Rami Al Ali becomes first Syrian designer to join official haute couture calendar in Paris

Prestigious invitation highlights Middle East's growing influence in fashion industry

Rami Al Ali is the latest Middle Eastern designer invited to show during Haute Couture Week in Paris. Sarah Dea for The National

Designer Rami Al Ali has become the first Syrian to join the prestigious haute couture calendar in Paris after being invited to show his autumn/winter 2025 collection next month.

Celebrated for his sculptural evening wear, the Syria-born, Dubai-based designer's offer to join the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode schedule is a rare accolade and gives him the legal right to call himself an haute couturier.

Granted by the Parisian fashion federation only to labels that meet its rigorous standards of craftsmanship and artistry, haute couture is a protected designation.

Only a handful of houses hold permanent membership – including Chanel, Dior, Givenchy and Jean Paul Gaultier – alongside a select few guest members invited to show each season.

The brand is known for its glamorous and sculptural gowns. Photo: Rami Al Ali

Founded in 2001, Al Ali’s eponymous house has become popular with discerning clients who seek refined occasion-wear sculpted with an architect’s eye.

Although he has already shown his work in Paris alongside the official calendar, next month's appearance will be his first formal inclusion – a decisive moment in a journey defined by consistency and perseverance.

Al Ali’s elevation cements his reputation as one of the Middle East's most influential designers and also underscores the region's growing stature in the industry.

Previous regional names invited to join the haute couture calendar, including Lebanese designers Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad, Georges Chakra and Rami Kadi, as well as Dubai-based Michael Cinco and Saudi designer Ashi Studio, have helped position the region as the home of intricate craftsmanship and unabashed elegance.

Rami Al Ali creations are housed at his atelier in Dubai. Photo: Rami Al Ali

Al Ali's achievement is also a nod to the evolving geography of couture itself. During a recent visit to Dubai, Business of Fashion founder Imran Amed outlined the Global South's growing importance to innovation in the industry.

While haute couture is an outlier from mainstream fashion – it is aimed at the needs and wants of perhaps 2,000 women worldwide – the elevation of yet another Middle East name to its storied ranks is more evidence of a region that is making an impact.

Al Ali's debut haute couture show in Paris will take place on July 10.