SAMAR ALLARAKIA
DESIGNER, ARTIST

Samar Allarakia is an artist and designer who introduces visual concepts as fashion apparel. Connecting the space between design, art and fashion, her aesthetic is also a statement of cultural inspiration. Raised in London and the Middle East, the artist’s career launched in Houston. The works of art she designed to exhibit in group and solo exhibitions paved the way to the latest collection – a series of clutches and capes that embody the concept of wearable art.

Photo by Edward Light.

      The designs are undoubtedly incomparable. Even within the Samar Allarakia cannon, no two like products exist. Each piece serves as an invitation to behold something unique, and from it draw radiance and confidence. The images she produces are a reflection of the beauty found in daily life, diverse art work and people encountered. Yet, they are unlike anything else that exists – products of a concentrated effort to remix the visions of experience with the artist’s signatures: vibrant use of color, original caricatures with subtle facial expressions, and the recurring symbolism of eyes, hands, and wings.

Samar’s artistic practice traces back to a childhood governed by the persistent desire to create. Dolls, glue, fabric and dye were her preferred mediums; transformation of plain objects into beautiful ones was her objective. This play evolved into the stellar techniques she practices today, largely self-taught methods of utilizing mixed media to create items that are at once objets d’art and accessories. Though the latest collection features accessories, previous ones have included ornamental furniture and decor.

In Houston, Samar Allarakia joined forces with the local arts community and became renowned not only for her talent, but for her genuine dedication to support the work of her peers. Exhibiting her work with galleries, artists, humanitarian societies, and institutions established the recognition of her rare craftsmanship. Collaborators include JoMar Visions, where she served as a gallery assistant for a year, and as the featured artist of a solo exhibition; BeHUMAN Productions, for whom she curated the major show BISOU; War’Hous Visual Studios, Danny Nguyen Couture, and BMW Automobiles, with whom she designed fashion shows. A variety of artist networks have identified her for her unique contribution to the local scene, and displayed her work in exhibits and festivals, including the international collective RAW artists. In 2015, she was selected as one of Houston’s top 100 young professionals. The artist also partnered with a NASA Johnson Space Center cultural initiative to create commissioned work on canvas and serve as a professional artist juror.

Graceful, elegant, worldly, and creative: Samar Allarakia’s art reflects her personal values. As she gains recognition as an international designer, her cosmopolitan vision of wearable art is driven by the belief that “Style is an ambassador to inspire the feeling of confidence in others.”

All photos property of the artist unless otherwise noted.