3 Iraqi Fashion Designers Who Are Rocking the Business

Fashion is one of the industries that is most eroding individual cultural influences and tastes. Nowadays, everyone looks the same.

That's exactly why these three Iraqi fashion designers were keen to keep their Iraqi and Middle Eastern taste alive through their designs that they have spread across the world.

With over 25 years in the industry, Hana Sadiq is a patron of Middle Eastern elegance. Although she believes that every woman deserves to feel beautiful, she has designed for some very important figures such as Queen Noor of Jordan, Queen Rania and Princess Raghda of Jordan, Latifa, Ahlam, Rajaa Al-Jiddawi and Yosra.

Sadiq is a woman whose work is inspired from a pool of cultural and intellectual influences.  Her extensive travels through the Arab world have exposed her to different art approaches and influences, which she now incorporates into her vivid designs, most notably through the use of vibrant colors and Arabic calligraphy.

Born in Iraq, and raised in England since she was eight, alAsadi took her first steps in the fashion world as an intern to the fashion luminary, the high-street notable Karen Millen when she was just 15.

“[Karen] taught me not so much how to design a collection,” says Alasadi, “but how to run it.”

AlAsadi’s journey soon evolved from retail to design consultancy to her own vintage store in Tokyo. Soon enough, she was rocking runway shows across London, Paris and Tokyo.

The signature on all Reem's clothes is artisanship and handcrafted excellence. Her inspiration is from her childhood days in Iraq, and her bold approach to fabric choices are rather inventive and incredibly detailed mish-mash of punk and vintage, with a touch of the Victorian about them.

All photos are taken from Twitter @Reem alAsadi

With two showrooms in UAE, Zeena Zaki has been leaving her clear artistic influence on the designs of Julea Domani for over a decade. From 75 International Designers, Zaki was awarded the best female designer for Pret a Porter at Dubai Fashion Week in 2010.

Zeena Zaki continues to inspire her designs from Middle Eastern women themselves, and how they blend culture and heritage with the latest trend twists.