Ayah Ajam is on a mission to change all that by promoting the work of a new generation of Middle Eastern designers. For the last few years Ayah, who is a public relations consultant in Beirut, has been bringing the region’s rising design stars back to LA to show at the Caro Simply Stylist showroom.

“It’s a shame these talented young Middle Eastern designers aren’t getting noticed internationally, so I kept asking them to come out here to Los Angeles,” said Ayah. “The idea came about when a stylist in LA contacted me in Beirut to get some of Basil Soda’s collection out there. So I decided to bring two more designers with me at the time, Nicolas Jebran and George Hobeika. Their work received such a positive response that I soon got a call from a producer at the Grammy’s who wanted to see more Middle Eastern designers,” she continued.

“I think my break-though moment came when Katy Perry chose a pink Basil Soda dress for last year’s Grammy’s, it was all over the news, everybody in the media loved that dress, which she chose the night before the Grammy’s! She also wore a George Hobeika dress the night before to Clive Davis’ party,” added Ayah.

Established three years ago by Caro Marketing, an LA-based fashion marketing and public relations agency, Simply Stylist is a “pop-up” PR showroom designed to connect emerging design talent with the industry’s most influential stylists, fashion editors and celebrities. This year it was held on October 14th and 15th at the Siren Orange Studios located in LA’s media district. 

Amongst the crowd one could spot some of the biggest names in the industry, including stylists Britt Bardot (who dresses Kate Hudson and Cameron Diaz) and Jeanne Yang (whose clients include Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise).

In an area of the showroom featuring the work of 27 year old Iraqi/American designer Oday Shakar, actress Selena Gomez’s stylist was intently eyeing a draped evening gown.  Born in the US to Iraqi parents, Shakar lived in Lebanon and Jordan before moving to LA to study fashion in 2000. Shortly after graduating he opened his own studio and quickly established a reputation for his custom gowns amongst a growing clientele in Orange County. This is his first time trying to break into Hollywood.

“I knew Ayah Ajam growing up, so that’s how I got connected to this event. I always say I am an Arab-American designer, yet surprisingly most of my clients aren’t Arab. That’s why I would love to branch out into the Middle East; as I feel my pieces speak strongly to women there,” explained Shakar. “This is the next level for my line; to get my name out there with the media and the stylists,” he added.
Another young Middle Eastern talent showing at the Simply Stylist showroom was Lebanese designer Ronald Abdala, who at 29 has already established a name for himself on the Beirut fashion scene. Known for creating modern architectural pieces that are produced in Beirut, his line is carried at Starch in the Lebanese capital as well as Villa Moda in Dubai.
“It’s easier to come to these shows, meet with potential clients and bring our work to life for them,” explained the designer who produces both a ready-to-wear and couture line. “I try to take advantage of the talent and workmanship that makes working in Beirut so special, such as the beadwork and embroideries that I use in my pieces. But at the same time the embellishment never overpowers the modern cuts in my designs,” said Abdala. Not surprisingly Roland’s streamlined and modern take on dressing has been attracting a number of fashion forward women in the Middle East.

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Images, Clockwise top left: Beirut-based PR consultant Ayah Ajam; Lebanese designer Roland Abdala with examples from his spring collection; Iraqi-American designer Oday Shakar with a model wearing one of his draped creations; Halle Barry at the 2005 Oscars.