Some cities have a skyline. Others have thousands of years of history, centuries-old craftsmanship, and enough artistic inspiration to fill an entire couture atelier. Across the MENA region, designers have found all of that and more, turning everything from ancient Egyptian treasures to Persian carpets into runway moments worth remembering. Some even brought their shows to the region itself. Consider this your fashion history lesson, just with significantly better outfits.
1. Dior — Luxor & Aswan, Egypt
Spring/Summer 2004 Haute Couture (2004)
John Galliano’s imagination has never been known to do things by halves, and Egypt gave it plenty to work with. After taking a hot-air balloon ride over the country’s ancient landmarks, the designer channelled the world of the pharaohs into Dior’s Spring/Summer 2004 couture collection.
The result? Gilded corsets, pyramid-inspired gowns, hieroglyphic motifs, oversized scarab jewellery, and accessories modelled after ancient Egyptian deities. With dramatic silhouettes and enough gold to make a pharaoh feel underdressed, Galliano turned Egypt’s monumental past into a theatrical couture fantasy.
2. Hermès — Tabriz, Iran
Tabriz (2012)
Who knew your living room carpet could be runway material? For its Fall/Winter 2012–2013 collection, Hermès looked to Tabriz, an Iranian city renowned for its Persian carpet-making heritage. Under the creative direction of Christophe Lemaire, intricate floral patterns and ornamental motifs inspired by traditional rugs found their way into the house’s refined designs.
It was a lesson in how craftsmanship travels across centuries: patterns rooted in Persian artistry became part of a contemporary luxury wardrobe, proving that sometimes the best fashion inspiration is already woven into the fabric of history.
3. Chanel — Dubai, UAE
Resort 2015/Cruise Collection (2014)
Karl Lagerfeld didn’t fly Chanel to Dubai to put on just another runway show. Naturally, he built an entire fashion fantasy on a man-made island. Think artificial palm trees, Bedouin-inspired tents, mashrabiya-style woodwork, and a glittering venue that felt like an oasis straight out of another world.
The collection was just as considered. Geometric patterns inspired by historic Arabic tiles appeared on scarves and coats, crescent-moon jewellery brought a celestial touch, and pearl-inspired accessories nodded to the Gulf’s pearling heritage. There were even quilted leather handbags shaped like fuel canisters. Only Lagerfeld could turn an oil can into a Chanel moment.
The show captured Dubai’s appetite for spectacle while weaving regional references into the house’s unmistakable aesthetic.
4. Zuhair Murad — Lebanon and the Phoenician Mediterranean
A Tyrian Arabesque (2024)
For his Spring 2024 collection, Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad reached back to the Phoenicians, the ancient seafaring civilization whose history is deeply tied to Lebanon and the wider Mediterranean.
Rather than focusing on one city, Murad drew on a whole world of maritime mythology, ancient art, and powerful female figures. Flowing gowns evoked the movement of the sea, while mosaic-inspired motifs, Greco-Roman pendants, cascading chains, and metallic embellishments brought the references into the present.
Silver, bronze, copper, and shimmering Mediterranean hues completed the picture. The result was pure Murad: unapologetically glamorous, but with a historical story running beneath all that sparkle.
5. ALÉMAIS — Marrakech, Morocco
Resort 2026 Collection (2025)
For its Resort 2026 collection, Australian label ALÉMAIS headed to Marrakech for a collaboration with LRNCE, the creative studio founded by Belgian-Moroccan artist Laurence Leenaert. The idea was a meeting of creative minds, bringing together ALÉMAIS’s love of artisanal design and LRNCE’s expressive, art-driven approach.
Presented in a culinary museum and followed by a Moroccan dinner, the show felt less like a standard runway presentation and more like stepping into the city’s creative world. Sun-washed colours, tactile prints, flowing shapes, and sharp tailoring echoed Marrakech’s visual energy, while Leenaert’s artwork added a distinctly personal touch.
Here, the city wasn’t simply a pretty backdrop for the photographs. Its artistic spirit helped shape the experience, bringing fashion, local creativity, and Moroccan hospitality into the same room.
Conclusion
From Egypt’s ancient grandeur to the artistry of Persian carpets, Dubai’s architectural ambition, Lebanon’s Phoenician legacy, and Marrakech’s creative pulse, the MENA region has given fashion far more than a photogenic backdrop. These collections show how history, craftsmanship, and place can find new life on the runway. And honestly, if the walls, tiles, textiles, and stories around us are this inspiring, who says fashion has to look to Paris for all its ideas?
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