Azerbaijan puts its cultural heritage in spotlight at Paris Fashion Week

Azerbaijan's carpets, ornaments and centuries-old craftsmanship found a new expression in Paris as "Fashion Culture Day in Paris" brought the country's fashion heritage and contemporary design into the spotlight during Paris Fashion Week.

Held at the Cultural Centre of the Azerbaijani Embassy in France, the event was organized by S?MOORG Academy and the Association des Amis de l'Azerbaïdjan, with the support of the Azerbaijani Embassy. Fashion and art professionals, diplomats, designers, media representatives and members of the creative industries gathered for an evening centred on Azerbaijan's distinctive visual culture.

The event opened with remarks by Azerbaijan's Ambassador to France Leyla Abdullayeva and President of the Association des Amis de l'Azerbaïdjan Jérôme Béguin.

In her speech, Leyla Abdullayeva highlighted the role of contemporary fashion in introducing Azerbaijan's cultural heritage, traditions and national aesthetic values to audiences beyond the country. She noted that Azerbaijani fashion draws on a deep-rooted cultural tradition while finding new forms through contemporary creativity.

That meeting of old and new was visible throughout the event.

Carpet motifs, national ornaments and elements of decorative and applied arts appeared in contemporary designs, taking traditions shaped over generations into an entirely different setting. Familiar patterns and techniques were transformed through colour, form and silhouette, giving Azerbaijani heritage a distinctly modern fashion vocabulary.

At the centre of the presentation was a collection by young designers from S?MOORG Academy, inspired by the work of contemporary Azerbaijani artist Faig Ahmed. Traditional elements of Azerbaijani carpet design were reinterpreted in clothing, turning patterns traditionally associated with carpets into part of the garments themselves.

The result placed the Azerbaijani carpet in a new context - not simply as a decorative object, but as a source of visual language, cultural memory and identity.

The fashion presentation was accompanied by works of Azerbaijani decorative and applied art. Linen and velvet pieces embellished with silk and organza ribbons, beads and silver threads offered another look at the country's longstanding tradition of handcraftsmanship.

For Hadiya Talibova, founder and head of S?MOORG Academy, the academy's story began with her own family and her early relationship with art. She recalled growing up in an artistic environment and being inspired by her father's creative work.

S?MOORG Academy was created with the dual purpose of preserving that artistic legacy and opening doors for emerging talent. The academy aims to support young Azerbaijani designers, introduce their work to international audiences and create opportunities for collaboration and commercial development.

"We want our young people to find their place in the global fashion industry and represent Azerbaijan internationally," Talibova said.

Founded in 2023, S?MOORG Academy has focused on the creative and professional development of a new generation of Azerbaijani designers. Its projects include the "Phoenix Rebirth Fashion Show", "Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Azerbaijan 2026" and "Dream Fest 2026".

The academy's presence on the international fashion scene has also grown. At "Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Azerbaijan 2026", collections by 18 S?MOORG Academy designers were presented, while their work has also been featured by "Vogue Italia", "L'OFFICIEL Latvia" and "ARCHÍDECO".

In Paris, the story was not simply about preserving tradition. It was about giving that tradition a new form.

Through carpets, ornaments, handcraft and contemporary silhouettes, "Fashion Culture Day in Paris" showed how elements of Azerbaijan's cultural heritage can move beyond their traditional settings and become part of the visual language of modern fashion.