SPOTLIGHT: The Paris-Based Syrian Designer Telling a Story of Loss

Under the Spotlight: The avant-garde creations of Mouthana Alhaj Ali

The Setting: Paris, France, by way of Syria. 

The Frame: Edgy, structural silhouettes hallmark his work, with the evocative use of red symbolising both war and the unity of the pan-Arab nation.

The Designer’s Work In Three Words: Heart, Loss, and Identity.

About the Designer: Born and raised in Syria, Mouthana Alhaj Ali had long dreamt of pursuing a career in the arts. When the war in Syria forced Ali to relocate to Jordan, dreams of pursuing fashion began to intensify. “In Jordan, there was no space for me to properly learn fashion, and I wanted to take this seriously, be a professional.” Mouthana Alhaj Ali tells SceneStyled. Now based in Paris, France, Ali is currently pursuing a fashion education at Paris’s Institut Français de la Mode. “My dreams took flight in Paris.” he shares.

The Muse

“I knew I had a purpose; a message to convey, and through fashion, I would be able to tell my story. The world must know of the Syrian crisis, the world must know about our identity, our heritage.” Ali shares. "I wanted to support refugees and raise awareness; fashion was my conduit." he adds. 

The Designs Through Mouthana Alhaj Ali’s Lens

“These designs are fragments of mon coeur - my heart. My designs are gender-bending explorations of Identity, loss, and a yearning for home.” Mouthana Al Haj Ali shares.  A common thread tying together Ali’s designs is the colour red, which for Ali, symbolises blood, a beating heart, and represents the commonality between all Arab nations, whose flags all contain the bold colour. 

The Star of the Show

‘The Heart Bleeds Collection’: Featuring a minimal white silhouette interjected with an abstract embroidered heart, with a red thread emerging from its edges, the collection represents a bleeding heart, perfectly echoing the designers’ aesthetic and ethos. 

In the Words of Mouthana Alhaj Ali... 

"It's a duty to portray our culture and identity through art."