How Yasmin Mansour Creates Living Architecture

Yasmin Mansour’s Fall/Winter 2025–2026 collection is defined by movement, line, and shape. The innovative designer deftly and delicately layers fabric into shapes that flow down a sleeve like a river, wrap around the waist like a wave, and loop around the shoulder like a torrent. Her pieces undulate, ripple, quiver, and flutter, pushing the possibilities of fashion into the realm of wearable architecture.

Mansour developed her approach to using strips upon strips of discarded fabric during a moment of reflection in 2020. Inspired by artists, artisans, and traditions, the Paris– and Doha-based designer pays homage to Middle Eastern heritage with an eye toward what’s next.

Whitewall spoke with Mansour about her creative process, from referencing souqs to cinema.

Yasmin Mansour on Finding Solance in Art

WHITEWALL: You began sketching designs at a young age, influenced by classic Egyptian cinema and old Hollywood. How did these early visual experiences shape your design aesthetic?

YASMIN MANSOUR: Even as a child, I was captivated by the fashion in classic Egyptian cinema and old Hollywood. There was something about the silhouettes—the elegance, the structure, the way garments held presence—that stayed with me. I didn’t see them as costumes; I saw them as characters in their own right. That early exposure shaped how I think about design today: pieces that carry emotion, command attention, and feel timeless. It made me fall in love with the idea that fashion could be both storytelling and sculpture.

WW: Growing up with dyslexia, you found solace in art and design. How has this personal journey influenced your approach to fashion and creativity?

YM: Growing up with dyslexia, words often felt limiting—but art and design gave me a language of my own. I connected with visuals, shapes, and textures in a way that felt instinctive. It taught me to think differently, to lead with emotion and intuition rather than logic. That’s still how I design today—through form, feeling, and storytelling without needing explanation. Dyslexia didn’t hold me back—it shaped how I see the world, and in many ways, it gave me my voice.

Tradition Through a Contemporary Lens

WW: Your designs are noted for their architectural silhouettes and intricate pleating. Can you discuss how architectural elements inform your design process?

YM: Architecture teaches you how to think in structure—how space holds weight, how lines create emotion. That’s how I approach design. Pleating, layering, and sculptural forms are my way of building garments that feel intentional and dimensional, almost like wearable architecture. I often start with references to buildings or details—not just for their form but for their story and tension—and then translate that into fabric, volume, and silhouette. It’s about creating pieces that hold their own space, but still move with the body.

“I don’t replicate it directly but I study it and reinterpret it through a contemporary lens.”

-Yasmin Mansour

WW: How do you incorporate traditional Arab craftsmanship into your contemporary designs?

YM: Everything we create is done by hand, which is core to how I approach design. I often find inspiration in traditional craftsmanship—especially what you see in local souqs across the region. The details, the techniques, the way things are made with patience and purpose—it’s something I deeply respect. I don’t replicate it directly but I study it and reinterpret it through a contemporary lens. It’s about preserving that artisanal spirit while shaping it into something that feels architectural, current, and emotionally resonant.

WW: Splitting your time between Paris and Doha, how do these two cities influence your creative process and the narratives within your collections?

YM: Paris and Doha influence me in very different but interconnected ways. Doha constantly inspires me—the contrast between futuristic architecture and traditional Arab craftsmanship is something I carry into my work. I often look to the local souqs, where techniques are still practiced by hand, and then think about how to translate that spirit into something sculptural and modern. Paris, on the other hand, offers a sense of discipline and refinement—the classical architecture, the legacy of couture—it pushes me to be intentional in every detail. I think my work lives in the dialogue between the two: Bold yet precise, rooted yet forward-looking.

WW: You’ve mentioned challenges in sourcing sustainable materials locally. How do you address these challenges, and what innovative solutions have you implemented?

YM: Sourcing sustainable materials locally can be a challenge—especially in a smaller market like Doha where fabric options are limited. But we’ve turned that into a creative opportunity. One solution was using deadstock fabric traditionally used for Qatari tents—repurposing something deeply rooted in local culture in a completely new way. We also incorporate our own offcuts and production scraps into new designs, treating waste as raw material. While we continue to develop international sourcing partnerships for sustainable textiles, we’re always looking at how to make what’s around us work in thoughtful, innovative ways.

WW: In what ways do your designs pay homage to traditional Middle Eastern textiles and craftsmanship?

YM: I don’t see tradition as something to preserve in a glass box—I see it as something to evolve. My designs pay homage to Middle Eastern craftsmanship by drawing from it, studying it, and reinterpreting it in ways that feel modern. For example, we’ve used deadstock fabric traditionally used for Qatari tents—not as decoration but as structure, as form. I often reference techniques found in local souqs, but apply them through a contemporary lens. It’s about honoring where we come from, while imagining where we can go.

Scaling with Intention

WW: What are your plans for expanding your brand’s presence internationally, and how do you envision its evolution in the coming years?

YM: The goal isn’t to grow fast—it’s to grow intentionally. We recently launched our e-commerce store, and this May, we’re debuting at Harrods, with Ounass to follow later in the summer. These are carefully chosen partnerships that reflect the brand’s values: timeless design, craftsmanship, and cultural narrative. As we expand, I’m also evolving the collections, exploring new categories while staying true to our core identity. I see the brand becoming part of a larger global conversation—one that celebrates emotional design, modern craft, and a new kind of luxury rooted in meaning.

WW: You’ve collaborated with artists like Bouthayna Al Muftah. How do such collaborations influence your design process and the storytelling within your collections?

YM: Collaborations like the one with Bouthayna Al Muftah allow me to step outside my usual rhythm and see the work through another lens. It’s less about merging styles and more about creating a shared visual language—where her world and mine overlap through emotion, memory, and form. That kind of dialogue influences how I build the collection, how I think about narrative, and how I push the garments to carry more meaning. It becomes a deeper story—one that blends disciplines but speaks in a single voice.

“My advice is simple: Stay true to your perspective.”

-Yasmin Mansour

WW: Which artists or art movements have significantly influenced your work, and how do they manifest in your designs?

YM: I’m constantly drawn to artists and architects who create through emotion and scale. The National Museum of Qatar by Jean Nouvel has been a huge influence—its interlocking, layered structure feels both futuristic and deeply rooted in place, and that tension shows up in how I construct garments. On the other end of the spectrum, I find endless inspiration in Yayoi Kusama—the repetition, the surrealism, the way she creates entire worlds through a single gesture. That kind of emotional immersion pushes me to think beyond the garment—to design experiences, not just clothes.

WW: What advice would you offer to aspiring designers from the MENA region looking to make their mark in the global fashion industry?

YM: My advice is simple: Stay true to your perspective. Don’t try to imitate what’s already out there—bring something only you can bring. And be ready for the long game. It’s not an easy industry, especially starting out from this region, but consistency matters. Keep pushing, even when it’s slow. The right people will take notice.