Nohad Al-Samarraie: Transforming 70 Paintings by Nasir Shamma into Global Fashion Pieces Embodying Eastern Cultures with a Contemporary Spirit
Interview by Dunya Sahib – Iraq
With confident strides, Iraqi writer and fashion designer Nihad Al-Samarrai collaborates with world-renowned artist and musician Nasir Shamma on an unprecedented project: transforming 70 of his artworks into unique fashion pieces that pulsate with the beauty and allure of the East. These designs reflect the diversity of Eastern cultures through innovative creations that carry a modern spirit, infused with a creative feminine touch weaving threads of authenticity in their most splendid forms.
This project extends beyond the realm of fashion, encompassing the design of artistic furniture pieces and jewelry inspired by Nasir Shamma's paintings. It achieves an aesthetic harmony that blends heritage and modernity with fluidity and refined taste, creating a new visual language that embodies Eastern cultural identity in a contemporary spirit.
In this exclusive interview, Nihad Al-Samarrai reveals the details of this multifaceted experience, marking a significant milestone in her artistic journey. She also shares her ambitious vision to open new avenues for interaction between fine arts, fashion design, and various cultures through a project that reinterprets visual art as a living expression brimming with colors, symbols, and meanings, translating music as a spiritual pulse that transcends time, shaping moments through rhythm and melody, while presenting fashion design as an expressive art that combines form, texture, and function to convey a global cultural and aesthetic message.
---
How would you introduce yourself to the audience? Who is Nihad Al-Samarrai, and what were the stages of your professional journey?
I am Nihad Wathiq Al-Samarrai, an Iraqi fashion designer and writer. I studied simultaneous interpretation and specialized in it in the United Kingdom. I am the daughter of the late theatrical and architectural artist Wathiq Al-Samarrai, one of the pioneers of the theatrical movement in the United Arab Emirates. I was born on September 13, 1974, in Abu Dhabi.
My professional journey began in the oil sector, where I worked with ADNOC and the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) in Abu Dhabi. Later, I transitioned into the world of fashion design and established the Black Crown Label in the UK in 2020, offering unique fashion designs that blend authenticity and modernity.
In 2024, I published a book titled "The Confident Journey" in two parts, documenting the biography of my father, Wathiq Al-Samarrai, and his pioneering experience in founding Emirati theater in the 1960s. The book was launched at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library in Dubai, attended by prominent cultural and media figures, including the Iraqi Ambassador to the UAE, Dr. Muzafar Mustafa Al-Jubouri, and Dr. Habib Ghuloom, Vice President of the Youth Theater for the Arts.
I also contributed to the preparation of the book "Theater in the UAE... Wathiq Al-Samarrai's Experience in the 1960s and 1970s," published by the Arab Theater Authority, documenting my father's biography since his arrival in Dubai on April 22, 1963, and his significant role in establishing and developing the theatrical movement in the UAE through his performances in Sharjah and Dubai.
Through this path, I strive to document my family's cultural and artistic heritage and aim to demonstrate my deep commitment to art and culture in both the UAE and my homeland, Iraq.
---
How would you describe the experience of collaborating with artist and musician Nasir Shamma in redefining the relationship between visual art, music, and fashion design? Do you consider this project the beginning of a new artistic school in the world of fashion design?
It is a unique experience, the first of its kind both in the Arab world and globally, where the fashion world witnessed an unprecedented fashion show entirely based on artworks as the sole source of inspiration and design.
Seventy artworks were transformed into seventy dresses in an exceptional celebration of color as life, movement, and culture. The show served as a visual bridge connecting various cultures, such as Arabic, Indian, Japanese, Kurdish, and others, with color as a human and aesthetic symbol that transcends borders.
What truly distinguishes this experience is that it is the first time a fashion show is entirely based on the works of a single artist, turning paintings into fabrics that come to life. This show was not just a fashion event but the birth of a new awareness that expands the function of the painting and globalizes its aesthetics, making fashion a means of expressing the essence of women and highlighting their human and cultural value.
---
What types of fabrics did you choose to carry the prints of colors and motifs from Nasir Shamma's paintings? Why did you select these specific materials?
We carefully selected taffeta, chiffon, natural silk, and innovative types of fabrics because they are characterized by their flexibility and ability to highlight the intricate details of colors and motifs, adding an artistic touch to the designs that befits the value of the works we drew inspiration from.
---
What are the initial stages for presenting the fashion designs, and where will you showcase them?
The first event and fashion show for a selected group of global figures will be held on World Island on June 11, followed by the main show at the Agenda Hall in Dubai on June 15, attended by a distinguished group of prominent artists and intellectuals from the Arab world and many other countries. This show is the first of its kind globally, both in terms of the number of pieces displayed and being a fashion show held on an island.
Subsequently, the show will move to global venues, starting with the enchanting city of Alamein, then to London, Paris, Milan, the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi, as well as Qatar and Tokyo. Among these venues, Iraq will be one of the most significant, as it will be my first visit to Iraq, and the largest and most grandiose fashion show in the world will be held there. It is an exceptional event in which I will participate alongside the world-renowned musician Nasir Shamma, in an experience that combines art, music, and fashion simultaneously.
---
How do you perceive the impact of showcasing these designs in global fashion capitals such as London, Paris, Milan, and Tokyo?
I anticipate a very positive impact, both in terms of the concept and execution. The project is unprecedented in the fashion world, as it translates the creativity of a single artist, the musician and artist Nasir Shamma, into complete fashion designs that accurately reflect his spirit and ideas. I can describe it as a new "scream" in the fashion world, especially when it comes from two Iraqi personalities carrying this vision to the world.
---
What does it mean to you to present the first fashion show in Iraq, your homeland, alongside artist Nasir Shamma?
I am very excited because returning to Iraq and presenting this global project holds a special meaning for me. The show will be exceptional by all standards in the fashion industry, as Iraq, specifically its capital Baghdad, will be the first country in the world to host a show featuring 100 artistic pieces designed in a global style, entirely inspired by the works of a single artist, the esteemed musician and artist Nasir Shamma, transforming his paintings into fashion designs pulsating with creativity, art, and beauty.
For me, that moment will be extraordinary in every sense of the word. It is not just participation in a fashion show but a message that highlights Iraq, Iraqi art, and Iraqi culture, reintroducing them to the global scene in a manner befitting Iraq's history and creativity.
---
In light of the rapid technological development and the increasing reliance on artificial intelligence, how do you see the impact of these technologies on the art of fashion design, color innovation, fabric patterns, as well as in painting and composing musical melodies? Do you believe these tools might pose a threat to authenticity and the human touch that expresses the soul's emotions in these fine arts?
I support the idea of benefiting from artificial intelligence, but I believe it has certain limits. Artificial intelligence will not significantly enter the realm of artistic works because art always requires that human touch that expresses the artist's soul, emotions, and thoughts.
Human intelligence is what harnesses artificial intelligence to serve creativity, not the other way around. I believe that artificial intelligence is a tool, but it cannot entirely replace humans.
---
Is there a future project to utilize Nasir Shamma's paintings in furniture design?
Yes, definitely! We have already started working on employing Nasir Shamma's drawings in furniture design. I am currently working on designing a furniture piece that combines heritage and modernity, alongside a project to design pottery, ceramics, and jewelry. All these designs are entirely inspired by Nasir Shamma's works, reflecting his creative spirit in new artistic forms.
---
What is the aesthetic and cultural message you aim to convey through this project?
My message is to highlight the cultural and artistic identity of the Arab woman in a contemporary framework, reviving heritage with a renewed spirit, and presenting a comprehensive image that expresses modesty, beauty, elegance, and the sophistication carried by the Arab woman. I strive for my designs to be a mirror of these values and to represent the Arab woman with all the authenticity, pride, dignity, and beauty she embodies.
تعليقات
إرسال تعليق
اترك تعليقا يدل على انطباعك ورأيك بالموضوع