Ahmed Amer turns memory into objects

Ahmed Amer has always operated between disciplines. Fashion, illustration, art and cultural storytelling intersect throughout his work, but his latest objects bring that language into the home, translating personal memory and the handmade gesture into pieces that sit somewhere between design and artistic expression. At the centre is the Pebble Pouf, a soft, sculptural piece inspired by Amer’s childhood memories of drawing on pebbles during summers spent by the sea. That intimate recollection becomes the starting point for an object built around touch, comfort and nostalgia. Its rounded, organic form references the natural shape of a pebble, while Amer’s hand-drawn illustrations are translated into satin-stitch embroidery across its surface. Rather than reproducing the memory literally, Amer turns it into something functional. The familiar childhood act of drawing on stones becomes a domestic object intended to carry the same feeling of calm and connection into a different setting.

The piece is also a natural progression for a designer whose practice has consistently moved beyond traditional definitions of fashion. Amer is a multidisciplinary artist, designer and illustrator, as well as the founder of amer, the lifestyle fashion brand through which he brings together fashion, art and cultural expression. His creative work extends into visual identity, branding, live performance and large-scale art. That broader approach is equally visible in a second object: a sculptural vase crafted from faux leather sourced from the brand’s existing stock. Material left from previous collections is given a new function rather than discarded, connecting the object to ideas of reuse while maintaining the visual vocabulary of Amer’s wider practice. Here, however, the narrative becomes more introspective. The vase is inspired by ideas of rebuilding and inner growth, combining memories with reflections on an emotional journey. Its silhouette is enhanced by Amer’s hand-drawn illustrations, this time executed through couching embroidery, turning the repurposed faux leather into a decorative object with a distinctly tactile character. Both works underline the importance of the hand within Amer’s creative universe. Illustration does not remain on paper or exist only as a graphic motif. It is transformed through embroidery, material and volume, allowing a drawing to move from a two-dimensional image into something that can be touched, used and experienced physically.
Craft is already central to Amer’s wider work. A Fashion Trust Arabia winner and Maison Mode Méditerranée laureate, he has also created murals presented at We Design Beirut in 2025 and at the Institut du Monde Arabe in 2026. Alongside his independent practice, he serves as Creative Director of Inaash and teaches at Creative Space Beirut, roles that connect his own work with the preservation and continued evolution of regional craftsmanship and emerging creative talent. The Pebble Pouf and vase ultimately reveal how naturally Amer’s universe can move between fashion and interiors. What connects the two is not simply aesthetics, but a process built around drawing, embroidery, material and storytelling. One begins with the uncomplicated memory of a child drawing on pebbles beside the sea. The other looks inward towards reconstruction, growth and emotional change. Together, they turn memories into physical objects and show how something deeply personal can find a new life through craft.