Omer Asim & Maya Antoun, co-creative directors of OA.
Asim a clothier with a background in Architecture and Antoun, a jewellery designer-maker who migrated into the medium of Fashion.
The pair from Sudan have a meticulous focus on substance, craft, form, and construction. They define the brand’s solid, silent aesthetic with sensual volume, texture and considered shapes.
Omer Asim straddles the world of Art, craft, and fashion, with a strong interest in the practice of making and the space prior to object completion.
The brand explores elements of traditional making techniques through conversations around ‘process’. Their attention focuses on what is discarded and/or concealed during and by the progression of making.
They continually interrogate the context of their collections and their timelines as contemporary cultural artefacts.
MILAN FASHION WEEK
But how did this all happen: I mean, silversmithing and garments: How?
The story and the history are pretty simple; it also outlines how important networks, connections and associations are.
I taught Maya many many moons ago at the University of Creative Arts in Farnham on her BA course for jewellery and silversmithing. As for how Omer met Maya, you have to ask them; I have forgotten!
Through conversations, meeting up, talking, and keeping ideas very open, it clicked. Maya and Omer saw such strong associations with Sudanese garments and my figurines, so they came to the studio and talked through the proposal to show together.
I’m quite bored with material-specific exhibitions, and the opportunity to show in a completely different context with a very new audience in Milan, well, let’s say it didn’t take long to twist my arm.
SHIFT
An installation exploring the deconstruction of materiality and presenting the concept of radical couture. The work of creative duo Omer Asim and Maya Antoun of OMER ASIM converges for this collaboration with the turbulent energy of David Clarke; to present a body of work which explores with restless fascination; materiality as response to their universal experiences.
Their worlds have collided through invisible threads and subtle resonances which have surfaced as they have explored each other’s practices.
The work—sculpted by destructive erosion—meets the lingering ache of displacement and exile, each sensation awakening the other.
Their installation becomes a charged dialogue: meticulous garments beside exploded, ruptured figures—each an artifact, a testament to transformation, memory, and renewal.
We had the absolute fortune of knowing Studio RO because they had used the space in different ways before. Studio RO are incredible as it is a private home; however, they allow you to do whatever you want to do within the space. The setup was not pre-planned; however, I think we knew each other well enough to be spontaneous in building the installation and moving it around. Clothing hangers were banned, and I came to terms with showing on plinths: I was very lucky because the plinth construction was raw and screws were showing, and this was very ok for me!
Pairings, garments and figures have been placed, and the associations even surprised us during the setting up of the installation.
We continue conversations which were not done and are not interested in one-off projects. From talking and reflecting, how would this work be seen in a church or religious venue, and in different cultures? So many questions and possibilities. More conversations are needed, but for now…..
Huge thanks to Omer & Maya for making this wonderful project happen, and also to Christelle Caffarelle at Studio RO for graciously hosting us during Milan Fashion Week 2025.
To see Omer Asim’s work, please visit the website at http://omer-asim.com
Photography by: Georgios Motitis, Vincenzo Pintimalli, & Myself
