In the gilded ballroom of La Maison Champs-Elysées Hotel, Saudi designer Mohammed Ashi presented a stunning and tightly edited couture collection this season. The gowns, propped up on invisible mannequins, appeared to float independently in the luxurious space. Produced in various tones of black and cream, the garments came across as both austere and luxurious due to Ashi’s ability to create pieces that suggest a refined restraint.
As difficult as it may be to choose the hero piece among these dresses (which Ashi designed to both shield and transform its wearer, like a chrysalis fashioned with the richest fabrics), the midnight black gown with tumbling feather skirt soared while the bolero jacket with brocade embroidery and opulent overlays commanded one’s attention. If the Middle East boasts some of the most fervent clients of haute couture, it has also produced one of the world’s finest rising couture talents.
