About Naghmeh Kiumarsi

Naghmeh Kiumarsi is a renowned designer in Iran’s women’s ready-towear fashion industry. Since childhood, she has had a passion for painting and design. It didn’t take her long to realize that she wanted to pursue a career in design. She started sketching at the age of 5, learned embroidery at 12, and quickly grasped the concepts of fashion and design. She has been pursuing her career in design ever since.

Naghmeh started her own business in 2003, launching her fi rst fashion line of scarves and manteaux. As a third-generation designer, she draws inspiration from her Iranian heritage, which spans back 2500 years. Her designs feature textiles, patterns, calligraphy, and poetry that tell the story of her country’s rich heritage. Naghmeh takes pride in her family and cultural roots.Her unique, avantgarde creations have earned global recognition and respect over the years. Naghmeh is a dynamic, creative, and passionate designer with many aspirations. 

As a postmodern designer, she blends traditional elements with modern arrangements and textures to create a fresh defi nition of Iranian women’s style. Her designs showcase her love for Iranian poetry, often incorporating calligraphy and illustrations of poems. She is skilled at blending colors to express her unique concepts in her inspirational designs. In 2011, Naghmeh met her agent who introduced her to Harvey Nichols, Galeries Lafayette, and other boutiques in the UAE, as she was keen to become an international brand.

Naghmeh presented eight pieces to Harvey Nichols and later showcased her latest collection of scarves at the Gallery Lafayette. She has also designed an Abaya Collection, called “Black Swan”, inspired by Dubai and dedicated to the Emirates. Each piece has been thoughtfully created with detailed symbolism and named after the femininity of women in the Emirates. The collection is displayed at the USH Boutique in Dubai, UAE. Naghmeh has also contributed to humanitarian causes by creating a design for the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in 2008. She continues to support various international charitable organizations.

Naghmeh is collaborating with European designers and taking part in international fashion events, making her well on her way to becoming an international brand. For instance, in 2013, Naghmeh Kiumarsi participated in a fashion show in Munich, Germany, named “Blue Orange Love”. Two years later, she was part of a fashion show exhibition called “Fade in Time” in Edinburgh, Scotland. In addition, she attended the annual Women Entrepreneurs Conference of the USA in 2015. In May 2016, Naghmeh Kiumarsi donated T-shirts to Mahak Charity to support children with cancer. Additionally, she sponsored and designed uniforms for the Iranian National Women’s Hockey team in 2016 and 2017.

Naghmeh Kiumarsi registered an independent brand in Germany in 2017. She combines traditional and modern Iranian art styles to inspire her designs and unveils new collections every season. She has also collaborated in various social, artistic, and athletic events as a costume designer and donor. She has donated uniforms to two women’s roller hockey teams, as well as the Qeshm Geopark Running Trail Competition and the Cappadocia Running Trail Competition Turkey. She has also contributed to organizations like the Child Labor Rights Association, the World Food Program, Behnam Daneshpour, and Mahak Charitable Institutions. Kiumarsi, as an entrepreneur, has been striving over the years to produce high quality sustainable fashion products to reduce consumerism. She designed and implemented Iran’s Sports Caravan T-shirts for the Tokyo Olympic training camps, which were suspended due to the postponement of the Olympic Games. In addition, her costume was chosen for display at the National Museum of Scotland during the Edinburgh Festival.

Shah Abbasi Flower Garden: An essential part of the shah Abbasi design, the fl owers, have been present on all dishes and carpets since the Safavid era. These fl owers originated from the lotus fl ower, which symbolizes freshness, gallantry, unity, and life. The designs exhibit fl owers and bushes with slim and curved arc lines, creating a garden-like effect. These fl owers have served as inspiration for the designer’s collection presented at Milan Fashion Week. By employing various cuts and combining Shah Abbasi fl owers in fabrics, the designer has crafted a distinctive Iranian carpet effect for the audience.

Kiumarsi has dedicated the last twenty years to creating a unique style of clothing that has become her signature in the fashion industry. Her designs are a blend of traditional art, historical motifs, and contemporary styles, with the “Shah Abbasi Flower Garden” being a major source of inspiration. The Kiumarsi collection was presented on September 24, 2023, at Milan Fashion Week, alongside designers from around the world. The collection, named “Shah Abbasi Flower Garden,” pays tribute to the reign of Shah Abbas and the fl ourishing of Safavid art during his time. Kiumarsi focuses on the craftsmanship and infl uential artists of that era and pays attention to the color, design, and style of the clothes. She has selected 13 looks for her collection with artistic obsession.

During her show, Kiumarsi advised costume designing students to practice and work hard and take their sewing skills seriously. She believes that a successful designer must have knowledge and awareness of the process of transforming designs into garments. She believes that designers cannot implement their ideas without having manual skills or knowledge of fabric structure. Her strict vision has led to the creation of clothes with excellent tailoring and attention to detail in each of their components. 

The velvet fabric of the clothes is adorned with Arabesque designs and traditional patterns. The buttons on the garments are made using the art of Isfahan’s Toreutics. 

Iranian textile weaving techniques, including Darabi and Termeh, have a signifi cant effect on the collection of the “Shah Abbasi Flower Garden” and other collections of Kiumarsi. 

Designers like Naghmeh Kiumarsi can help fi lling the gaps in the fashion and clothing industry in Iran. In the past few decades, due to assimilation, the uniqueness in clothing has decreased, and the freedom and ability of people to choose their own style have been marginalized. Due to the rising achievements of Iranian designers and models in the global fashion and fi ne clothing industry, young designers are now able to break free from the limitations of imitation and showcase their creativity and innovation. This is an opportunity for them to contribute to the art world while fulfi lling the thirst for creativity within the Iranian clothing market.