by Yasmin Mostafa
Islam Mansouri smashes society’s anachronistic imagery of traditional, masculine style and shares his vision through effortless self-expression, showcasing the most authentic version of himself. 

In 2023 Islam Mansouri went Tik Tok viral with his version of the “public runway” trend, garnering millions of views which is nothing short of remarkable for a male fashion content creator in Kuwait. It prompted fans later to label him as the “Catwalker”. Mansouri took an idea that sprung forth playfully amongst his posse, and acted on it. He turned busy public side streets into his own high-fashion runways in Mubarkiya, Kuwait City, on the iconic Hamra in Beirut and all over the streets of Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, showcasing his style with a show-stopping “proper model walk” halting people in their tracks and delightfully entertaining and confusing passersby. Businesses and fashion labels scrambled to collaborate with the outrageous fashion icon, riding the wave of public catwalking to showcase their new collections or partner with Islam to produce edgy pieces, shattering the perceived image of regionally monotonous menswear.

Islam Mansouri’s first foray into fashion as a model garnered positive attention which opened the doors to more opportunities for the eccentric and unattainably sophisticated Islam. Other than upscale opportunities with global brands, stumbling upon modeling helped him find himself and return to his truest version, his passionate and creative self. From discovering his discerning eye on artistic palettes of life and the hidden beauty of contrasts and eccentric meanings, to unveiling a strong desire to change the ultimate narrative in male fashion. Islam Mansouri embodies the rare talent to shift traditional fashion paradigms; he is here to stay and push forward new definitions, extend traditional limits and draw up bold new territories in menswear in the region.

Islam’s daily style features a fundamental key; his unorthodox approach to artful accessorizing. His outfits shared on his social media platforms range from simple to more sophisticated and edgy, eclectic looks depending on his mood and/or needs for the day e.g. a shoot or a fashion event, peer networking or formal meetings. “I vet my entire wardrobe in my head when I wake up, it may sound hectic but it’s a decision and a daily passion of mine to bring out my personal style and identity to every new day” Islam shares with bazaar.

Islam’s inspirations draw on opposing forces in expression. Think of a “Mad Max” effect all while achieving some sort of harmonious balance of the model in the clothes with a storyline that blends different time periods, modern and vintage elements in one picture. Islam is inspired by revolutionary fashion figures that transcend limitations one of which is international role model, the late legend, Virgil Abloh, founder of Milan luxury streetwear label Off-White, a brand which in particular Kuwait’s male youth love, connect and identify with heavily. A term Islam uses to describe his understanding for Abloh’s brand is “quiet attention”, a hard to achieve balance between style and subtlety. He focuses on how Virgil’s style is distinct from mainstream streetwear with silhouettes that speak of simplicity yet achieving permanent attention that loud pieces would garner for otherwise fleeting moments.

Being a non-conformist by and large, a second muse is his love for the juxtaposition of opposites in expression, perfectly illustrated by Alessandro Michele the ex-creative director of Gucci. Islam never shies away from working with Gucci as a fashion house and builds on their aesthetics for his shoots’ concepts. Since, as a younger model starting out, Islam had a strong penchant for the Italian fashion house, it doesn’t come as a surprise that his inspiration draws from the ex-Gucci designer who as creative director gave a new face to the heritage brand; a match for his eccentric taste which involves many rings stacked up in multiple ways and a loud love for colorful mismatched prints. Islam in his own personality relates to Michele; a revolutionary who expresses chaos and portrays it in his international designs with intentionally misaligned design elements; now working so well for the Valentino brand. “Alessandro’s portrayal of opposites of contemporary progressiveness with a renaissance-like human flair is what I relate to well and try to bring forward in my own way to my concepts with my “Gucci” shoots, Gucci brand events, and others.” Islam shares exclusively with bazaar

Take Mansouri’s  Instagram  – where Islam’s depth of identity can be seen through the complexity of his shoots which show his uniquely individual way of storytelling. His feed is a judgment-free space showcasing a burst of incomprehensible moods and shoots conceptualized by the young model with the collaboration of illustrious brands. The shoots always take form in a series or diptych, fashioned as “stills” from the movie of life in the young model’s head. The “Islam x Gucci” shoot, one of frequent store partnerships to fulfil the model’s visions for instance, was a true-to-form example of eclectic meanings and contrasting concepts in fashion where both the tone and direction were set by him. Donned in a formal, lime-green suit, with a blonde-tipped hairdo, multiple colorful rings and shot in a seemingly abandoned 50s gas station, “The Last Exit” was shot just on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi. Contradicting all logic for the location, the image came to be a creative synergy of vintage classy notes clashing with a not-so-posh urban stop. “By composing my ideas on differing depths, I invite the reader to draw their own visual interpretation and meaning through the concepts I design.”

A second partnership with Gucci stores conceptualized by the burgeoning Kuwait based fashion icon is heavy in contrasts. It showcases pieces from the Gucci prêt-à-porter collection and revives the 70/80s feel through the juxtaposition of the 70s rock style set in modern times and being worn by a millennial model, Islam Mansouri. “The Scene” was shot in an old repurposed small studio in Hawally from the 1960s in which local television programs on KTV 2 and KTV 3 were shot. The styling by Mansouri involved colorful tight-fitting Gucci leggings tucked into Guccisima monogrammed socks, combined with a formal, double-breasted Gucci blazer to fit the total vintage look of the shoot. Yet another strong affinity of the model is his love for the French label Maison Margiela, a label that in his mind plays with anonymity – MM6 is identifiable only by four diagonal stitches – and a chaotic balance of airy cuts, volume and avant-garde fabrics. In his iconic personal shoot that he names “Stitching Up The Chaos” he uses pieces from Maison Margiela and adds his personal understanding of the brand identity and aesthetic by cutting up a long blazer to the waistline, stitching a layer of lace to oversized flared pants and adding a face veil, something so iconic of the brand on runways where models’ faces are usually hidden to direct attention to the clothes and the design.

Backed by his vision of a future, free of judgment of fashion choices for menswear and embracing one’s individuality, Islam Mansouri founded his budding baby business, a creative agency @agencycocoon; the name represents metamorphosis or the becoming of something. A mastermind of innovative concepts, Islam works creatively with clients to market a mix of businesses and services and integrate it with fashion. By understanding the brand identity, he helps direct current clients to integrate their brand with fashion and has set his ambition to attract more fashion brands as part of his diverse clientele too.

Islam recognizes the impact he can achieve with his approach to self-expression through his fashion choices. Through @agencycocoon, he is committed to breaking traditional boundaries and pushing to the forefront embracing one’s individuality. He encourages emerging designers and models to incorporate creative expression in their designs and in their respective styles. Either through his agency or his social media platforms Islam’s legacy is to consistently bring about a share of voice for novel forms of self-expression in the region and bring about a divergence of cross-cultural conversations that together can shed a beautiful new light of authenticity on our beautiful complex array of talents here.

TRUTH OR DARE QUESTIONNAIRE
How would your mother describe you in one word?
Different.

How would you describe your mother in one word?
Courageous.

What is the most ridiculous question you’ve been asked?
After many questions about my nationality and upbringing some people still ask if I’m fully Egyptian.

What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
One time a while back, I was in Hamra street in Beirut and saw the word dreamer spelled out on a tattoo shop window. I fell in love with the word and got a tattoo on the spot with the word “Dreamer”.

What is your theme song? 
I don’t have a theme song, song choices depend on my changing moods.

What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented?
“Gawy” meaning “my vibe” in Arabic.

Where would you like to live?
Any peaceful country or city in SouthEast Asia like Bali.

What is your dream retirement location?
Same, Bali.

What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind?
“Life is a journey, not a destination”

Which animal best describes your perfect partner, be it in business, or in life? 
Definitely a dog, because dogs are loyal, caring, nurturing, and loving.

Do you miss anything from your childhood and if so, what is it?
I used to be a football player when I was much younger, but other than that I like to enjoy the present moment, I don’t look back or miss much from my childhood.

If you could change your name, to what would you change it?
Fares.

How would you describe your handshake, in one word?
Friendly and trusting.

What is the toughest part of your character?
Doubting myself and others and overthinking everything when making a decision.

Who is your favorite historical figure?
Michael Jackson because he insisted the world to accept him for who he is, and I live by the rule of being yourself.

What in the World do you least desire the most?
Lies, untrustworthy people, and people who can’t be authentic.

What do you think is lacking in the World, which if there were more of, would make the World a better place?
Truth, honesty and communication.

Why do you think most people who do, like you?
For just being me, authentic, supportive, complimenting in nature.

Finish this Sentence: Happiness is
your decision; you can choose to be happy or not. It’s all about your mindset.