Lebanese Designer Nada Debs Sheds Light On Her New Carpet Collection

The international designer leads a post-pandemic design revolution through a Neo-Arabian identity evident in everything she creates

Driven by a desire to find commonalities across culture, religion, traditions, identity and geographical boundaries, international designer Nada Debs exemplifies what a design revolution is in literal terms.

Her latest collection of spiritual carpets for prayer and meditation is testament to her design philosophy which has evolved over time and transcends religion and culture, bringing together craftsmen and skills from across the globe.

The alternating linear pattern in the Transcendence carpet evokes a sense of depth into another dimension, while the different textures are designed to awaken the tactile senses

“For me, it’s really about transcending differences,” says Nada. “What I do at the end of the day is not only about craft, but it’s about finding common elements and a balance between opposites. Whether cultural or material, I’m always on the search for finding a balance between everything.”

Featuring religious architecture evident in mosques, minarets, shrines and ancient churches, the Transcendence carpet evokes a sense of depth through alternating linear patterns, creating the illusion of travelling through a passage to a different dimension or place.

Designer Nada Debs in her element

The textures on the carpet serve to awaken tactile senses as one attends to the call of prayer or meditation, suited to his or her religious inclination and for the Ramadan season, the carpets were presented in special, limited-edition gift boxes designed to create the reverence essential for a spiritually dictated creation.

“The idea behind the Transcendence carpets is in transcending the boundaries of religion through spirituality and design,” says Nada. “I wanted to find the commonality amongst different religions and the arched pathway achieves that objective through design and purpose.”

A collaboration between Nada and Zuleya by FMBI, the Transcendence collection is an initiative to support and engage carpet weavers in Afghanistan, mainly focusing on women. 

The Transcendence bowl, inspired by the carpets, are available in four shapes: circular, rectangular, oasis and portal, featuring solid oak wood in a variety of stains

With the Middle East, and specifically the UAE, positioned as a hub for interfaith dialogue, peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance and unity, the collection serves a three-fold purpose.

A collaboration between Nada and Zuleya by FMBI, the Transcendence collection is an initiative to support and engage carpet weavers in Afghanistan, mainly focusing on women. With the Middle East, and specifically the UAE, positioned as a hub for interfaith dialogue, peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance and unity, the collection serves a three-fold purpose.

The Transcendence bowls, inspired by the carpets, are available in four shapes: circular, rectangular, oasis and portal, featuring solid oak wood in a variety of stains

“Growing up, our home was everything to us and carpets mean a lot to me,” says Nada. “You can be a nomad and with a carpet, any place suddenly becomes a home. When there are no carpets, there is no real sense of home. I just feel that it is so nice to have one place that brings everybody together and that is what happens with a carpet. It transcends in every sense.”

It is a conscious collaboration to support unprivileged communities, while at its heart it maintains a distinctive Arab orientation ushering in a post-pandemic design revolution, where objects have souls, stories and meaning. According to Nada, this is her take on a ‘Neo-Arabian’ identity which she brings to the forefront.

The ‘You & I’ rug collection strikes a balance between the old and the new, a bridge between cultures through design, a celebration of local know-how in harmony with global trends

“By taking what we had in the past, using new techniques and modern materials, it becomes a new way of looking at the Arab identity through design,” she explains.

Growing up in Japan, studying at the Rhode Island School of Design in the US and living in Lebanon, Nada’s global citizenship is reflective in everything she creates where the central element is always the handicraft of regional craftsmen who embody traditional artisanal skills.

“I would like to highlight the crafts of the region, including the skilled artisans in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and right across the Arab region. My aim is to work closely with architects and interior designers who opt for bespoke pieces and handmade authentic luxury,” she explains.

The beautiful rugs are hand-woven in Afghanistan

As we talk about her role as a design educator and craft custodian, where she trains and works with craftsmen to refine their skills, preserving time-honoured traditions to purposefully promote an exclusive ‘hand and heart-made’ approach, which is an intrinsic signature in all her designs.

“I think today people are much more interested in things that are authentic and true to its material and craft,” she shares. “In the post-covid era, people want things that are practical and not just luxurious.Things should have a functional aspect to them and even remain multifunctional in many ways. I think our duty is to think of ourselves more seriously.

Commonalities across cultures and religions become a uniting point in the Transcendence Collection of Prayer Carpets

Extravagance is unnecessary, less is more but the less must be valuable and when you think of sustainability, it should not be limited to materials, but should extend to thinking of an object as something that can be used for several generations.” 

Shuffling between Dubai and Beirut, where her studio is based and which remains as the central production house for all collections and bespoke commissions, Nada is available for private consultations at her office in Dubai Design District, as well as by appointment within the region.

The Transcendence carpet collection is available for purchase from zuleya.ae. The Transcendence bowls can be sourced from nadadebs.com and the Concept Store at the Bulgari Resort Dubai. nadadebs.com

Images Supplied By Nada Debs Studio