Page 58 - 03_April-2025

Halabi sourced a second-hand Persian
Bokhara rug from a friend, ensuring her
design has a background of its own. “I
didn’t want to cut into a brand-new rug
— that would be so sad. I found a pre-
loved rug from another loving home that
was going to be in the landfill. I wanted
this to be sustainable and have some
history behind it.”
But the process was far from seamless.
Needles snapped. Fabric fought back.
She vacuumed, sewed, vacuumed again.
By the end, Halabi was left questioning
her sanity. But quitting? Not an option.
The final gown keeps the integrity of
the rug intact, a reflection of Halabi’s
commitment to authenticity. Halabi
didn’t minimize its origin — instead, she
embraced the fact that it was made from
a rug, proving it could be “both striking
and beautiful.” The dress, with the
original rug fabric, is elevated by a velvet
58 EDify. APRIL.25
overskirt inspired by the draped curtains of formal
sitting rooms — yet another nod to the gathering spaces
of her childhood.
The gown currently lives in Halabi’s studio, and will
be featured in a yet-to-be-disclosed project with Sugar
Mama TV. Halabi poured herself into the creation of
this gown — and she expects this personal journey to
shape her future as a fashion designer.
“I want my clients to feel like when they have some-
thing made, it can be just as personal. It doesn’t have
to be made from a rug, but there could be personal
elements tied into their piece, which makes it so
important. It makes it so you connect so much more
with the gown when you wear it, and it will also
connect with me when I’m creating it.
“It’s such a beautiful thing to leave that imprint on
something that you create.” ED.
Dresses and creative concept, Jessica Halabi;
location, Gorgeous Rugs Edmonton; model, Hanadi
Achti; hair, Nawal Soleiman; makeup, Jamila Mustapha;
florals, Mervit Siffledeen; production assistant,
Jinan Siffledeen