The collection really started when I began looking at my Persian Heritage––looking to the past when Iran was in its golden age. I referenced two periods specifically, focusing on the time during the ruling of the Qajar Dynasty and then the Pahlavi Dynasty.
I studied the portraits of the Qajar–– his uniform, the regalia, the women who surrounded him. I became focused on the the shape of the military uniforms and, ultimately the layers it took to make them. The men's coat was simple in design, but classic with sharp lines that inherently made it feel masculine. With that, I wanted to soften the feeling and make it more feminine. What I imagined Iran be like if it was ruled by women. The embroidery seen throughout the collection mirrors the medals seen on military uniforms. I look to it as a modern medal of honor. I took the shape and blurring it, a if there was a cluster of them together. The medallion is a reference to honor and unity and the circles go around for infinity. In collaborating with kWIT jewelry, we continued to build upon the idea of the medal, playing with the shapes and the colors. The colors of the collection are reminiscent of a Haj Ali Rug in my parent's living room, its vibrant colors are vividly engrained in my mind from spending so much time there growing up. In referencing the time of the Pahlavi Dynasty, I was captivated by the modern elegance of Farah Pahlavi, Empress of Iran, who quickly became the muse of the collection. I studied the silhouettes she wore and how she carried herself in a land that was and is continued to be ruled by men. She was strong and fought for the importance of bringing education to all women alongside equality in the workplace. To marry everything together, I looked to the modern world I grew up in (Houston, Texas!) and the more relaxed style of American dressing. I wanted to incorporate stripes as homage to the American Flag and the freedom it brings, which many people still donot have in Iran.
The end result is my Spring collection, with each year my designs will evolve but the muses stays the same—my Persian culture and the women around me.
