The Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie

Rana Salam is a Lebanese-born British designer. “It was thanks to the British that I found my Lebanese art and culture.” Rana's work reflects the intelligible marriage of popular culture and the Arab world. Her prowess to communicate a unique blend of cultures does not intend to arouse controversy as it mostly illustrates a celebration of Middle Eastern pop culture. “My plan is to have a foot in both London and the Middle East, and as a result find some sort of equilibrium between two different art forms.” Rana’s career flourished at the start of the War on Terrorism when she embraced kitsch Arabic art and popular design in celebration of its culture rather than producing work that revealed the sinister facet of the conflict. Last year Rana Salam and Malu Halasa published an anthropological handbook exploring the cloaked world of Syrian lingerie. The Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie study’s a playful aspect of Syrian sexuality and bolsters the western perception of what lies under the veil. “It’s saying that these people have fun and joy in their lives, and the Middle East isn’t all just about war and repression.”