It’s interesting when you see a Middle Eastern designer turning the tables around on the fashion press and showing exactly what they wouldn’t expect him to do.

There has always been a tendency, especially within the Western press to “ethicize” fashion coming out of the Middle East. Which usually meant that what got covered were somewhat heavy handed designs incorporating lots of embroidery and bright colors.

Somehow one felt as if there was this constant tug of war, this negotiation, when it came to satisfying ones creative impulses while still remaining true to ones culture at the same time.

But do designers of Middle Eastern heritage necessarily need to incorporate Middle Eastern themes to be validated in their work? If they chose not too does it necessarily mean they are pandering to Western values, especially at a time when our own collective sense of identity is shifting with travel, immigration and the internet?

Azzedine Alaia is originally from Tunis, yet today he’s considered a Paris legend who defines what “French” dressing is all about. Michelle Obama even wore one of his dresses to the G8 summit.

The “Ghutra” patterns we’ve seen emerging on everything from tops to evening bags seem to have become ubiquitous today. Yet back in 2000 Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga explored that very same fabric (this time in pale 18^th century shades of pink, robin’s egg blue, and taupe). But his approach was more subtle, using it as flounced or frilly edges to frame shoulders and collar bones; it was a great example of treating a theme in a subtle way without having to shout it out.

I would love to see those finely detailed Palestinian embroideries reinterpreted in less dense patterns in threads of grays, beiges, even black and navy blue on something other than a caftan (a diaphones silk chiffon top perhaps that could be paired with a vintage YSL Smoking). Or taking the mother of pearl patterns found on Damascene wood furniture and re-imagining them as large sculptural wood cuffs and bangles. We’ve seen those traditional men’s sandals from the Gulf made into female friendly versions in iridescent shades pink and pistachio leather (yet the conversation stops at the shift in color). But what if Louboutin or Pierre Hardy got a hold of one and transformed it into a sleek high-heel of bleached python or crocodile.

Just a thought…