Newsfeed
While this Paris Couture Week was perhaps more pared-back than previous seasons, with big houses including Valentino and Dior (following the announcement of Jonathan Anderson stepping into the role of creative director) opting out of the official FW25 calendar this July.
But it was the Arab designers showcasing who really came out on top for the Fall ’25 Couture Week. These individual creatives from the Middle East continue to reshape the industry, rewriting rules and creating beyond imagination.
From Elie Saab’s exploration of otherworldly beauty to Rami Al Ali’s historic debut as the first Syrian designer to showcase on the official Paris Fashion Week calendar, these Arab designers ruled the Haute Couture runway this season.
Elie Saab
Elie Saab’s latest couture collection, “La Nouvelle Cour” is the embodiment of a woman’s otherworldly beauty. With designs which are effortlessly regal. Said to be an expression of feminine grace, this collection created a realm of its own, where temptation and tradition collide. A royal fantasy, full of delicious pastels, an ode to the lavish delights of the queen herself, Marie Antoinette. With a more is more attitude, playing with voluminous skirts of silk gazar, capes, and silk shrugs. This was contrasted with the Lebanese couturier’s exceptional tailoring and imperialist sophistication, coloured in black with gold accents.
Georges Hobeika
Lebanese couturier Georges Hobeika’s latest collection aimed to create a bridge between the past and the present. Utilising ancestral techniques and craftsmanship to create the pieces, the work was focused on exquisite details from beaded bodices, dressed dripping with crystal fringe and monochromatic 3D appliqué, which escaped the body of the gowns. Enhanced by the colour story moving from light neutrals and blushes to burgundy and black, adorned with metallic appliqué. Telling the story of a person finding themselves, being confident and planted in their identity and beauty.
Zuhair Murad
One of the greats of couture, Zuhair Murad continued his legacy with his latest couture collection entitled “A Sheer Desire”. A tribute to the Golden Age, the runway saw a lineup of looks reimagining this age, highlighting a woman’s power and triumph, creating a striking beauty which reigns supreme. Gowns were embellished with cabochons, beading, baroque and pearls – a tribute to the glorious gowns and costumes of the film era.
Ashi Studio
This season, Saudi-born designer Mohammad Ashi embodied contemporary couture, creating a collection which defied expectations of the industry. The collection was a whirlwind of emotions, with no name and no story. Instead, inspired by life, with no guarantee and clear direction, this collection took a personal journey completely up for interpretation. With a modern approach to couture, corsetry is at the core of the collection.
Tony Ward
Titled “Entre Rêve et Regard”, Tony Ward showcased a collection which was inspired by masquerade and theatre, where a person crosses this line, becoming someone else. Where using opulence and costume is self-expression. The collection featured a slew of handmade 3D appliqués, baroque embroidery, covering designs which are structural and deliberately sharp, creating a sense of power. Corsetry is used to create a structure which allows the delicate embellishments to feel like armour. The voluminous sleeves and fluid sheer lace movement deliberately contrast the stiff shapes and feel like a form of self-expression.
Rami Al Ali
Making his debut at Paris Couture Week, Rami Al Ali became the first Syrian designer to showcase in the French capital. The designer, who is based in Dubai, unveiled a collection entitled “Guardian of Light” rich in Syrian culture, paying homage to his homeland using wood inlays, historical embroidery and copper motifs to create glistening patterns. The vibrant dresses were in soft pastels, made of crepe and silk, which moved softly, creating a sense of freedom, also representing the designer’s hope and optimism for the future of his country. This bright, uplifting collection is Al Ali’s hope and optimism for the future of his country.
