RIYADH: Debuting her fall/winter 2018 “Black Rose” collection at the first Arab Fashion Week in Riyadh, Rana Yousry, the Egyptian fashion designer behind ASORY House, told Arab News that the collection, containing 25 couture pieces, is designed for the “ASORY woman, who epitomizes feminism, boldness, strength, and power.” Yousry founded ASORY in late 2016, with the aim of using fashion as a medium to tell the story of different women, who, when they come together, create something unique. Yousry emphasized that ASORY is dedicated to “the art of creation — it’s not just about wearing a dress, but the story behind it.” Strength, fragility, and imagery make the haute-couture outfits wearable “oeuvres d’art,” she explained. The design house is heavily inspired by Assyrian history and the Assyrian star — taking its sharp, edgy lines to create classical but bold designs. “The Black Rose collection took around 2,340 hours for the fabric to be created, designed, and refined to finally envision the soul of the woman underneath it,” Yousry said. “Mermaid, tiered, asymmetric, bubble, and Maillot-inspired silhouettes have been used, because they speak to the ASORY woman.” The collection uses a color palette of iridescent reds, yellow, and black with lamé gold and ruffles for texture. Evening dresses with frilled, textured sleeves and long cape sleeves and ruched corset with fray skirts were a highlight of the collection. Yousry said that feedback on the collection has so far been very positive. “I’ve been told that my first collection is very fresh, bold, and very different in terms of the cuts. It makes me very proud when people come up to me and say that I’ve inspired them to think about starting their own collection,” she told Arab News. Which just goes to show that ASORY House has fulfilled its ambition of creating something of meaning to every woman.