Saudi fashion designer Mohammed Ashi announced his joining the French Haute Couture Federation, becoming the first fashion designer from a Gulf country to join this prestigious union.
On July 6, the first fashion show of his brand, “Ashi Studio”, will be held as part of the official shows of Paris Fashion Week.
“This development is the most important thing that happened in my career,” Ashi said in a statement, adding, “This appreciation is very touching and provides me with an opportunity to share who I am with the public.”
Ashi has already signed designs for many stars on the red carpet, including Deepika Padukone, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. He launched his fashion label in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, in 2007, and then moved his workplace to Paris in 2018.
In a previous interview with Agence France-Presse, Ashi indicated that he had never mentioned his nationality, partly due to shyness. He still prefers not to have his selfies taken, but it’s also due to the fact that dressing in Western fashion was pretty much a taboo in public.
He said, “In the 1990s, I was the only Saudi fashion designer, but I never said I was Saudi. I wanted the clothes to be at the forefront, not me.”
Ashi has been welcomed and appreciated in Saudi Arabia as an advisor to the government’s fashion authority, which was set up in 2020 to help develop a local fashion industry.
• Ashi has already signed designs for many stars on the red carpet, including Deepika Padukone, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga.
