Rami Kashou had many admirers during his initial run on the reality-competition show Project Runway, which Christian Siriano won. However, Kashou is back on Project Runway: All Stars, which starts Jan. 5 on Lifetime. Kashou talked with Windy City Times about his return to the series; his private life; and the LGBT scene in this country versus the one in the Middle East.
Windy City Times: When did you know you wanted to be a designer?
Rami Kashou: It was early, early [in my life]. I don't even really remember. (My mother passed away when I was 3.) My grandmother told me that I used to pull her to the closet. She wore black forever—for what seemed like decades, honestly. She said that I would pick things for her to wear, and they would always be bright colors. [Laughs]
So from an early age I had this interest in clothes, and that eventually led to sketching in my early teens. I would have notebooks and notebooks of sketches. Where I grew up—in the West Bank—my mom's friends would buy fabrics, and I would design looks for them. Then, the local seamstress would make the dress from the design.
WCT: It's great that you knew what you wanted to do at an early age.
Rami Kashou: It is. That's why I came to the States. My goal was to be a designer; it was clear to me even when I was in school.
WCT: What are the hallmarks of a Rami Kashou dress?
Rami Kashou: The first thing is that I think my clothes are romantic. They exude femininity and there's this attention to detail. There's always that visibility of a touch to the dress. In the end, it's also elegant.
WCT: I recently interviewed a local designer, Borris Powell; one of his dresses was worn at the 2011 Oscars. When I asked him who his favorite Project Runway alumnus was, he said it was you.
Rami Kashou: Oh, wow—that's amazing! [Laughs] I love that.
WCT: He said your designs have "gorgeous silohuettes and beautiful lines."
Rami Kashou: Oh, that's really nice.
WCT: But now I'm wondering what designers make an impact on you.
Rami Kashou: There's Valentino—I think his designs reflect elegance and timelessness. I also love the free way of imagination and creativity epitomized by Alexander McQueen. The minute you thought you saw it all, he showed you something you'd never seen before. I have tremendous respect for someone like him; losing him was very sad. And I love the craziness of Galliano. They all have inspired me. All of these artists are amazing people who will always be remembered.
WCT: You've dressed many celebrities—Penelope Cruz, Heidi Klum and many others. Who's been your favorite?
Rami Kashou: Honestly, the first one who was a thrill for me was the queen of Jordan, Queen Rania. When you see someone who's so exposed to the world and so beautiful, you expect that person to be so intimidating—except she was the extreme opposite. When I met her, she was one of the most humble person I'd ever seen and I'm thinking, "Wow. She's royalty. She's a queen." But I felt like her best friend. She was very open and supportive, and she commissioned me to design nine looks for me. That was a surreal moment when I wanted to pinch myself and ask, "Am I really here?"
Secondly, it has to be Heidi Klum. She's always open, and always fun. Right after the taping of the last episode, she walked up to me and said, "We should do a fitting. I want to wear your dresses." I designed eight dresses for her, and she wore each one. She even had me with her in Forbes magazine, wearing an outfit made out of [fake] $100 bills. She's playful, and has been very supportive.
WCT: Obviously, you've taped "All Stars" already, and I know you can't tell me what happened. However, are you satisfied with how you performed?
Rami Kashou: Absolutely; I definitely am. I walked away feeling that I was proud of my work. That's the most important thing.
WCT: The first time around, I wondered how you all could compete week after week. Why go through this again?
Rami Kashou: It's an intense process but, for me, it was about the timing of launching several things. I wanted to gain exposure and showcase my work. As we all know, in this day and age, PR is a huge part of what we do, as is talent. You need to show your work to a larger group of people.
WCT: Along with that exposure, there's a flip side. When I Googled your name, a situation came up that involved you at [the West Hollywood, Calif., gay bar] The Abbey [in 2010]. Does that throw you off in any way?
Rami Kashou: Well, you never expect to be hit in the face with a beer bottle. [Laughs] That's been the only negative experience I've had since competing in season four; everything else has been positive. At the same time, you understand that everything comes with a price—and part of the price is that you lose a significant amount of privacy. But I think that's where you have to be focused on the bigger picture, which involves my business.
WCT: Having never been to the Middle East, I'm wondering if there are any similarities between the LGBT scene in the United States and the scene in the Middle East.
Rami Kashou: No! [Laughs] You don't have as many options there. There are no LGBT centers, and there aren't really official clubs or meeting spots. It's an underground community; it functions differently than here. It's obviously not a very accepted subject—yet—and I think in some countries, like Lebanon, things are more lenient. It depends on where you are in that part of the region.
WCT: What, to you, is the difference between fashion and style?
Rami Kashou: Fashion is something that constantly changes. It's the trend of the moment. I feel that style is timeless, in a way. People who are not necessarily fashionable have a sense of style. Style is a way of expressing oneself; fashion is of that actual moment.
Project Runway: All Stars premieres Thursday, Jan. 5, at 8 p.m. on Lifetime Television. For more info, visit http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/project-runway-all-stars.
