjoyed watching fashion shows on television, following the latest trends and even drawing sketches often requested by friends and family members.
While studying Fine Arts & Communication in Damascus, his hobby turned into a passion. His bold decision to design and produce a fashion collection for his final graduation presentation greatly surprised his professors. They were nevertheless impressed at the manner in which he visualized fine arts through fashion and his refusal to follow the original assignment.
Subsequently, his meteoric rise in the fashion world led to the creation of his own label in 2000 in the United Arab Emirate. Rami is based in Dubai, which he considers “the biggest international fashion hub in the Middle East.”
He marked his debut on the international scene in 2009, in which his Spring/Summer collection was shown during Rome’s AltaRoma couture week. That same year, Middle-East Magazine named Al Ali as one of the 50 most influential Arabs.
Al Ali is also the only UAE-based designer to participate in the Paris Haute Couture week.
“Paris is the capital of couture and is where it all originated, the city was always my ambition from the moment I began on my fashion design path, he said. It is a dream come true for me to be showing my work alongside some of the greatest names in fashion history.”
Showing in Paris for the third time, he presented his Spring-Summer 2013 collection, influenced by the iconic novel, “The Great Gatsby.”
“The Great Gatsby, and the era of the 20s as a whole, has always been of interest to me as one of the most influential periods for women of the West, he said. “Often referred to as ‘The Lost Generation”, the post-war society introduced ladies to a newfound freedom, releasing them from the constraints of the past. No longer happy to conform, women were quick to shed the corset in favor of less oppressive attire, with dropped waists and sultry styles becoming mainstream. The whole era conjures up images of riches, excitement and rebellion, I couldn’t wait to translate this into my collection.”.
The Syrian designer has been seduced by the image of a playful, powerful and defiant woman. This mood comes across with sheer fabrics, swishing fringes and plunging V-necks. The 2013 Spring/Summer collection is vibrant with dresses that are characteristic of the 20s, with drop waits and ravishing pleated gowns flowing down to the floor like fanned-out petals.
It has to be said that a dress fitted at the waist and blossoming out into ripples of fabric, has a flattering shape because it elongates.
In a swirl of luscious silk and a trail of colors, these festive clothes lead us, surreptitiously, into a sumptuous ballroom at the height of an elegant party. However, the large pleated sleeves and the gleaming glass tiled embroidery adorning a number of dresses can remind us of the 70s.
This particular kind of embroidery recalls the typical Syrian mosaic. Al Ali readily admits that he has stored a vast visual memory of the time he lived in Syria. He carefully infuses this “heritage” DNA into each one of his designs.
“I always strive to incorporate my Eastern heritage into my work, which I do through the intricate detailing within my collections. This can sometimes appear subtle since I mainly work with European-inspired silhouettes, but it’s always there on some level. I love to blend the beautiful, arabesque patterns of my culture into my Western-led designs to create a beautiful fusion of East-meets-West.”
In the fashion world, there is constant pressure for new ideas and collections to satisfy the constant craving for something innovative, which is what sets Al Ali apart from the rest. The essence of his style can be described in two words: eternal femininity. All his clothes respect and enhance a woman’s natural curves. However, the designer’s enduring dresses are not for the fickle fashionista but for an increasing number of women who have the money to spend on clothes, but are not influenced by fashion diktats. This new generation of women does not feel the constant pressure to look for new stuff and discover new stores. They are simply not in a hurry to buy; they prefer to take their time to find a special dress that is worth their investment. Their sense of fashion is embodied in a style, both timeless and fantastic.
Al Ali has dressed celebrities around the world. Victoria Secret’s model, Chanel Iman, wore a dress from the 2012 Spring-Summer collection at the 2013 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
Carla Gugino also wore a dress from Al Ali’s collection at this year’s Golden Globe Awards. “I have dressed musicians such as Natasha Bedingfield and Vanessa Mae as well as former supermodel Ivana Trump along with Middle Eastern celebrities, Youssra and Googoosh amongst others,” adds Rami.
The designer is currently working on his next season’s collection, which will be released next July.
“Although this is a few months away, it really does take that long to complete a full collection, including sourcing the fabrics and looking for inspiration for a new theme. I also look forward to releasing a ready-to-wear collection in the near future.”
I hope Rami Al Ali will continue doing what he does best, infusing East and West in a rich palette of colors and fabrics. When an exacting and genial mind works relentlessly a few ideas to their natural extremes, this will not only keep the customers engaged and seduce the connoisseur, but it can also ultimately raise the designer to an iconic status.
The allure of Rami Al Ali
The allure of Rami Al Ali
