Kent State School of Fashion to add Omar Salam to its hall of fame

US educational institution Kent State School of Fashion at Kent State University (KSU) in Kent, Ohio has named Omar Salam, a fashion designer and the founder and creative director of fashion house Sukeina, inductee of its fashion hall of fame.

The Kent State School of Fashion award celebrates “the outstanding contributions made to fashion by an individual”, the press release reads. In addition, it honours the individual’s leadership qualities and how they are an inspiration to the School of Fashion’s fashion graduates.

Designer Omar Salam, who spent most of his childhood travelling and living throughout Europe, graduated from Parsons School of Design with a degree in fashion. In 2011, he moved to Paris to work at Sonia Rykiel and became visual director for the luxury brand’s New York City office. He worked at Sonia Rykiel for seven years.

From 2010 to 2012, Salam worked at fashion house Christian Lacroix. Soon afterwards, he founded his own fashion house, which he named ‘Sukeina’, meaning “bright light”, in honour of his late mother.

Previous inductees at the Kent State School of Fashion hall of fame include Kenneth Cole, Estee Lauder, Oscar de la Renta, Dana Buchman, Leonardo Ferragamo and Josie Natori.

New inductee Omar Salam will exhibit a selection of his spring/summer 2023 collection, entitled ‘Cardinal’ at the Kent State University Museum. The exhibition is planned for spring and will be followed by a full exhibition of the designer’s work in January 2024.

“Omar is a fashion storyteller, an innovator who transcends boundaries,” Mourad Krifa, interim director at KSU's School of Fashion, said in a statement.

“His deep-rooted commitment to cultural inclusiveness and to the diversity of the human condition with respect to age, race, gender, sexual orientation and figure is an inspiration to our students.”

The designer’s official induction into the Kent State School of Fashion hall of fame will take place as part of the school’s annual senior and graduate fashion show scheduled for April 28.