Style File: Rami Al Ali

Safe is not a word you would associate with the Syrian designer Rami Al Ali's couture, pret-a-porter or wedding dress creations. Born in Syria and with a love for the Mediterranean, he marries his sense of the avant-garde with a refined elegance.

"UAE style is very elegant. People care so much about their appearance here," he says. "What's missing is perhaps more boldness and edginess; most people seem to go for safe options."

After graduating from the College of Fine Arts in Damascus, Al Ali started his fashion career in Dubai and Beirut. He opened his own boutique in Jumeirah in 1999, catering to the UAE's social elite, and in 2009 he made his international debut during Rome Fashion Week.

"My Arab heritage influences all my designs by my passion for intricate detailing, the love of bold, vibrant colours and mixing different layers and textures," Al Ali says. He talks to Jemma Nicholls about fashion and the finer things in life.

RAMI'S WORLD

MY PERSONAL STYLE SIGNIFIER IS ... classic, sleek, simple and minimal. BEING STYLISH MEANS ... being clever about picking elements from a trend that suits you. Avoid being a fashion victim. MY CAREER HIGHLIGHT IS ... my first fashion show in Rome Fashion Week, 2009. MY LIFE MOTTO IS ... I believe in karma and the balance of the universe. What goes around will inevitably come around. FIVE WORDS TO DESCRIBE ME ... stubborn, determined, passionate, sharp and precise. IF I WEREN'T A DESIGNER I WOULD BE ... a dancer. I enjoy modern dance because it focuses on creative self-expression rather than on technical virtuosity.