BENCHELLAL

The National Museum of Qatar presents: BENCHELLAL | Monumental “Sculpting Past Tomorrow” This journey began in 2021 at this very same location where Benchellal had the honour to receive the evening wear prize of Fashion Trust Arabia from Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser @mozabintnasser Almost three years later having the opportunity to showcase the very first solo exhibition in this iconic museum.   For Benchellal, success is not measured by power or wealth but by freedom to create. This exhibition is deeply rooted in that philosophy. Qatar embodies the inspiration for innovation, development, architecture, art, and above all, creative freedom.   The sculptures presented here are made in Qatar and inspired by the impressive landscapes and monuments during the Artis in Residence at Liwan Design Studios and Labs.   All thanks to a remarkable individual who is a passionate advocate for creativity and a visionary for the world of art. Benchellal’s deepest gratitude goes out to Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani for her unwavering trust, belief, and support. @almayassabnthamad   Benchellal invites you to explore the beauty and magic of this country, which continues to be an ongoing source of inspiration. @nmoqatar / @qatar_museums / @yearsofculture @qatarcreates / @fashiontrustarabia Director of the National Museum of Qatar, Sheikh Abdulaziz H. Al-Thani @althani91 Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs - Tania Al Majid @tania.almajid Curator - Al Shaima Ayoub @shaima.ayoub Photography- Tim Verhallen @timverhallen_photography Model @valentinebouquet Expo Design @anastasia_rous Graphic Design - Shahd Abdulla A M Hashim / Light Design @ienough Art Dir, Hair & Make up @ilhammestour Videography @sunniisiideup Photography Procucer @ashiqkhanofficial Curatorial and Exhibitions: @linaptm / Mooza Salem Alkuwari / @mayra.alcibiades Build - Interspace / Lights - Lumatron / Mount making - Empty SL / Music @sonicjeel @muscolino @michael.hd Collections and Conservation: @hyunimsung / @danica_auld / @gruta99 / Maryam / @liwan.qa : @aishabintnasser / @khalidalbaih / @ar_ah_ee / @dzena_berbic / community: @shesnowapple / @juliaduff

⁠“MOḌA - Moroccan Fashion Statements” This dynamic exhibition showcases cutting-edge designers’ and artists’ artistic work and personal stories. ‘MOḌA’ highlights the influence of creators with Moroccan roots. Renowned international names and emerging local talents present fashion statements that are both bold and subtle, encouraging you to look and think in new ways. The exhibition finds a natural home in Utrecht, The Netherlands. A city known for its large Moroccan diaspora. ‘MOḌA’ is the result of a close collaboration between @dar_culturalagency and the @centraalmuseum On display from October 3rd till March 2nd 2025. Curated by @fashioncurator_ninkebloem & @zuzuzenouba Image ©️ Centraal Museum Utrecht / DAR Cultural Agency / photographer Almicheal Fraay #centraalmuseum #exhbition #benchellal #couture #sculpture #museum #fashion #moda

The National Museum of Qatar presents: BENCHELLAL | Monumental “Sculpting Past Tomorrow” This journey began in 2021 at this very same location where Benchellal had the honour to receive the evening wear prize of Fashion Trust Arabia from Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser @mozabintnasser Almost three years later having the opportunity to showcase the very first solo exhibition in this iconic museum. For Benchellal, success is not measured by power or wealth but by freedom to create. This exhibition is deeply rooted in that philosophy. Qatar embodies the inspiration for innovation, development, architecture, art, and above all, creative freedom. The sculptures presented here are made in Qatar and inspired by the impressive landscapes and monuments during the Artis in Residence at Liwan Design Studios and Labs. All thanks to a remarkable individual who is a passionate advocate for creativity and a visionary for the world of art. Benchellal’s deepest gratitude goes out to Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani for her unwavering trust, belief, and support. @almayassabnthamad Benchellal invites you to explore the beauty and magic of this country, which continues to be an ongoing source of inspiration. @nmoqatar / @qatar_museums / @yearsofculture @qatarcreates / @fashiontrustarabia Director of the National Museum of Qatar, Sheikh Abdulaziz H. Al-Thani @althani91 Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs - Tania Al Majid @tania.almajid Curator - Al Shaima Ayoub @shaima.ayoub Photography- Tim Verhallen @timverhallen_photography Model @valentinebouquet Expo Design @anastasia_rous Graphic Design - Shahd Abdulla A M Hashim / Light Design @ienough Art Dir, Hair & Make up @ilhammestour Videography @sunniisiideup Photography Procucer @ashiqkhanofficial Curatorial and Exhibitions: @linaptm / Mooza Salem Alkuwari / @mayra.alcibiades Build - Interspace / Lights - Lumatron / Mount making - Empty SL / Music @sonicjeel @muscolino @michael.hd Collections and Conservation: @hyunimsung / @danica_auld / @gruta99 / Maryam / @liwan.qa : @aishabintnasser / @khalidalbaih / @ar_ah_ee / @dzena_berbic #Benchellal #Qatar #nmoq #doha #museum #exhibition #art

TOUCHÉ An issue devoted to craft. To what is made by hand. To the quiet, radical act of intention. We begin with Mohamed Benchellal. (@benchellal ) A designer who does not sketch, but works directly in fabric, allowing form to emerge through touch and movement. “Two dimensions limit me,” he says. His couture resists excess, even as it commands space. Built from deadstock materials, each piece carries a sense of restraint and precision—proof that limitation, when embraced, can become its own kind of freedom. In The Son of the Waterfall, creation is not fixed. It unfolds. It responds. It moves. THE SON OF THE WATERFALL Mohamed Benchellal @benchellal Photographs by @timverhallen_photography Interview by @mrpatrickduffy Model @valentinebouquet Hair & Makeup @ilhammestour Producer Ashiq Abdulraheem Khan — TOUCHÉ is live at irkmagazine.com

CARMEN DELL’OREFICE, seen through the lens of Albert Watson and dressed in BENCHELLAL. An inside cover that holds its ground. Precise and impossible to ignore. In TOUCHÉ, Albert Watson reflects on a career shaped alongside figures like Andy Warhol, Alfred Hitchcock, and Kate Moss. Not as mythology, but as lived moments. The discipline, the instinct, the timing behind the image. Carmen wears Mohamed Benchellal. Couture that moves with intention, shaped by the hand rather than the sketch. This is what TOUCHÉ returns to. Craft. Presence. The human decision behind every frame. The issue is out now. Get your copy at irkmagazine.com Credits Image 1 THE ART OF BEING GREAT Photographer: @albertwatsonphotography Model: @miss.carmen.dell.orefice wearing @benchellal Stylist: @thecannonmediagroup Hair @linhhair @seemanagement Makeup: @ romerojennings @mac Producer : @fashionpolitique @iconicfocus Image 2 MODE EN DEMEURE Lola Melendez & Jordi Gomis’ Chic Rebellion @modeendemeure Photographer: @french_cowboy / @juliencrouigneau / @miamacfarlane Stylist & Art Director @iamthedrama69 Models: @gala__tee / @anastasia_degtyarenko_ Hair Stylist: @jb.beautyartist Makeup Artist: @legatzby Editor Assistant: Clara Elfort Photo Assistants: @laspii__agnese & Linghui Qui Backstage: @dmbcamilo / lily.qsnl Special thanks to: Lola Melendez and Jordi Gomis for Image 3 OMBRE COUTURE Photographer: @french_cowboy / @juliencrouigneau / @miamacfarlane Model: @chihiro_t2828 Couture gown: @jeromeblin.paris Stylist: @iamthedrama69 Photo Assistant: @nicolinomanca Stylist Assistant: @leah_ermann / @sofiemariekraus Makeup: @emmas.mua / @melmuartist Hair: @mlle.kssss / @curly_peach_ / @_xoon__0 Location: @studio.labriquerouge Image 4 When Luxury Works in Reverse @hermes petit h. Editor @mrpatrickduffy #IRKMagazine #TOUCHE #FashionEditorial #CreativeProcess #ArtDirection Photography VisualCulture LuxuryEditorial IndependentMagazine HauteCouture

TOUCHÉ, an issue devoted to craft. To what is made by hand. To the quiet, deliberate act of intention. Across fashion, art, and image-making, this issue follows those who build rather than produce. From #MohamedBenchellal, sculpting form directly through touch, to #JulienFournié, where couture becomes a matter of time, precision, and responsibility. From the instinctive photography of #MirandaPennTurin to the enduring clarity of vision in #AlbertWatson, each story returns to the same principle: Nothing meaningful is rushed. This magazine is built on presence. On materials that carry memory. On gestures that cannot be replicated. A return to making things that matter. TOUCHÉ, On Sale Now. Order your copy through the link in our bio. FEATURE CREDITS Image 1 & 4 THE SON OF THE WATERFALL; Mohamed Benchellal. @benchellal Photographs by @timverhallen_photography Interview by @mrpatrickduffy Model @valentinebouquet Hair & Makeup @ilhammestour Producer Ashiq Abdulraheem Khan Image 2 Julien Fournié; French Cowboy @julienfournie Photographer: @french_cowboy @juliencrouigneau @miamacfarlane Model; @mikaellatomanova Image 3 OMBRE COUTURE, French Cowboy Photographer: @french_cowboy @juliencrouigneau @miamacfarlane Models: @ingridbehague @chihiro_t2828 Stylist: @iamthedrama69 Photo Assistant: @nicolinomanca Stylist Assistant: @leah_ermann / @sofiemariekraus Location: @studio.labriquerouge #IRKMagazine TOUCHE FashionEditorial Craft SlowFashion ArtDirection Photography VisualCulture CreativeProcess IndependentMagazine LuxuryEditorial HauteCouture

“Never Not Sewing” #Benchellal Thread by thread, following the echoes of history. Tracing the Silk Road on the @uzbekistanrailways from BUKHARA -> SAMARKAND -> TASHKENT Between the rhythm of the train and passing landscapes, shaping and stitching the past and present into a new sculpture. Made possible by the Uzbekistan Art & Culture Development Foundation @acdfuz , @gayane_umerova and Centre for Contemporary Art Tashkent, Artist Residencies @cca_tashkent #Uzbekistan #Bukhara #Samarkand #Tashkent

CATE BLANCHETT about the responsibility of art: “Now it’s about taking a stand” Years ago, two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett met German artist Julian Rosefeldt in Berlin – the catalyst for her film “Manifesto,” which was shot in just twelve days. Now, eleven years after its initial release, the work is more relevant than ever, questioning what art is allowed, supposed to do, and must do. Just like the artists quoted in the film, neither Blanchett nor Rosefeldt have a definitive answer. In conversation, the two reflect on how art can make the rise of fascism and the crises of the present visible. Blanchett: “From a selfish perspective, art has to captivate you. The question I always ask myself is: Am I leading, or am I being led? If I’m in harmony with something, then it has a chance of connecting with the audience. We live in dark times. If we can’t create these spaces where we can endure these contradictory and often very agonizing and disturbing situations and events, then we have a problem.” #CateBlanchett dressed in #Benchellal sculpture in London, posing next to art dealer and collector #IvorBraka at his the home. Blanchett has had a close connection to the art world for many years. Cover story @voguegermany Photography @nikolaivonbismarck Style @alistermackie Style Assistant @nl.fox Hair @olivierschawalder Make up @marygreenwell Manicure @nailsbymh Producer @jessielilyadams Production @erinfeeproductions Location @ivorbraka Head of Editorial Content @_kerstinweng Global Entertainment Director @cbroday Global Visual Director @jamiedspence Global Design Director @jannico #Sculpture #Art

CATE BLANCHETT about the responsibility of art: “Now it’s about taking a stand” Years ago, two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett met German artist Julian Rosefeldt in Berlin – the catalyst for her film “Manifesto,” which was shot in just twelve days. Now, eleven years after its initial release, the work is more relevant than ever, questioning what art is allowed, supposed to do, and must do. Just like the artists quoted in the film, neither Blanchett nor Rosefeldt have a definitive answer. In conversation, the two reflect on how art can make the rise of fascism and the crises of the present visible. Blanchett: “From a selfish perspective, art has to captivate you. The question I always ask myself is: Am I leading, or am I being led? If I’m in harmony with something, then it has a chance of connecting with the audience. We live in dark times. If we can’t create these spaces where we can endure these contradictory and often very agonizing and disturbing situations and events, then we have a problem.” #CateBlanchett dressed in #Benchellal sculpture in London, posing next to art dealer and collector #IvorBraka at his the home. Blanchett has had a close connection to the art world for many years. Cover story @voguegermany Photography @nikolaivonbismarck Style @alistermackie Style Assistant @nl.fox Hair @olivierschawalder Make up @marygreenwell Manicure @nailsbymh Producer @jessielilyadams Production @erinfeeproductions Location @ivorbraka Head of Editorial Content @_kerstinweng Global Entertainment Director @cbroday Global Visual Director @jamiedspence Global Design Director @jannico

“The Art of Sculpture” #Benchellal Harper’s Bazaar @harpersbazaarnl Muse @iammarpessa Photography @timverhallen_photography Hair Artist @ilhammestour 
Make up Artist @naimabremer Editor in Chief @miluskavantlam Graphic Designer @daan.de.ruijter Interview @mehtapgungormez #designer #sculpture

“From Liwan to the Moon” @liwan.qa Exploring new dimensions at Liwan Design Studios & Labs prototyping facility, where possibilities are endless by turning ideas into objects and objects into stories. Dream, wear and now print it. The original sculpture is still on display at “Thread of Impact” exhibition presented by M7 @m7.qatar in Doha, Qatar — until January 3rd 2026. Special thanks to Liwan’s Director @aishabintnasser & prototype professor @normandipo #sculpture #3dprinting #Benchellal

“The Art of Sculpture” #Benchellal Harper’s Bazaar @harpersbazaarnl Muse @iammarpessa Photography @timverhallen_photography Hair Artist @ilhammestour 
Make up Artist @naimabremer Editor in Chief @miluskavantlam Graphic Designer @daan.de.ruijter Interview @mehtapgungormez #designer #sculpture