Balenciaga’s after-party at Paris Fashion Week featured two acts hailing from the Middle East and North Africa region — Omar Souleyman and Taxi Kebab.
The invite-only event took place after designer Demna showcased Balenciaga’s spring/summer 2023 collection, which made headlines as it took place in a warehouse submerged in a mudslide, where models walked on a runway made of muck and sludge.
Aligned with Demna’s avant-garde sensibility, which has made Balenciaga one of the most sought-after fashion labels in the world, it’s no surprise that Souleyman, the Syrian singer whose material spans multiple genres, was one of the acts chosen.
Souleyman, who has built a large cult following over the years, brought his unique cross-cultural sound to the event, which was attended by Demna and celebrities such as Kylie Jenner.
After beginning his career as a wedding singer in northern Syria in 1994, Souleyman developed a unique sound that melds traditional Arabic sounds along with Kurdish, Ashuri and Turkish, with a contemporary beat that fuses keyboards, electronic notes and vocals.
Souleyman has recorded 500 studio and live albums to date, most of which are live recordings made at weddings where he performed and then sold his tunes at kiosks.
His international career took an upward trajectory in 2011 when he started performing at festivals such as Glastonbury in the UK and Paredes de Coura in Portugal.
He has collaborated with Bjork on Crystalline Series and worked with English electronic musician Four Tet. He also performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 2013.
Souleyman is signed with Mad Decent, the label founded by DJ and producer Diplo, and continues to perform at international festivals.
French-Moroccan duo Leila Jiqqir and Romain Henry, better known as Taxi Kebab, also played at Balenciaga's after-party. Singer Jiqqir brought her haunting range of melodies to the event, which also had performances by hip-hop artists Von Bikrav and DJ Evil Grimace.
Street style's last hurrah at Paris Fashion Week — in pictures
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Cream feathers at Givenchy on the last day of Paris Fashion Week. All photos: Sarah Maisey / The National -
Seen at Givenchy, a woman with prosthetic legs, wearing androgynous-style clothes. -
Wearing metallics and clutching fake flowers. -
Mixing green and tan at the Givenchy show. -
Spotted at several events in one day, this man wears a home-made suit of mirrors. -
This person arrived for the Valentino show with feathered eyelashes that took two hours to apply. -
Bright yellow sequins outside Chanel. -
Colourful sequinned top spotted outside the Givenchy show. -
A stylish trio, outside Louis Vuitton. -
Despite the rain, this woman looked great in a shredded dress under a denim jacket, at Givenchy. -
Even the raincoats make a fashion statement. -
Head-to-toe cream at the Givenchy show. -
Diamante trimmed jeans and a tailored coat, at Givenchy. -
This young man looking stylish, outside Louis Vuitton. -
Dressed to impress, outside the Louis Vuitton show. -
Showing us all how to tie a scarf. -
This colourful couple were outside the Chanel show. -
A young woman with pink and blue hair outside Chanel. -
Friends in colourful jackets, outside the Chanel show. -
Dapper in pinstripes outside the Chanel show. -
A well dressed pair, outside Louis Vuitton. -
Seen outside Chanel, this woman rocking a 1980s ra-ra skirt. -
In white patent leather, outside Louis Vuitton. -
Looking good in a woman's tweed jacket, outside Chanel. -
A faux fur jacket and plenty of attitude, outside Chanel. -
Classic Parisian style, spotted outside Louis Vuitton. -
A man in an amazing woven coat, outside Louis Vuitton. -
Red camouflage trousers, at Givenchy. -
A kilt and an umbrella, in the rain at the Givenchy show. -
Four models spotted jumping on e-scooters after the Chanel show. They were later spotted on the Louis Vuitton runway. -
Looking fierce, despite the rain. Seen at Givenchy. -
Seen outside Louis Vuitton in a body suit and low slung jeans. -
Wearing a gold knitted dress and a pixie cut. Spotted outside Chanel. -
At Valentino, a woman in a Pink PP feathered coat. -
This pair looking stylish at the Valentino show. -
In a kimono and long black skirt, at Valentino. -
Wearing an oversized suit at Valentino. -
A blogger with blue hair, wearing pink to Valentino. -
A purple coat in Mongolian lamb, seen at the Valentino show. -
Head-to-toe pink at Valentino. -
Twin sisters, in contrasting colours, seen outside Valentino. -
A dragon coat, seen at Valentino. -
A sheer duster coat, at Valentino. -
An elaborate jacquard coat, seen at Valentino. -
This man in an outfit printed with dollar bills at Valentino. -
Wearing Balenciaga at the Valentino show. -
An oversized grey suit and green hair, in the rain.
