Couturier Mohamed Benchellal's collection, inspired by the architecture of Uzbekistan, is presented at an exhibition in Tashkent

Couturier Mohamed Benchellal's collection, inspired by the architecture of Uzbekistan, is shown at an exhibition in Tashkent

The State Museum of History of Uzbekistan has launched the exhibition BENCHELLAL: MONUMENTAL | Sculpting Past Tomorrow by the Dutch-Moroccan fashion designer Mohamed Benchellal. Visitors are greeted on the stairs in the lobby by nine mannequins in monochrome, voluminous dresses with a large number of folds and draperies.

The designer created the couture collection, inspired by the architecture of Uzbekistan, in 2025 during an art residency at the Center for Contemporary Art in Tashkent (CCA Tashkent). A year earlier, in November 2024, Benchellal first showed the project BENCHELLAL: MONUMENTAL | Sculpting Past Tomorrow, which combines fashion, sculpture, and architecture, at the National Museum of Qatar. He prepared the works for that exhibition as part of an art residency at Liwan Design Studios and Labs in Doha. Later, an abbreviated version of the project was presented in Hong Kong.

The Tashkent exhibition became a continuation of this project. Benchellal spent several months in Uzbekistan.

"I remember well when I first came to Uzbekistan. I thought I would see historical monuments and Islamic architecture here first of all, but, to my surprise, I discovered a completely different side of the country — modernism — and fell in love with it very much. I was attracted to both of these worlds," says the fashion designer.

The sources of inspiration for the new collection were the Tillya-Kori Madrasah, the Shah-i-Zinda ensemble, and the Registan Square in Samarkand, the Ark Fortress, the Samanid Mausoleum, and the Kalyan Mosque in Bukhara, as well as the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan, the Palace of Friendship of Peoples, and the "Sun" heliocomplex in the Parkent district. The last three modernist sites are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

There are no direct citations of ornaments, domes, or silhouettes of specific buildings in Benchellal's works. Instead, he addresses their structure, proportions, color palette, and overall impression. The fashion designer emphasizes that the coexistence of historical monuments and modernist structures echoes his interest in "opposites that complement each other." A photo exhibition in a separate pavilion helps to compare the dresses with the architectural objects that inspired them.

"I have always been attracted to complementary opposites. My works are very voluminous, but at the same time precise; feminine, but at the same time possessing an authoritative character. In Uzbekistan, I discovered similarly different but coexisting worlds. This showed how multi-layered everything we call Uzbek is," he notes.

Benchellal created the collection for the Tashkent exhibition from materials found in local markets and shops, including retail outlets that sell furniture fabrics. For his work, he chose leftover and unwanted cuts — deadstock. It is usually impossible to buy the same fabric again, so each piece exists in a single copy.

The designer does not make preliminary sketches. He drapes the fabric directly on the mannequin, gradually building the shape around the body. The volume of the dress depends on the amount of fabric: the more there is, the larger and more complex it is. At the same time, each model can be put on and worn.

Mohamed Benchellal admitted that Uzbekistan has taken a special place in his heart. The couturier was impressed by the people, the calm atmosphere, and the opportunity to work while listening to his own intuition.

"For an artist, it is very important to work in harmony. Uzbekistan has become one of those places for me where you can truly focus on creativity and hear yourself. I have no doubt that my journey here will continue in one form or another," he noted.

The fashion designer's plans include making the project BENCHELLAL: MONUMENTAL | Sculpting Past Tomorrow international. He intends to create a collection inspired by local architecture and culture on each of the seven continents. The next country will be Mexico in 2027.

The exhibition at the State Museum of History will run until November 8.

Admission to it is free.