EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Designer Ziad Ghanem

Who says you can only wear diamonds and pearls to the opera? With Ziad Ghanem there are no rules to fashion. 

Ziad likes to bend the rules and turn couture on its head; while you can find dramatic, voluminous gowns in his collection he also gives wearable, ethically sourced fabrics his undivided attention.

Ziad combines his cutting edge couture skills with easy-to-wear fabrics and raw street elements.

Established as a ready-to-wear designer for both men and women Ziad’s uber underground label is breaking new ground with bespoke designs, private commissions and junior line: Maiden Britain.

Grinko said "Ziad's approach to fashion is very modern and unique. I wanted my accessories to be shown with his clothes to break the obvious style that my pieces are usually shown with. There are no rules when we collaborate together".

Merging a kaleidoscope of inspirations and techniques Ziad’s pieces are desirably unique while retaining a staunch ethical stance. Opting to use recycled materials and eco-friendly methods ensures that each and every piece is truly original.

In demand as a designer and creative visionary Ziad has collaborated with a diverse range of company’s, fashion publications and artists. He continues to inspire and work with some of the freshest talent in the fashion and arts arena.

Ziad Ghanem has grown into an international label with clients across the globe. His designs have been featured on catwalks in many cities such as: Paris, Dubai, San Sebastian, Ekaterinburg, Moscow, Latvia and London. Ziad's iconic Union Jack dress was recently selected to front the BBC series 'British Style Genius.'

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: When did you realize you wanted to become a fashion designer?
Ziad :When I was six years old a family friend looked at my drawings and informed me about such a job called Fashion design. I immediately realized that this is what I wanted to be when I grow up.

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: What drew you to fashion and specifically to starting your own line?
Ziad : My mother loved dressing up and I started illustrating her in a different dress from a very young age. I started my own line because I needed a job in London and I could not get one in fashion.

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: What is your educational and professional background and how do you feel it prepared you for a career in design?
Ziad : Everyday is a learning process for me. I did not study fashion. I am self educated. I started working at 16 in a tailoring house in Beirut where I was trained as a couturier.

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: What does fashion mean to you?
Ziad :"Fashion" is the word I write before "Designer", in application forms as my job description.
I love clothes. I disagree with many things that fashion stands for.

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: What was the first article of clothing you ever designed?
Ziad : A tube dress made out of 12 vintage Tee-shirts.

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: How long does it usually take you to construct a piece?
Ziad : It depends on the design and the material. But my Work is very peculiar and very time consuming. Usually I print all my fabrics individually. I even think about the right lining for days.

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: When you create something, what goes through your mind?
Ziad : First who is going to wear this. I am a people person I care to make my client happy and feel at ease and comfy.
The first thing I draw on a sketch is the face of the model before the dress. Eyes are important. I love drawing the eyes.

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: what are the accomplishments you are proud of as a designer?
Ziad : I am proud of the fashion show and project I did with the 'Cherry Garden School' for children with special needs. Each kid was assisted to designed their own dress and model it in a school catwalk. Those kids are amazing and the ideas they came out with are great. I feel so proud and inspired.

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: Your Choices for Models are always unique and have a story behind it, how do you select your models?
Ziad : My life will be easier if I used one size block (standard fashion model size) ,I like to dress real people, I am bored with the super hero image that real models project. Making the designs for the show is a challenge. The fittings are hard work due to the variation of the model sizes.
My models are very important to accomplish the design too. They are my treasure. I love working with models that love to wear my clothes. My models love my work and normally contact me asking to model.

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: I always saw your design with unexpected fabrics and materials. What are your favorite fabrics to work with and why?
Ziad : I love painting and coloring my fabrics. I love the three dimensional effect in prints. My Favorite Fabric is crêpe marocain by Abraham and I'm ashamed to know that the company closed down. I am saving my stock for the connoisseur client.

 CELEBRITIESSTYLE: What matters to you most as a fashion designer?
Ziad : First what matters is the fit and the texture feel. I want to flatter the figure. Then the fantasy comes after.

 CELEBRITIESSTYLE: How would you define your personal style?
Ziad : You can define it as Norma Desmond meets Cristiano Ronaldo.

 CELEBRITIESSTYLE: Your dresses are visions, beautiful and spectacular, how do you gain inspiration for your designs?
Ziad : Thank you so much I am flattered. I am mostly inspired by films and by the people on the streets. I work on my collection like a film director. There is always a story to tell.

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: I have always wanted to ask you. What muses Ziad Ghanem?
He laughed and said "Life and the Human behaviors."

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: in essence, how would you describe yourself as a designer and the designs you create?
Ziad : I am the only designer in the world that can make you a dress that pleases your mother, your grand father and still appeals to youngsters.

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: What are you currently working on?
Ziad : I am working on a Wedding Dresses Collection. It will be launched next month.

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: How do you intend women to feel when wearing Ziad Ghanem Designs?
Ziad : I intend women to feel Comfortable, Confident, Beautiful like a Princess in a fairy tale.

CELEBRITIESSTYLE: being a Proud Lebanese Designer how does your culture inspires you and reflects on your Creations?
Ziad : I am a proud Arab. Arabic culture is so rich and fascinating but still under rated. I am very inspired by the Arts and the History of the Middle East. I am only very Lebanese when it comes to snobbism and the drive to successfulness. 

 London Fashion Week AW 2011/12 " NEVER END NEVER END NEVER END"

Photographed by Francisco Gomez de Villaboa 

Event: HauteMuse And Matches Fashion Event

Reality TV darling Olivia Palermo photographed at the HauteMuse magazine & Matchesfashion.com event held in Qatar on Saturday, January 16th. Hosted by blogger Fatma Al-Thani & Noor R. Al-Thani Founder & Editor's of HauteMuse magazine ..Olivia  looked stunning in a beautiful ivory Alexander Mcqueen dress She styleed her look with an orange Bottega Veneta satin intrecciato woven clutch and Elizabeth and James Lizzy shoe boots. Olivia will be posing for the cover of HauteMuse magazine .

This event was sponsored by Matches Fashion one of the biggest retailers in London came for the first time ever to Doha, actually in the Middle-East region

Matches has brought samples of Spring/Summer collection 2011 that the guests can order and sent within the next two weeks, how fabulous is that? Even before heading to stores world wide.

The event had included many of surprises one of these surprises Diane Von Furstenberg Vintage collection brought by Stylist Iman Pasha was to be seen the first time by HauteMuse guests in the event, they were to die for!

The event was very successful and I'm proud of who was behind this event.

Be sure to follow HauteMuse twitter and Facebook fan page for more information and the sneak peaks into what's going to be in their first issue, out Spring 2011. 

 

credit - Haute Muse Magazine, hautecouturista

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Designer Christos Dovas New York

Christos Dovas is a gifted designer - one who understands the classical form of a woman's body while delivering sensuous appeal, crafting luxurious items which are also accessible, the dynamic of luxe with edge which makes his styles so intoxicating to the female sensibility. 

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What is your educational background?

CHRISTOS DOVAS: My first school was my father’s workbench. Later during my teenage years I started working in sales in a clothing store doing styling, buying, merchandising and taking care of the window-displays. Such I became more involved in fabrics and I found myself being creative on someone’s appeal. Then studying Fashion Design in a private school in Athens and working as assistant designer in a haute couture atelier. TV modeling was very helpful to improve my social skills and open up to people. Questing for more I was fashion student in a prestigious college in New York City. Four years of dedication were awarded with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and additionally a year of theatrical studies, stage and costume, earned me an internship in New York Metropolitan Opera, Costume Department.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: When did you realize you wanted to become a fashion designer?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I am a dreamer, I watched movies and I closed my eyes, I watched people talking and I closed my eyes thinking how could I bring to reality thoughts of my imagination. To create over the layers of secretive world and again to create again bringing up stories from books, paintings, sculptures, secret stories in light with my pencils and threads.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What was the first article of clothing you ever designed?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:At an early age I was apprentice to my father, a custom shoe designer. I grew up next to his workbench. From him, I acquired the foundation for my passion to create innovative and classical designs crafted with a master’s attention to impeccable construction and precise design. I remember I was 8 years old when I was so motivated I was designing my own shoes. I had all I needed, a father shoe designer, lots of leather and more of inspiration.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What does fashion mean to you?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I have seen so many fashion styles with my eyes, 70’s 80’s and some old 60’s original samples from my father’s archives. The ultimate destination is to deliver what women want, design of unique style, craftsmanship with attention to detail, elegance of timeless beauty.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: Where do you get your inspiration? When you create what goes through your mind?
CHRISTOS DOVAS: Imagination is my driving force that delights my clients. I love a beautiful woman, I love beauty, and I love to create, to make women to be beautiful. Source of inspiration life itself, people, their personalities, the way they move their body, the space that surrounds them, their personal story, stories, history, our past, our civilization, the human civilization, the senses, the forms, the touch, the texture, a glance, the whole world.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: Tell us about the process of sketching a design.( papers and pencil/pens you use?)
CHRISTOS DOVAS:Idea comes first. You want to express it right away no matter what the medium, pencil number, paper pad or table cloth, you start drawing and the story begins.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: Can you describe to us the general process you go through to design and realize a piece of clothing.?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:Sketching ideas, silhouettes, and fine details, then some water color to give life to drawings. Draping follows to produce the pattern, cut on fabric, stitching, sewing, detailed hand work.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: How long does it usually take you to construct a piece?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:The key word is intricacy, based on the engineering of the design, time frame is defined.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: Where do you buy your fabrics and other sewing materials?
CHRISTOS DOVAS: Here in my neighborhood, fashion avenue, in the fashion district, 7th avenue New York.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What are your favorite fabrics to work with and why?
CHRISTOS DOVAS: The moment of conceiving of a design is divine. Demands discipline in the execution and correct choice of fabric. Natural fibers like silks for the ethereal vision, leathers for the earthy dimension, three-dimensional objects for the theatricality, semiprecious stones for the luxury and for the unique presence of dynamic personalities, all worked by hand, giving attention to detail for grace, elegance, beauty.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What matters to you most as a fashion designer?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I am passionate about design, style and especially beauty. A designer is creator. For me is the mingling of many elements, pictures from my childhood, colors, sounds, paintings, statues, books, faces, body contour, movements and details that I love my own eyes to follow and processing in every aspect. All these elements I compose on a piece of fabric, in a creation that comes to life when worn by an ethereal creature.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What are some of your accomplishments as a designer?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:My personal need for expression. To create for women beautiful designs with attention to detail from its inception as a simple sketch to the final stitch by hand to every creation that bears the signature “Christos Dovas New York.” To achieve the perfect design that reflects inner world, emotion, thoughts, character, personality and internal female beauty. I work endlessly displaying my creations from Tokyo to Athens, from Soho to Hamptons and LA to celebrities, Sophia Milos at the Oscars with Elton John’s after Oscars party.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: How would you define your personal style?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:To conceive and create innovative with perfect execution; resulting in designs that naturally enhance a woman’s beauty. My philosophy is clarity, beauty, refinement, nobility and poetry. What covers the female figure must be chosen by criteria of simplicity, elegance, craftsmanship, and quality. Always must have in mind the picture as a whole for a charming presence. Besides, the relationship women have with fashion is absolutely attractive, intoxicating, exhilarating I could say challenges my creativity in every design. The uncontrolled female fantasy gives wings to my spontaneity and teaches me the difficulty of an intricate design and how to execute it.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: How do you intend women to feel when wearing Christos Dovas label?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:They will find passion, detail, definition of line, art, imagination, style, tailoring, craftsmanship, poetry, quality, elegance, beauty. Often compared to sculptures and paintings, “Christos Dovas” designs naturally enhance a woman’s inner beauty. I combine elements of the modern and classical worlds viewed from different angles to reveal new aspects of her beauty. To feel amazing a woman must appear unique and at ease with herself. “Christos Dovas” takes great care to make this happen. I respect and embrace that purity of form, function, and composition can harmoniously become one, bringing to life a world of imagination, beauty and luxury.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: How do you select your models?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:Truth of character, great personality, theatricality. confidence, performance.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: Where can readers buy your clothes?
CHRISTOS DOVAS: www.ChristosDovas.com

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What are some of your favorite fashion magazines, or books?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I love internet fashion magazines, however a hard copy is always of my favor. Vogue, Harper bazaar, Elle, books many books either when on vacation or going to bed.

CELEBRITIES STYLE: What are your general professional and non-professional interests?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I love going to museums, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Frick collection, Guggenheim my favorites and then conferences, galas where fashion meets its own people.

Christos Dovas New York Corp. is based in N.Y.C. The name and emblem of our company are registered trademarks, we are open in every aspect of partnership.

Look Book

2011