Palestinian designer Rami Kashou pops up in West Bank

Rami Kashou’s
designs are worn by Hollywood stars and royalty but for the past few days he
has been back home in the occupied West Bank rather than London, Paris or
New
York.

As on most days, Yasser Arafat Square in central Ramallah was crowded
with
pedestrians, taxis with screaming horns and fruit sellers lugging their
goods
on carts.
But tucked behind a nondescript door another world beckoned: one of
burgundy walls and floor-length mirrors, as Kashou hosted a three-day pop-up
fashion shop.

A photo posted by Eveningwear Designer, NY
(@ramikashou) on Nov
25, 2015 at 6:28pm PST

A handful of women of all ages browsed the elegant designs, occasionally
trying on clothes under the watchful eyes of Kashou, who rushed to dispense
fashion advice when needed.
The US-based fashion designer has a list of celebrity clients including
Hollywood actress Jessica Alba, reality TV star Kim Kardashian and Queen
Rania
of Jordan.

But Kashou, who is 40 and was born in Jerusalem, has now made copies for
Palestinian women of his creations that they would otherwise only see in
magazines.

He left for the United States in 1996 and now lives in New York.
“I was away for a long time,” the bearded, shaven-headed Kashou, dressed
in
black, told AFP in the store.
“I usually come to visit my family, (but) this is the first time I
brought
my designs here.”

A photo posted by Eveningwear Designer, NY
(@ramikashou) on May
2, 2016 at 4:45pm PDT

Project Runway

Kashou shot to fame in 2008 when he appeared on the fourth season of the
“Project Runway” reality television.
He reached the finals, coming second to Christian Siriano, who designed
the
dress worn by US First Lady Michelle Obama as she addressed the Democratic
National Convention last week.

Kashou said the show opened doors for him in America and elsewhere.
“I benefited a lot. It was a big advert, especially for me as a
Palestinian
designer,” he said. “And the Arab world became aware of me.”
He is now developing his brand in Arab countries.

A photo posted by Eveningwear Designer, NY
(@ramikashou) on Jun
30, 2016 at 6:40am PDT

In Ramallah, the Palestinian political capital in the Israeli-occupied
West
Bank, he showed off his unique style of dresses, including one resembling a
bouquet of flowers with a pink and red collar, which he said was inspired
by a
trip to Puerto Rico.

The garments, including a magenta cocktail dress designed for supermodel
Heidi Klum, feature a range of exquisite fabrics such as chiffon, georgette,
lame and silk.
Suha Hussein, 32, inspected herself in the mirror as she tried on a sleek
black Moroccan-style dress with beads engraved around the neck, based on an
original made for Queen Rania.

“I feel proud because we have such a talent and he is still interested in
returning to his country,” she said.
Turning to the dress, she smiled: “I hope it isn’t too expensive, so I
can
buy it.”

A photo posted by Eveningwear Designer, NY
(@ramikashou) on Nov
23, 2015 at 7:50pm PST

A single Rami Kashou dress can cost several thousand dollars, a sum
impossible to imagine for the vast majority of Palestinians, where the
unemployment rate is around 27 percent and one in five of those in work
makes
less than 380 US dollars a month.

Does the designer who has made it big in America really see opportunities
in the Palestinian territories?
“There is an important market here,” he said. “It is extremely important
to
study the market to know the customers and their needs.”
“And it is wedding season, women here want glamour.” (AFP)

Photo: Rami Kashou website