A Middle Eastern Icon – Rami Al Ali celebrates 20 years of his eponymous label

A Middle Eastern Icon

WORDS: OLIVIA MORRIS

IMAGE: SUPPLIED

Rami Al Ali has paved the way for designers throughout the GCC for the last 20 years. We discuss how the fashion space has changed in the region over the last two decades and the exciting journey that still lies ahead

Can you talk us through your career? I graduated in 1995 from the Art College of Damascus University where I specialized in Visual Communications. In 1997, I moved to Dubai after working for two years at the Attasi Art Gallery in Damascus where I gained experience in the world of art, a true passion of mine. Upon arriving in Dubai, I worked at a few locallybased fashion houses where I learnt about techniques appreciated in the Gulf Region. In 2001, I was ready to start my very own brand, with modest steps and assigning my label’s true aesthetic and DNA. As starting any business, it wasn’t the easiest start yet my timing and the demand for my brand was on point. It was the beginning of the fashion scene in the region where many international brands settled themselves here and international media titles launched their regional editions. What was the inspiration behind starting your own label in the UAE? I came to Dubai in 1997, where I came to assess the gap in the market in terms of taste, style, technique and customer service which I was accustomed to at a high level in both Syria and Lebanon. I also took the time to learn how to build a brand, form a team, connect with clients, and touch on the country’s marketing and PR style and in 2001, the time was right to start on my own fashion house. I didn’t feel I had my full freedom when working for others in making my vision a reality so I wanted to be independent and the huge demand for young designers was only growing. It was the beginning of forming the new Dubai and I wanted to capitalize on being an active member in the region’s new fashion hub.

I was always mesmerized by the power of fashion as a communication tool throughout history and how fashion affects us as individuals and those around us. It is the fastest method of completely changing your mood and perception of others. A very powerful tool that I wanted to be part of and master. This year marks 20 years of Rami Al Ali. How has the brand evolved? The beginning was difficult in terms of logistics but quite easy in terms of achievements and success. The competition was scarce and demand and possibilities of evolvement were endless. I started at the same time as Dubai’s hype had started and my brand quickly became associated with it. The mix of cultures and nationalities helped to build the multi-flavours that are very visible in the brand’s DNA and aesthetic. The beginning but this gap is slowly getting smaller as the world is growing more and more connected and the more Dubai becomes an international hub. The opening of the borders in every sense of the term assisted in reducing this gap. Most brands focus intensely on the region and the importance of the Middle East. Where does your motivation come from? The taste and the glow of the success of my entire team makes us hungrier and more eager to keep on going and seeking the next bit of success the brand deserves. Being able to achieve and reach our goals with such success keeps us looking forward to no limitations upon each completed milestone. What advice do you wish you had received at the beginning of your journey to success? As cliché as it sounds, it’s learning from our own mistakes. Our mistakes have made us who we are today. I believe if I had received advice to avoid certain obstacles and had taken such advice, I would not be where I am today. I would repeat exactly what I have done and wouldn’t change a thing. Live and learn. The choices we made, whether right or wrong, are who we are today. Which have been the biggest challenges to date since launching? The fact that my business is self-funded, with no investors, and with the great effort of my team, we have never needed to get any loans from any third parties. We do face challenges on how to fund the next project or was a great learning period and the evolvement milestone and keep the brand sustaining its of the UAE and the region played a big role in financial stability and continue to grow but how the brand has been built over the years. we always get there. It is very rewarding to do What does it feel like to know you’re making it ourselves and not having anyone declining a huge difference in the fashion industry? It the dreams we want to make happen. makes me feel very responsible. At the start, What have been the key milestones? There are it’s not something you notice and you do not many milestones that I am proud of and left realise your mistakes and decisions have an a strong mark on our name and my career. effect on others in the fashion industry. Ob- First is moving our shows to Europe with an viously, with time, these have lessened. We international audience; initially to Rome and are more aware of how the brand is under the eventually to Paris. Another was the launch of spotlight as a leader and a messenger. We are my Ready to Wear line and finally launching very cautious about what we do, the choices WHITE in the midst of a pandemic where our we make and the direction we lead. peers were facing difficulties to survive and Who would you say your mentors in the fash- yet we managed to do well. ion space are? I have been lucky to have sev- What’s next for Rami Al Ali? There is always a eral mentors in my life and not all have been next. There is always something in the pipeline. in fashion. I have had mentors in the art, cul- We are unable to announce anything now but as ture, literature and design worlds, as well as soon as we are almost done with one milestone, individuals that are very dear to my heart that we make sure we have the next one cooking. helped in building my career and the DNA of As we come to the end of 2021, what are your Rami Al Ali. I still have those mentors in my goals for the next year ahead? The goals for the life, probably each period of my life, I have upcoming years is to expand on the WHITE gone to different mentors but they are all con- line, from annual to seasonal due to the sucsidered my mentors for life. cess and positive responses we got since How do you feel the fashion space in this re- launching and taking that line along with the gion differs from other parts of the world? Ready to Wear line to a more international Twenty years ago, I feel the differences be- level and make it available to clients globally. tween the Middle East, Europe and the US This is The Winter Escape Issue – where will used to be much more obvious. There was you be escaping to over the festive period? I a big gap between these regions in terms of haven’t been to a snowy destination in a very taste, mechanism and perception of fashion long time – that is definitely where I plan to be.