Designer Rami Al Ali has become the first Syrian to join the prestigious haute couture calendar in Paris after being invited to show his autumn/winter 2025 collection next month.
Celebrated for his sculptural evening wear, the Syria-born, Dubai-based designer's offer to join the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode schedule is a rare accolade and gives him the legal right to call himself an haute couturier.
Granted by the Parisian fashion federation only to labels that meet its rigorous standards of craftsmanship and artistry, haute couture is a protected designation.
Only a handful of houses hold permanent membership – including Chanel, Dior, Givenchy and Jean Paul Gaultier – alongside a select few guest members invited to show each season.
Founded in 2001, Al Ali’s eponymous house has become popular with discerning clients who seek refined occasion-wear sculpted with an architect’s eye.
Although he has already shown his work in Paris alongside the official calendar, next month's appearance will be his first formal inclusion – a decisive moment in a journey defined by consistency and perseverance.
Al Ali’s elevation cements his reputation as one of the Middle East's most influential designers and also underscores the region's growing stature in the industry.
Previous regional names invited to join the haute couture calendar, including Lebanese designers Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad, Georges Chakra and Rami Kadi, as well as Dubai-based Michael Cinco and Saudi designer Ashi Studio, have helped position the region as the home of intricate craftsmanship and unabashed elegance.
Al Ali's achievement is also a nod to the evolving geography of couture itself. During a recent visit to Dubai, Business of Fashion founder Imran Amed outlined the Global South's growing importance to innovation in the industry.
While haute couture is an outlier from mainstream fashion – it is aimed at the needs and wants of perhaps 2,000 women worldwide – the elevation of yet another Middle East name to its storied ranks is more evidence of a region that is making an impact.
Al Ali's debut haute couture show in Paris will take place on July 10.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
