Palestinian designer for rich and famous pops up in W.Bank

Rami Kashou ... back to roots

RAMALLAH: Rami Kashou’s designs are worn by Hollywood stars and royalty but for the past few days he has been back home in the occupied West Bank rather than London, Paris or New York.
As on most days, Yasser Arafat Square in central Ramallah was crowded with pedestrians, taxis with screaming horns and fruit sellers lugging their goods on carts.
But tucked behind a nondescript door another world beckoned: one of burgundy walls and floor-length mirrors, as Kashou hosted a three-day pop-up fashion shop.
A handful of women of all ages browsed the elegant designs, occasionally trying on clothes under the watchful eyes of Kashou, who rushed to dispense fashion advice when needed.
The US-based fashion designer has a list of celebrity clients including Hollywood actress Jessica Alba, reality TV star Kim Kardashian and Queen Rania of Jordan.
But Kashou, who is 40 and was born in Jerusalem, has now made copies for Palestinian women of his creations that they would otherwise only see in magazines.
He left for the United States in 1996 and now lives in New York.
“I was away for a long time,” the bearded, shaven-headed Kashou, dressed in black, told AFP in the store.
“I usually come to visit my family, (but) this is the first time I brought my designs here.”
Kashou shot to fame in 2008 when he appeared on the fourth season of the “Project Runway” reality television.
He reached the finals, coming second to Christian Siriano.
Suha Hussein, 32, inspected herself in the mirror as she tried on a sleek black Moroccan-style dress with beads engraved around the neck, based on an original made for Queen Rania.
“I feel proud because we have such a talent and he is still interested in returning to his country,” she said.