Batool Ammar: An emerging talent in the fashion industry

AMMAN — Batool Ammar, an emerging fashion designer, was passionate about art and architecture from a young age. When she got older, however, she got exposed to fashion design and designers, which helped her realize what the Jordanian fashion industry was missing and made her study fashion design. اضافة اعلان

Ammar travelled to Florence, in Italy, to study fashion design, which, she told Jordan News, is more than just clothing, “it is an art by itself”.



(Photos: Handouts from Batool Ammar)

The first collection she designed, her graduation collection, was called "Until Liberation". It included six looks and was inspired by Palestine. Through her designs, she aimed to tell stories that reflect the Palestinians’ suffering and hope, she said.

"Each of the looks tells a different story. For instance, in the video of the collection, the first two outfits are in a dark place, like a refugee camp, and trying to get out of it, but could not. The colours of the outfits are inspired by the refugee camp and are the colors of destruction,” Ammar said.


(Photos: Handouts from Batool Ammar)

The shapes of the outfits are inspired by the red poppy, which is considered the national flower of Palestine, so they are somehow wrapped around each other like a flower, she added.

The designer believes she should send a message of hope, and Until Liberation tells the story of liberated Palestine. She wants all her future collections to have a purpose, support a specific cause and shed light on societal issues. While her collections will not necessarily have a political purpose, she wants to move people’s feelings when they are looking at her outfits and wants them to see the art hidden in their details, “rather than only seeing beautiful and neat pieces”, she said.

“Of course, each collection will have a unique story to tell, but the common ground is that they all will be intellectual or giving hope to the people,” she added.


(Photos: Handouts from Batool Ammar)

Ammar uses a mixture of fabrics; she uses materials depending on the purpose and message behind her outfits, as she believes that materials will help her deliver her message, she said. For instance, to reflect fragility, she uses delicate silk and knitwear.

The inspiration for her designs comes from nature, people’s stories, and new places. She believes in putting her personal touch on her designs, in making them original, but could still follow trends as her designing process evolves.

The most interesting thing about designing is experimenting with new ideas and mediums, Ammar said, acknowledging that attempting to create new things might not be easy or could even be impossible, and that it sometimes requires much time to bring them to life at the level of creativity she imagined.


(Photos: Handouts from Batool Ammar)

Ammar said that what she takes into consideration the most is draping, which is the process of wrapping the fabrics around the mannequin to create shapes that have never been implemented, and that she works on row ideas.

The designer is planning to launch her brand in the summer of 2022 under her name. It will be made in Italy with a Jordanian identity. 

“Embroidery may be made in Jordan, but the tailoring and patterns are exclusively made in Milan and Florence,” she said. The reason she takes this path is the difficulty in finding fabrics in Jordan, the high quality Italy provides for the fashion design industry, and the connections she has that would help her create her collection in Italy.

In the future, she wants to start producing in Jordan. She also aims to participate in Milan fashion week.

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