Mohammed Ashi has dressed celebrities around the world from Indian actress Deepika Padukone to American singers Beyoncé, Cardi B and Zendaya, but few of his clients know that he is the first Saudi fashion designer to reach this international level.

"In the 1990s (the last century) I was the only Saudi fashion designer. But I never said I was Saudi. I wanted the clothes to be at the forefront, not me," Ashi told AFP in a rare interview in his studio in Paris.

It's partly due to shyness, as Ashi still prefers not to have selfies taken, but also to the fact that wearing Western clothing was pretty much a taboo in public, certainly for women, in Saudi Arabia where he grew up in the 1980s.

Ashi made his career outside the Gulf kingdom, which has remained closed for decades, first training in the United States and working for Givenchy and with Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab before landing in France.
And now, with the massive campaign of social openness taking place in Saudi Arabia, Ashi has won the welcome and recognition in his country as an advisor to the fledgling government fashion authority.

"A few months ago, I was invited to speak publicly in Saudi Arabia for the first time, and many people came to me after that. I get recognition from the younger generation that I never expected," he said.

"They (Saudi authorities) give scholarships to people for something that was taboo when I was growing up. It's a special moment."

Critics of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, view the easing of social restrictions as a public relations campaign aimed at turning a blind eye to the ongoing human rights violations.

However, there is no doubt about the opportunities it provided to young creators, such as Reem Al-Sabhan, 27, whose fashion designs are now adorning local events.

"Since the beginning of my studies, I have kept repeating a sentence that I really believed in, even if it surprised people: Riyadh will become one of the most important capitals of fashion," Al-Sabhan told AFP at a workshop in Riyadh.

"Now the signs of this future are beginning to emerge," she added.

Previously unimaginable public events such as concerts, festivals and the new Red Sea Film Festival mean that Saudi Arabia is rolling out the red carpet for Al Sabhan's designs.

However, Burak Chakmak, head of the Saudi Fashion Authority, said that the foundations of the fashion sector were laid much earlier.

"Many local creators established fashion companies during the past 20 or 30 years for the local market, but they did not feel the need to tell their stories to the outside world, or they did not dare to do so," Chakmak, a Turkish fashion designer, told AFP.

"That allowed the system to build in a tight way... Now people can see that there are hundreds of brands, very connected to their culture but also inspired by the rest of the world."

For Ashi, it makes sense for Saudi Arabia to become a fashion hub, as he says its oil wealth has kept European brands afloat for decades.

He said that Saudi Arabia "acquires 60 or 70 percent of French fashion," especially wedding dresses.

"Most of the big French fashion houses rely on this, but they don't like to talk about it because they don't want to be seen as mere tailors. They want to be a 'brand'," he explained.

Ashi's Diary is a frantic whirl of client prepping and preparations for the upcoming Haute Couture Week.

His clothes appear on the red carpets of the world's biggest events from the Oscars to Cannes.

One of the highlights of his success was Beyoncé wearing a fuchsia gown of his design at a memorial show for Nelson Mandela.

Although he is proud to be a role model for young Saudi designers, he still prefers to see himself as a "global citizen".

Pausing to show the details of an elaborate lace dress, he said, "The engraving was done in London, the weaving in Italy, the embroidery in India, and assembled here in Paris."

"It's a journey for these clothes to take shape, just like me," he said.