During Benchellal’s residency at Liwan he often visited Souq Wakra, sourcing local deadstock materials and drawing inspiration from his surroundings. His residency resulted in the 2024 NMOQ exhibition Benchellal: Monumental "sculpting past tomorrow, which showcased the couture dresses designed and produced in Liwan using locally sourced material and inspired by Qatar and its landscape.
Benchellal: Monumental, Sculpting Past Tomorrow
Moroccan-Dutch designer Mohamed Benchellal spent over two years in Liwan as a resident, exploring Qatar’s local materials, fabrics, landscapes, architecture, and environment. His time at Liwan inspired him to create groundbreaking couture garments that were exhibited at the National Museum of Qatar.
Mohammed Benchellal is a Dutch Moroccan couturier and fashion designer. After studying at the Amsterdam Fashion Academy, he launched his eponymous label BENCHELLAL in 2015. Working on a limited budget, he was pushed to experiment with deadstock materials and leftover fabrics, a more sustainable approach that has become a hallmark of the brand. In 2020, he won the Vogue Arabia Fashion Prize, an annual competition dedicated to recognising fashion talent from across the Arab world. In 2021, he won the prestigious Fashion Trust Arabia Evening Wear category in Qatar. BENCHELLAL has become a favourite for Hollywood stylists looking to dress celebrities at high-impact occasions, including Sharon Stone, Billy Porter, Alicia Keys and Iris Apfel on her 100th birthday.
The exhibition felt deeply personal. Each dress stood like a sculpture in dialogue with the others and with the museum’s architecture. “I see my creations really as sculptures instead of just a dress,” he says.
The forms echoed Doha’s architecture, mirroring the sharp lines and curves of the city’s landmarks. “If you put the MIA building next to the NMOQ building, next to the Richard Serra sculpture, they all enrich each other. That is what inspires me the most.”
His groundbreaking collection, inspired by Qatar, integrated tradition and contemporary innovation. The exhibition spotlighted not only the designer and his creations but also Arab design, regional support, and collaboration.
