Luna Salahie

My name is Luna, I was born and raised in Aleppo, Syria, a city filled with history and art. My earliest memories are painted with creativity; piano lessons with my brother, dance classes with my best friend, reading Arabic poetry with my grandfather, and painting beside my grandmother in her studio.

Art was always around me, shaping the way I saw the world.

But the place that truly shaped me was my father's business. His grandfather had started a textile factory decades ago, and it became the heart of our family. I loved going there with him, running my fingers over the fabrics, watching colors transform, and seeing something ordinary turn into something extraordinary.

We also had a small shop in an ancient market. My grandfather would sit there, listening to oriental music while I imagined the stories hidden in each fabric, dreaming of the dresses and creations they could become.

As a teenager, I held a dream close to my heart: to study fashion in Europe, return to Aleppo, and create a luxury gown brand with my father's fabrics. I imagined a small boutique beside our shop in the Old City — a continuation of legacy, a bridge between past and future.

Then the war came.

It took my father's business, our home, and the life I had envisioned. Aleppo became unsafe, and my family scattered across the world. I packed my entire life into a single suitcase and left behind everything I had ever known.

Arriving in the United States, my dream felt distant, almost impossible. Survival came first. I had to find a path to support myself and help my family rebuild.

Yet, Aleppo never left me. The fabrics, the music, the poetry, and the textures of the souq still live inside me. They guide my vision, shaping the way I see beauty, storytelling, and craft.

After years of feeling unhappy trying to follow a "normal career," I decided to give fashion a real chance. That decision led me to move to New York City.

I started attending events, taking classes, and working hard to learn the ins and outs of the industry. The city gave me the opportunity to work alongside an executive producer who mentored me and taught me how runway shows and fashion productions come together to bring creative visions to life.

Today, I see this as only the beginning of my journey. Every experience — from the fabrics of my childhood in Aleppo to the creative energy of New York — has shaped the way I approach fashion and storytelling. I'm excited to keep growing, exploring new ideas, and bringing more stories and creative visions to life through my work.