Artist Kelly Dabbah’s newest fashion collab: Heritage, with a twist of psychedelia

Meeting Kelly Dabbah feels like colliding with a moodboard in motion – chaotic in the best way, wildly alive, but aesthetically tight. She’s got an electric presence: dark curls, statement style, and a gaze that sees layers in everything. After following her career, I would say that she leaves her mark wherever she lands – across multiple industries. In March, the New York-based brand alice + olivia released a silk blouse and mesh top as part of a collaboration with the artist. This type of dynamic brand collaboration has become a vehicle for her ethos to reach larger audiences. Whatever she creates, it might be a reupholstered antique chair, a digital billboard in Times Square, a space to meet, a skate-deck, or a piece of clothing the message hits the same: this is her world, and you’re just catching a glimpse.

Her work? Think colourful collages on steroids. It’s unapologetically layered – photos, sketches, paint, ripped-up mags of florals and pop cultural motifs – all mashed together into something that feels both intimate and explosive. A dream (or a fever dream, depending). Vogue Scandinavia took the opportunity to speak to the artist about this meeting of fashion and art and her recent return to Switzerland after spending a decade in New York City.

Congratulations on your alice + olivia commission. The pieces were launched for International Women’s Day. Tell me more.

"It’s been an incredible experience. I first met Gabriella Kazhiloti, who is responsible for the brand’s merchandising, back in 2021, while I was exhibiting my work at SCOPE during Miami Art Week. I was showcasing a chair and several mirrors as part of a series titled Cara Said Bacon. It was a satirical take on women in the beauty industry, their daily reflection in the mirror, the pressure to maintain beauty, and the influence of societal standards. Gabriella was drawn to the mirrors and we stayed in touch. The collaboration came to life last September, when they were looking for an artist to feature for International Women’s Month. I submitted a few different designs, and they selected one print that they used to create two products: a silk blouse and a mesh top. They also asked me to include a quote that would empower women; I chose the word “Thrive” along with its definition. The response has been amazing. The blouse and mesh top became best sellers not only in their Arizona and Las Vegas boutiques but also in Neiman Marcus and Saks online stores.

I loved Cara Said Bacon, and the title’s reference to Cara Delevingne's infamous tattoo. Bacon the food or Francis Bacon, who knows, it’s funny. We first met around that time too. Your kaleidoscopic patterns caught my eye. How has your aesthetic developed over the years?

"I hope there is a thread that connects everything I’ve done, a kind of emotional continuity – I want my work to carry a certain texture: nostalgic, feminine and strong, sensitive yet bold, all at once. Women are always at the centre of my work. There is something both fragile and powerful about womanhood that I keep returning to. It is joyful and melancholic at the same time – like a memory you can’t quite let go of."

Your work and processes are very intuitive.

"Pass With Care has been my tagline since 2017. It is more than just a phrase, it is a mindset; a reminder to move through life with intention, kindness, and openness. It’s about how we treat others and ourselves. It’s like saying, “pass the joint but do it with love.” Let people be who they are. That’s what I try to do in my work and in my circle: invite people in, just as they are.

I’m also definitely stuck in the ’90s. Life was sweeter at that time, wasn’t it?"

What was your most difficult project to realise, and how did you manage?

"In 2023, I created a large-scale project for the annual American Express and Marriott Bonvoy celebration during Miami Art Week at the W hotel. The event honoured chef Kwame Onwuachi and his new restaurant, Tatiana, at Lincoln Center in New York City. I was approached by the incredibly talented creative directors Natalie Choy and Allison Master, who entrusted me with a high-impact vision, all within a tight deadline. The project included a live performance, a video animation made from over 2,500 individual collages forming a single moving frame, and the complete visual identity and event design. From the oversized photo booth to the menus, custom gift items, and the outdoor drinks stand, every element was crafted with my artistic touch.

It was both an amazing opportunity and a huge creative challenge. My live performance was the most intense part: my artwork was printed onto a massive round mirror and during the event, I created a live collage on top of it using paint and my textiles. Everything featured my printed designs, even my outfit. The piece became a collage within a collage, blurring the lines between digital, physical, and performative art."

That’s mega. Let’s talk about your Times Square billboard animation 'Alone Together' or 'Together Alone'. It must have been incredible to broadcast your work to so many people – you have also created billboards in Seoul and Hong Kong.

"I created the piece during quarantine for a digital art contest in New York City. The theme, 'Alone Together', was launched by the digital gallery ZAZ 10 Times Square, but I felt compelled to address something deeper: racial discrimination in America. At the time, I didn’t know how to animate, having worked only in Photoshop. I was bored, isolated, and hungry for a challenge. So, I taught myself animation, frame by frame, movement by movement, entirely manually. It took me five days to learn the basics and complete the piece. And, I got in.

Seeing it for the first time was surreal. Times Square was nearly empty. A friend drove me to Times Square and we took a few photos wearing masks, surrounded by silence and billboards. It’s a memory I’ll never forget. Honestly, nothing can prepare you for the feeling of seeing your work, something you spent countless hours creating on your computer screen, suddenly blown up on massive billboards. It’s overwhelming, humbling, and electrifying all at once.

A week after the Times Square piece went up, George Floyd was murdered, and the country was thrust into collective mourning. With everything happening, the gallery decided to extend the run of my piece. The timing, the message, the moment, it all came together in a way I never could’ve imagined."

You have recently moved back to Switzerland after spending ten years in New York City. How did it feel to leave, and to return?

"I’ve been trying to leave New York City for the past two years, and it was harder than I ever expected – I kept on going back and forth, torn between what was familiar and what my soul was asking for. The city is intoxicating. It pulls you in with its energy and ambition. But deep down, I knew I needed a real shift, a different rhythm. There’s a saying: a new place brings new luck. Strangely, beautifully, I met my now husband in Switzerland last summer, making the move easier. Leaving felt less like an escape and more like stepping into something that finally fit. I had started feeling stuck. Now, when I go back to New York, I feel clarity. Moving away was the right decision. I needed to be closer to my family and nature – the best things we have. Life in Europe feels nourishing: slower, deeper, and more textured than New York.

Is this forever? Probably not. Knowing myself, it might just be for another two years. Nothing is permanent. So, I’m choosing to be in and enjoy the present."

Let’s side-track into wedding territory. Not only did you two look beautiful together, but your two looks were incredible. For our readers, the courthouse ‘fit was a throwback to her mother’s 1980s all white mini dress and headband wedding look, and for the party, Dabbah wore a custom lace dress with floor-length arms à la Priscilla Presley in the 1960s. Trés chic. I followed along on your Instagram.

We had such fun at the wedding – and, as I mentioned, my husband made my return to Switzerland worthwhile. Going to Paris with my mother to Celestina Agostin’s atelier to have the second dress made was spectacular. My mother’s sense of style is effortless, yet unforgettable. She's deeply passionate about fashion and textiles, and she passed that love down to me. She designs the most beautiful dresses, and I hope her precision and care show up in everything I create. Honouring her with my courthouse look felt very special."

Why Japan?

"I visited Japan for the first time earlier this year with one of my sisters and I absolutely fell in love. I’ve only experienced a small glimpse of the country, but even that was enough to leave a deep impression. The culture feels otherworldly; rich, refined, and incredibly inspiring. There’s so much we can learn from Japan: in design, art, culture, etiquette, and education. Every detail seems intentional and beautifully executed. I’ve become especially fascinated by Japanese streetwear and fashion; it's bold, avant-garde, and ahead of its time.

I'm already planning a return trip with my husband and would love to collaborate with a Japanese brand in fashion or design."

It’s so nice that you are close to your sisters. I can see your North African and Middle Eastern roots in your use of ornamentation, patterns, and vegetal forms. Is this something that is a conscious choice?

"All four of us are creative! It’s funny, I often create prints and patterns instinctively, without consciously thinking about where they come from. But when I step back, I can see how deeply my heritage informs my work. Growing up with these influences, I was constantly surrounded by vibrant textures, intricate tiles, and layered visual storytelling.

Take Morocco, for example, its breathtaking tiles, the chaos and beauty of the bazaars, the bold colours, the rhythm and repetition everywhere you look. That kind of visual richness stays with you. Prints and patterns are so deeply woven into Middle Eastern aesthetics, and those influences are all part of my cultural DNA.

There’s also definitely a twist of psychedelia, kitsch, and melancholy passing through it all. My work lives in that space; between heritage and imagination, nostalgia and chaos."

Your Vogue Scandinavia photoshoot is so sick. The photographer is a friend, right?

"Yes, Laureat Bakolli, who has done a few Vogue photoshoots, is a long-time friend. We had a lot of fun shooting. He is incredible. I wore my pieces from the collaboration with alice + olivia, some textiles I made, and brought a mirror piece and flowers."

In New York, you studied both fashion design at Parsons’ and gemology. What is your favourite gemstone?

"There's something timeless and mystical about emeralds. The Ancient Egyptians mined emeralds as early as 330 BC and Cleopatra was famously obsessed with them. In Mughal India, they were engraved with sacred texts and worn as protective talismans. The Ancient Greeks and Romans believed emeralds granted foresight and warded off evil. Across cultures, this stone has always carried deep spiritual weight.

What I love most, though, are the inclusions: the jardin, or “garden,” inside each stone. These visible markings don’t make an emerald flawed; they make it unique. It’s that imperfection that makes them feel alive. And visually, green is striking. It glows against olive skin and dark hair: rich, earthy, and luminous all at once. There’s a depth to emeralds that no other stone quite matches."

What are you looking forward to next?

"Collaborations have been such a rewarding part of my journey, and I want to keep exploring more. I have a dream list of brands I’d love to work with – across fashion, interiors, and even hospitality. I picture my work in hotel spaces, on furniture, on walls, as accessories, or bringing art into design in a way that feels immersive – perhaps as sculptures. I’m open to anything that lets my art live in new spaces and reach new audiences. The sky’s the limit."