PARIS, July 12: Syrian couturier Rami Al Ali made history on Thursday as the first designer from his country to be featured in the official Paris Haute Couture Week calendar — a major milestone for Arab representation in the global luxury fashion industry.

After years of presenting his intricately tailored evening gowns on the fringes of Couture Week, Al Ali was formally invited by France’s Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode to join this year’s official programme.

His runway show featured models in flowing, pleated gowns in soft pastel tones, incorporating silk, rolled crepe fabric, detailed embroidery, and beading. The collection, titled Guardian of Light, symbolized Al Ali’s optimism for the future of his homeland.

“This collection comes at a very hopeful, very promising time,” the 53-year-old told AFP prior to the show.

The shift in Syria’s political landscape — following the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad in December and the rise of transitional leader Ahmed al-Sharaa — has brought a fragile end to nearly 14 years of civil conflict.

Al Ali, originally from Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria and now based in Dubai, where he established his fashion label over two decades ago, appeared visibly emotional as he spoke to the press after the show. Holding back tears, he described his feelings as a mix of “nervous, excited, tired, happy” in what marked a defining moment in his career. He has previously dressed global celebrities such as Beyoncé and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren.

After years of Syria being associated with war and political repression, Al Ali hopes this new chapter will allow Syrian creatives to spotlight the country’s rich cultural and artistic heritage.

“We now have more freedom to express ourselves in different ways — politically, humanely, and creatively. We have a lot to say, and we are definitely bolder, braver in how we say it,” he said.

Paris Haute Couture Week is distinct from Paris Fashion Week, as it is dedicated to exclusive, hand-crafted garments often designed for red carpet events, galas, and other prestigious occasions.

This season’s official schedule also included designers from Lebanon — Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad — as well as Cameroonian designer Imane Ayissi, the only sub-Saharan African label featured. Saudi Arabian designer Mohammed Ashi’s label, Ashi Studio, was also part of the lineup.

Ayissi, who debuted on the Haute Couture calendar in 2020 alongside Indian designer Rahul Mishra, welcomed the growing diversity within the Paris fashion scene.

“It shows that things are changing, that things are moving forward,” Ayissi told AFP following his show, which celebrated African culture through the use of traditional textiles.