From Libya to London Fashion Week: How Ruaa Elmansuri is reimagining Amazigh heritage through fashion

At just 28 years old, Libyan-British designer and artist Ruaa Elmansuri has already established herself as one of fashion's emerging talents, drawing on her North African, Amazigh and Muslim heritage to combine traditional textiles, symbols and craft techniques with contemporary silhouettes that explore identity, history and culture.

Her work has since brought her recognition both during and after her studies. In 2021, she was named a Global Young Talent by Fashion Crossover London and was later selected as one of Fashion Scout's 'Ones To Watch', presenting her SS26 collection at London Fashion Week.

Yet this journey was not one Ruaa expected to take while growing up in Libya.

Fashion was always an interest, but it was not considered a realistic career path. Instead, she initially looked towards architecture as a compromise between creativity and practicality.

"I kind of compromised on the idea that maybe I would do architecture because it had some elements of design, but I hated maths, so that didn't last long," she tells The New Arab.

By the age of 13, however, she had already begun planning for a future in fashion. She researched international universities, sought advice, and prepared herself for a career in design years before she eventually applied to study.

That determination eventually brought her to London, where she studied Fashion Textiles and Print Design at London College of Fashion before continuing her research through an MRes in Arts at Central Saint Martins.

Childhood memories 

Much of Ruaa's work today is rooted in memories of her childhood in Libya, where she was surrounded by traditional crafts, landscapes and Amazigh culture.

Some of her earliest influences came from visits to her grandparents and trips to the countryside and mountains, where she heard Tamazight (also known as the Amazigh languages) spoken and saw Tifinagh, the traditional Amazigh script, displayed on buildings and streets.

She also remembers watching her grandmother weave blankets on a loom while she sat nearby drawing and reading, moments that showed her how textiles can carry memories and cultural knowledge.

"I think those traditions and sights are connected to these happy memories," she says. "I try to remain connected to that side and build on these moments with my work now."

It was during her university studies that Ruaa began looking more deeply into Amazigh heritage, using her research to explore a culture that had always been part of her life but that she had not previously examined in detail.

"I would always turn to Amazigh culture and craft because it's something that I've been intrigued by, but might not have explored fully when I was a kid," she says.

Studying in London also gave her the opportunity to introduce Amazigh culture to people who were unfamiliar with its history and traditions.

"A lot of my tutors and classmates wouldn't be familiar with the subject, so it was nice to share the culture with them," she says. "I still have the same sentiment now with my work — I always want to share what people don't know about it."

Spotlighting Amazigh symbols 

That desire to preserve and share Amazigh heritage is central to Ruaa's designs, where traditional symbols and techniques are reinterpreted through a contemporary fashion lens.

Many Amazigh motifs carry meanings connected to nature, femininity, protection and community, although their interpretations vary between regions. Some symbols represent fertility and renewal, while triangular forms are often linked to womanhood. Others have traditionally been used as protective symbols, including designs worn by young girls to guard against the evil eye.

Beyond individual symbols, Ruaa is also fascinated by the stories told through the construction of traditional garments. One of her recent designs was inspired by a wrap traditionally worn by Amazigh men, whose identity is distinguished by its embroidery.

She explains that the stitches and patterns can reveal where a garment comes from, who made it and who it was intended to be worn by. Women's garments, for example, may feature simple stitched lines, while men's often use more intricate embroidery.

The motifs themselves also vary in meaning, with many drawing on insects, plants and other elements of the natural world, reflecting the close relationship between Amazigh culture and nature.

That being said, Ruaa notes that these details highlight how clothing can preserve knowledge that might otherwise disappear.

“A lot of the crafts are disappearing,” she says. “Especially in Libya, people are not always teaching them to the new generation. Either the younger generation isn’t interested, or they don’t feel connected to it.”

Through fashion, she hopes to make these traditions relevant to younger audiences by adapting them into pieces that can be worn and appreciated today.

“Reinventing it and making it something that the younger generation can feel they can use and make part of their own life would be nice.”

Exploring Libya's history 

While Amazigh heritage remains a central part of Ruaa's work, her designs also explore wider questions around Libya's history and the preservation of cultural memory.

During her master's degree, she created a collection that examined different periods of Libya's past through clothing, using fashion to explore how historical events and cultural changes have shaped the country.

Each look represented a different era, combining historical references with contemporary forms, including a hooded, single-piece design inspired by the traditional Libyan farrashia, which reinterpreted the women's garment for modern wear while maintaining its connection to the original.

The collection also examined the loss of Libyan cultural objects, including artefacts looted from archaeological sites such as Leptis Magna. 

Ruaa had planned to photograph the collection alongside Libyan artefacts held in the UK, but the project did not go ahead after permission to photograph them was denied. Instead, the collection was shot in a studio with images of the artefacts projected onto the backdrop.

As part of her wider research, she created a temporary journalistic-style website featuring interviews with people involved in cultural repatriation, artists exploring similar themes, and individuals working to protect historical heritage.

Although the website was developed as part of her studies, the collection continued to attract interest years later, with stylists returning to use pieces from the project.

"It helped me delve into the history and look at different decades and how they shaped different parts of Libya," she says.

Sustainability and restoring forgotten textiles

Alongside heritage and history, sustainability has become another important part of Ruaa's approach to fashion.

From selecting materials and suppliers to considering packaging and production methods, she examines how each stage of garment production can reduce environmental impact.

Her recent collections have incorporated discarded and deadstock materials, including traditional wool textiles sourced from Libya.

During her research, she discovered that in the town of Yefren, some traditional woven garments were being stored away or discarded because people no longer knew how to use them.

"I found a place where people who don't wear them anymore have just been keeping them because they don't know what to do with them," she says.

Rather than allowing these textiles to disappear, Ruaa began exploring ways to adapt them for contemporary fashion while preserving their original history.

"I wanted to make use of those pieces so people can wear them again, but also wear something that has a lot of history in it."

She adds that this process is also about reconnecting people with traditions that risk being forgotten.

From London Fashion Week to international recognition

After years of using fashion to explore Libya's history and Amazigh heritage, Ruaa's work has started to attract attention beyond the communities and traditions that first inspired it.

Her designs have been worn by musicians, artists and public figures, bringing her reinterpretation of traditional textiles and symbols to wider audiences.

One of the moments she remembers most came when British singer Jess Glynne wore a full look from her collection to a British Vogue party during London Fashion Week.

"It was really crazy because I wasn't expecting it," she says. "Usually, a stylist will just pick clothes, and you don't always know if they are going to be worn."

Since then, her pieces have continued to appear across music and fashion projects.

Members of the English-Australian rock band The Last Dinner Party have worn her designs, and one of her pieces was featured in a Rolling Stone cover shoot.

Her work has also appeared in Vogue Arabia, where Moroccan-Iraqi producer, composer, actress and singer Mariam Hussein wore her designs for an editorial shoot.

Stylist Anna Latham later selected two of her pieces — the Diamanté Net Veil and The Gazelle and The Beauty Print Dress — for the artwork of former Atomic Kitten singer and actress Natasha Hamilton's single Fantasy, photographed by Nik Pate. 

For Ruaa, seeing her work reach these platforms has been a significant moment, particularly because her family has been able to follow her journey from the beginning.

"It's really special because they have seen how much work I've put into it," she says.

Continuing the story

As Ruaa looks ahead, she wants to continue developing her brand while exploring new ways to engage with the histories and traditions that have shaped her work.

She hopes to photograph future collections across North Africa, placing her designs within the landscapes that inspired them. She also wants to continue working with artisans while reinterpreting traditional techniques for contemporary fashion.

"I want to continue building the brand world and reinterpreting silhouettes that I've already started working on," she says. "I want to keep sharing my point of view of the culture."

For Ruaa, that work also extends beyond preserving heritage. She believes fashion can be used to express political ideas and tell stories that might otherwise go unheard.

"I think fashion can definitely be political," she says. "I think it's really interesting when it's used to express and make statements.

She adds, "There was the veil piece that I made last year. The Amazigh pattern included the symbols I mentioned earlier, which are associated with protection against bad energy and the evil eye. It also featured the Amazigh yaz, which references the Amazigh flag and the meaning of 'free people' — that's what Amazigh represents.

"By the end of the design process, I felt it was only right to include a quote from Omar al-Mukhtar: 'We will not surrender; we will either win or die'. A Libyan revolutionary and anti-colonial figure, al-Mukhtar became a symbol of resistance after leading the fight against Italian occupation, inspiring generations across the Arab and Islamic worlds.

"I think that kind of example shows how fashion can be used to express those sentiments and make political statements. I definitely think it's natural to express yourself in that way and to use fashion as a way to tell those stories."

As she continues to develop her work, Ruaa hopes those stories will reach new audiences while remaining rooted in the traditions and histories that first inspired her.

Zainab Mehdi is a British Iraqi journalist and the Associate Features Editor at The New Arab. She holds a BSc in Modern History and International Relations from the University of Essex and an MA in Near and Middle Eastern Studies from SOAS

Follow her on Instagram: @zaiamehdi_/@zainabmehdiwrites_