Nada Debs
Nada Debs unrolls her latest, “colour-graded” collection of Inaash embroidered cushions on white silk. This stunning new design sits alongside Debs’ earlier Inaash collaboration – white on white with colour – and her signature plexi stools with classic Inaash embroidered cushions. Raised in Japan with a Levantine spirit, Debs lived in different parts of the world before returning to Lebanon and taking up residence in Beirut after a 40-year absence. Fusing a Far Eastern aesthetic for minimalism with a Middle Eastern appreciation of fine decorative craftsmanship, Debs created her East & East concept which caught the imagination of the design world and secured her place on the world design atlas.
Debs strives to push the boundaries of design while remaining true to its culture, heritage and identity. For Cushionania she created two collections: “Spectrum of Light” an interplay of shadow and color that reveals and conceals the intricate cross-stitching; and “Where Land meets the Sea” inspired by the natural gradients found at the point where the land and sea converge.
May Daouk
May Daouk is a Lebanese interior designer who studied in New York City and worked a good portion of her professional life in the United States. Here she became interested in incorporating aspects of her heritage into her work. May’s signature pieces for Inaash combine beautiful fabrics such as soft linen or cashmere in subtle shades, with traditional Palestinian motifs in colours that blend harmoniously with the fabrics. The result is a winning combination of old and new that harks back to an earlier era and is at the same time thoroughly contemporary in feel.
Jason Steel
Jason Steelis the founder of the Fashion Design program at the Lebanese American University. His vision is to ensure young designers regenerate a sector hit by much adversity.As a creative practitioner whose work is concerned with the human condition, the objects and products he makes explore many complex facets of an ever evolving society but namely the signals and indicators that remain unseen through the prism of humour. In his collaboration with Inaash Jason probes the meaning of exile and its impact on those who have become refugees.He holds a first class (hons) degree from Northumbria University and a Masters from the Royal College of Art, London, where he was awarded the Diana, Princess of Wales bursary.
Co-designer with Tatyana Antoun, the design inspiration stems from old tiles, redundant technology, and the DNA helix – references that generally inform his practice. Speaking of theCushionaniacollection Steel says, “The viewer can decide on the messages. Tatyana Antoun and I had our own very clear ideas but perhaps now is the time to let the messages and meanings filter out of their own accord.”
OmarJoseph Nasser-Khoury – Omarvis
Omar Joseph Nasser-Khoury is a fashion designer from Palestine [Jerusalem/ Birzeit]. His work is centred around historic textiles and dressmaking techniques from Palestine. He has worked intermittently with INAASH since 2009, initially as a college intern when he was studying at London College of Fashion. His first design for INAASH was the crinkled (shambar-style) silkshawl. Omar Joseph’sfirst encounter with an INAASH embroiderednajaf shawl in 2005 was one of the main reasons why he decided to study fashion and pursue a career researching embroidery and textiles from Palestine. A jacket embroidered by INAASH from his first collection was acquired by the British Museum in London in 2011; it was supposedly one of the first fashion items the museum ever acquired.
Omarvis’ Magick Forest collection forCushionaniaelaborates on the different ‘Saru’ (cypress tree) motifs embroidered on traditional rural dresses throughout Palestine. He says that despite the deep-seated misconception that embroidery motifs are inspired by nature and surroundings in Palestine, it is often the case that the motifs are more like magic symbols. His ‘Forest’ arrangement explores the metaphysical and talismanic aspects of traditional embroidery motifs.
Creative Space Beirut
CSB is the flagship label of the Creative Space Beirut Social Enterprise. It is at the core of the enterprise’s circular financial sustainability model, while providing the grounds for experimentation and evolution in industry practices.
The label operates as a dynamic design collaboration between the students, alumni, teachers and affiliates of CSB-SD
It deploys a living collection of wearables, accessories and functional surfaces, reflecting a process of trend-transcendent design thinking, conscious collaboration, and sustainable local manufacturing.
Dina Kamal
Dina Kamal is the creative force behind DK01 a design practice focusing on precious objects that convey an emotional impact. Restrained, pared down to their essence and reduced to their most potent form, her signature PNKYRNG collection is emblematic of her style described as: function and reason, coherence and magic. Inaash is privileged to work with Dina on a unique cushion collection, “Filastine”, which combines the purity of Bauhaus with minimalist calligraphy, in a stunning combination of complementary and contrasting colours.
