This is the Swedish couturier taking Paris by storm

In couture, the devil is in the details – something ArdAzAei founder Bahareh Ardakani is well aware of. Showing off-schedule for the first time during Paris Couture week this summer, the brand and its Swedish designer are already becoming a celebrated addition to the city of lights.

Ardakani showed a collection filled with stark tailoring and geometry, merging Scandinavia's trademark minimalism with her Persian heritage. "I was so inspired by all the different patterns of old Persian gardens. The mathematics of it all." The collection, dubbed 'Midnight in a Persian Garden', bridged her Swedish upbringing and her family's culture. "I wanted to take the best from each and combine it into something unique. It's a balance."

As we speak, a piece from her couture collection catches my eye. A three-dimensional flower with embroidered sequins from the 1920s along the petals. "We used Japanese organza to create the effect and searched the archives in my atelier for the sparkle," she explains. For the show, the floral top was worn with a voluminous skirt made following a mathematical construction with layers of oversized silk flowers in a silk-blend fil coupé jacquard. Contrasted with stark black and white pleats and masculine hand-embroidered suits, the line-up managed to convey both of the designer's cultures in an extraordinarily balanced way.

"I wanted to attend art school, but my parents were strict. I was either supposed to be an engineer or a doctor," the Swedish couturier explains. Entering the engineering field with a focus on product design, she describes how construction and attention to detail first attracted her. "It was like putting a puzzle together," she smiles. "I love the bigger picture, but I'm a perfectionist regarding details."

Quality was an omnipresent factor in Ardakani's upbringing. "Before moving to Sweden, my dad was an amazing pastry chef in Iran," she explains. "He always taught me how important it is to do things from scratch."

With that said, fashion and photography had always been on her periphery. Then, Ardakani moved to London, slowly establishing herself as a stylist. Working as a stylist for nine years, Ardakani found herself collaborating more and more with musicians. "I came to a point where I realised I didn't just want to work with the outside of something. I wanted to dig deep and understand the whole process." Ardakani wanted to follow fashion from construction to finished product and "experience how everything works, every step of the way."

Simply put, she felt the urge to create something of her own. "I had my father's words in the back of my mind, saying 'you have to do things the right way'," she says. But the Swedish couturier had yet another detour to make before beginning her design career. "A friend of mine showed me this gemstone, and I found the material fascinating. So I decided to go to Antwerp and study to be a gemologist, "she laughs. "My thinking was never that I would make jewellery. I was just interested in something new."

The experience was quintessential for ArdAzAei to be founded. In Antwerp, Ardakani found the philosophy that laid her brand's foundation. "It is all about the importance of material and the care we put into what we do." The year was 2017, and Ardakani decided to launch her very own fashion brand.

She cherry-picked from her experience, incorporating her interest in construction from her engineering background and her fascination for high-quality materials from her time studying gemology. "Couture is this amazing world of heritage and tradition," she says. "Where what the inside looks like is as important as the outside." This urge to understand and challenge the culture of couture drove Ardakani. "I looked at it like how my father looks at baking," she says.

As per the strict guidelines for couture, ArdAzAei is made in French ateliers by the most talented seamstresses. All with the sartorial savoir-faire found only in France. "I would attend these fairs with my sketches and try to find the right fit," Ardakani reminisces. "It was like trying to navigate through a jungle."

Creating a couture label focused on sustainability didn't make things easier. It is a multifaceted issue the fashion industry faces, from human rights issues to greenwashing. ArdAzAei tries to combat these by staying transparent and focusing on traceability. "We have rigorous demands on ethical issues, workers' rights, production, and the circularity of our garments," Ardakani explains. "It is about so much more than using certified and organic fibres, which we also do." ArdAzAei works with globally recognised GOTS certifications, which "cover the whole process from production to fibre."

While Ardakani began by introducing ArdAzAei couture, she is keen to expand the brand's horizons by launching a ready-to-wear line adhering to the same high standards as the couture collection. And she isn't planning on waiting. "We're launching this autumn already," she smiles. Releasing around 40 styles, the RTW collection will include pieces inspired by the runway – what Ardakani refers to as 'souvenirs' from the couture collection– spanning tailoring to bias-cut silk dresses.