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Laman Ismayilova

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A fashion show entitled "Carpet Museum Fashion Show: Patterns of Time" took place at the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum on July 1, bringing together fashion, art, and cultural heritage in a unique creative showcase, AzerNEWS reports.

Alena Aliyeva attended the event.

Opening the ceremony, Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum Director Amina Malikova highlighted that, for the first time in the museum's history, Azerbaijani fashion designers had developed original collections inspired by the motifs and designs of carpets preserved in the museum's exhibitions and collections.

Expressing her appreciation to the participating designers, Malikova noted that they enthusiastically embraced the initiative from the outset and collaborated closely with the museum's team over a six-month period. During that time, they explored the museum's collections, studied historical carpet masterpieces, and transformed their research into the collections unveiled at the event.

She also emphasized that the fashion show was organized in accordance with a presidential order commemorating the 120th anniversary of the birth of renowned scholar, carpet expert, and artist Latif Karimov.

Deputy Minister of Culture Saadat Yusifova described Azerbaijani carpets as invaluable artistic treasures that have preserved the nation's aesthetic traditions, worldview, lifestyle, and spiritual values across generations. She noted that every ornament, color, and composition reflects not only artistic excellence but also Azerbaijan's history, cultural identity, and collective memory.

Yusifova stressed that safeguarding cultural heritage involves more than preservation alone—it also requires presenting it in ways that connect with modern audiences. She underlined the growing importance of the creative industries, particularly fashion and design, in promoting national heritage, adding that the collections presented at the show demonstrate how blending tradition with innovation can give cultural heritage renewed relevance and broader public appeal.

The audience was also presented with a specially produced film highlighting the project's concept and development.

Designed to reinterpret Azerbaijan's rich cultural legacy through the language of contemporary fashion, the initiative united some of the country's leading fashion designers on a single creative platform.

The collections showcased traditional Azerbaijani carpet weaving, national ornaments, and ancient symbols through modern fashion design. A central source of inspiration was the artistic legacy of Latif Karimov, whose 120th anniversary is being celebrated this year. Drawing on his work, the designers incorporated carpet motifs, compositions, color palettes, and artistic principles into contemporary garments.

The runway featured 116 creations by 14 professional designers: Fakhriyya Khalafova, Gulnara Khalilova, Leyla Ahmadova, Yegane Sadigova, Matanat Bayramova, Khayala Masimova, Sabina Zulalova, Leyla Babazade, Gunay Aliyeva, Shabnam Bayramova, Ajami Azer, Kubra Nuriyeva, Afaq Ismayilzade, and Khayala Bayramova.

The project seeks to promote Azerbaijan's centuries-old carpet-weaving tradition, preserve and pass on the country's cultural heritage to future generations, and introduce this rich legacy to wider audiences through contemporary artistic expression.