A fashion show of dresses made on the basis of carpet motifs has been held at the Heydar Aliyev Center.

The fashion collection of “Sumakh”, prepared by Rufat Ismayil, the founder of the brand “AFFFAIR”, deriving inspiration from ancient carpet ornaments - elements of the carpets “Folding-unfolding”, “Garabagh”, “Nakhchivan”, “Hunting”, “Pazyryk”, was demonstrated during the presentation at the Heydar Aliyev Center.

In Azerbaijan, one of the oldest carpet-making centers in the world, this type of art has centuries long been conveyed from one generation to another, keeping it to present day. Carpet motifs have always given impetus to new ideas, and creation of new artworks. Supporting the immortalization and development of the carpet school in Azerbaijan, as well as its promotion around the world, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has implemented a number of projects and organized exhibitions both in Azerbaijan and abroad. Entered on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Azerbaijan’s traditional carpet-making art delights eyes in new projects. Created by fashion designer Rufat Ismayil - who took inspiration from motifs, rich colors and patterns of Azerbaijani carpets, enjoying the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation - devoted to Azerbaijan’s Garabagh Victory, the collection “Sumakh” too draws attention from this point of view.

Noting that the art of carpet-making was experiencing development nowadays too, chairperson of “Azerkhalcha” OJSC Emin Mammadov talked about the reason for the project’s emergence. World-renowned photographer Reza Deghati also shared his thoughts about the collection.

A fashion show of dresses from the collections "Sumakh Haute Couture" and "Sumakh Affordable Luxury» was held at the presentation entitled “AFFFAIR in Carpets”. "Sumakh Haute Couture" has so far been demonstrated in Paris and Moscow. And the collection "Sumakh Affordable Luxury" will first be demonstrated in Baku.

Artworks created on the basis of 5 famous carpet motifs included in the collection are especially remarkable. The carpet “Folding-unfolding” is remarkable among Garabagh carpets for their artistic features, being a part of the set of patterns related to the series of “Folding-unfolding” carpets.

Elements of another artwork, remarkable for its beauty, originate from the “Garabagh” carpet. Seeming to be comprised of repeated elements from the first sight, this composition scatters about as myriad of stars.

The artwork called “Nakhchivan” was created from various elements of a carpet, an example of the “Garabagh” carpet school, and new composition by using also patterns of the carpets “Khatai” and “Chelebi”.

The artist, taking inspiration from the beauty of the elements related to “Hunting” carpets of Garabagh, using elements of the composition “Band-Rumi”, which has been widely seen in Azerbaijani and the Near East art schools, has created an artistic composition with a lattice content.

The artwork called “Pazyryk” took its source from the carpet of the same name related to the Turkic ancestry and considered the oldest carpet in the world (dating back to 2500 years), preserved at the State Hermitage Museum in the city of Saint Petersburg of Russia.

The aim of the project, which is developed by deriving inspiration from Azerbaijani carpets, in particular, from the Garabagh carpet school, is also to eternalize historic traditions in contemporary ways.