Amir Sali crafted intricate gowns for Saudi Arabia\u2019s royal family. After nearly two decades abroad, he has returned to the Philippines, continuing to make his mark as the \u201cPrince of Beads.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hailing from Tawi-Tawi, Amir said that art has been ingrained in him since childhood. His interest was so strong that he learned how to draw even before he learned how to write.<\/p>\n
\u201cI learned how to draw before I learned the ABCs. Art was really in my system, in my veins,\u201d he told PhilSTAR L!fe<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Although his father wanted him to become a lawyer, Amir ultimately chose to pursue his passion for the arts. At the time, he shared, no institutions offered a four-year degree in fashion design, prompting him to major in interior design instead.<\/p>\n During one of his travels abroad, Amir met a woman he did not initially realize was a Saudi princess. He was later invited to work for the royal family, where he spent 18 years honing his craft.<\/p>\n Amir dreamed of working in New York, Paris, or London, but at 23, he landed a job in the Saudi Arabian Royal family, where he was first commissioned to create curtains in the Palace.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen they offered me to work in Saudi Arabia, parang natakot ako. Sabi ko, it\u2019s not my dream to work there,\u201d he shared with L!fe<\/strong>. He seized the opportunity when he was offered a scholarship to study in Paris, on the condition that he would work for them afterward.<\/p>\n From sourcing premium materials worldwide to crafting diverse designs, Amir admitted that his time at the palace was challenging\u2014but he enjoyed it so much that his initial five-year stint extended to 18 years, with each day described as a learning experience.<\/p>\n “It was not easy to make beautiful clothes because you cannot repeat your work for 18 years. So you have to really study very well every single design you make. Hindi siya joke,” he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve learned so many things; It was very challenging but very promising for an artist like me coming from the South,\u201d he recalled. \u201cHindi ko na notice that I’ve been doing so many beautiful things because parang I just took it like I\u2019m playing, na this is my wonderland.\u201d<\/p>\n Amir attended royal family parties around the world. It also opened doors for him to dress international celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Carrie Underwood, Beyonc\u00e9, Shakira, and Halle Berry.<\/p>\n If there\u2019s one thing to remember about Amir, it\u2019s his intricate beadwork in every creation. As a Mindanaoan artist, he was exposed to all things decorated back home in the Philippines.<\/p>\n \u201cI love beadwork so much,” he began.<\/p>\n \u201cI grew up with the community that is wearing clothes that are very ornate and decorated because people from the south, the Muslims in the south, they are laging nasa festive mood\u2026\u2019yung mga damit, very colorful, metallic, and gold decorated.”<\/p>\n Even before he formally studied interior design, Amir shared that he had been designing clothes for his friends, classmates, and family. Other than their traditional clothing, Amir initially took inspiration from marine life, being so amazed by the vibrant colors he saw whenever he was scuba diving.<\/p>\n His signature decorated style is reflected in his early creations, from curtains to furniture.<\/p>\n After his father passed away, Amir returned to the Philippines and considered retiring at 43, but his mother encouraged him to keep going<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t see myself working abroad forever. Kung saan ka pinanganak, doon ka pagpapalain,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He later opened his first shop in the Philippines and served clients, including local celebrities and brides-to-be.<\/p>\n Among these is Ayesha Alonto Mambuay, a Maranao and a UP alumna. She learned about Amir when he was recommended by her aunt, who met him at one of his fashion shows.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s very talented, such a visionary, and has the most extraordinary stories to share. A typical fitting with my Mom, my sister, and myself would last for about three to four hours as we laugh out loud and talk about everything and anything,\u201d Ayesha told L!fe<\/strong>. \u201cWe all have dreams to uplift the lives of fellow Moros, but we also have common enjoyable stories of Moro struggles.\u201d<\/p>\n Her wedding gown\u2019s design was inspired by the sarimanok, a Maranao symbol of honor and harmony, Ayesha said, noting that Amir had drawn from this emblem. For her, wearing it was deeply personal.<\/p>\n \u201cWearing it was my way of honoring where I come from while also celebrating the future we are building together. It wasn\u2019t about grandeur, it was about meaning, roots, and intention on our end,\u201d Ayesha said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \n A good artist will not only come from Metro Manila or from New York or from Paris. A good artist can come from a small island, from a small town, from a small province, because art is an innate thing, it\u2019s s a gift from God\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n Amir is undeniably a renowned artist, having worked with Saudi royalty and A-listers both in the Philippines and abroad. Beyond this, Amir ensures his art reaches people from all walks of life. He shared that, in addition to dressing Ayesha, he has also gifted designer gowns to many brides-to-be who cannot afford one.<\/p>\n Now based in the Philippines, he is providing job opportunities for people, especially males from underprivileged backgrounds. It also serves as his way of keeping the art of beadwork alive for future generations.<\/p>\n \u201cAng mga beaders kasi natin dito, mostly mga manang\u2026So now I’m training mga lalaki na wala namang ginagawa to learn how to do beading,\u201d Amir said. They also trained those who previously worked as fishermen, construction workers, and bakery staff.<\/p>\n \u201cWe give livelihood to people to bring food to their table\u2026I think we don’t exist for ourselves alone; We should always help other people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Other than this, he\u2019s providing scholarships to young creatives who cannot afford to go to school.<\/p>\n \u201cI help them with their education para marami pang artist na Filipino ang mag excel,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI also like [them] not to be ashamed na mahirap ka, na you can you can have your own spotlight as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWag kayong mahiya, kasi a good artist will not only come from Metro Manila or from New York or from Paris. A good artist can come from a small island, from a small town, from a small province, because art is an innate thing, it\u2019s s a gift from God,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Amir continues to thrive in the world of fashion.\u00a0At 60, he\u2019s still passionate about creating more and helping more.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very important to put your heart into anything that you do, because when you put love, excellence will come. You can never go wrong when you love what you’re doing,\u201d he told\u00a0L!fe<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cHindi pwede as an artist ka lang makontento ka nalang sa alam mo araw-araw. Ang dami pang dapat matutunan. These kinds of experiences will make you humble because you know that you are not great,\u201d he said. He also encouraged artists not to let failures hold them back.<\/p>\n \u201cKeep on trying, failure is not defeat unless you stop trying, so you have to go on with it and enjoy. God permitted us to make mistakes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n This year, he is set to attend some of the industry\u2019s most prestigious events, including fashion weeks in Paris and Milan, as well as the Melbourne Fashion Festival in March, where he previously made history as the first Filipino designer to take the stage.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nWorking with the royal family<\/h5>\n
Johan M.I.A Photographie via @iamamirsali \/ Instagram<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\u2018Prince of Beads\u2019<\/h5>\n
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Keeping the art of beading alive<\/h5>\n
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