An interview with New York fashion designer Abel Martirosyan

For many young creatives, moving from Yerevan to Manhattan’s fashion scene is a distant dream, but for designer Abel Martirosyan, it became a reality. After earning his degree at Armenia’s State Academy of Fine Arts, a spontaneous application to New York’s Parsons School of Design led to a 75-percent scholarship and a move to New York. While building his career in New York, Martirosyan’s heritage remains central to his identity. His MFA thesis collection, “Valley of the Mythic,” debuted at New York Fashion Week and translates traditional Armenian ceremonial and bridal attire (harsanekan) into contemporary silhouettes using deadstock guipure lace, silk chiffon, felt, jersey and intricate cording. Today, his portfolio spans international studio work, exchange programs and short courses with fashion schools in Paris and London, as well as collaborations with styling teams working with major artists. In this interview, Martirosyan reflects on choosing fine arts over medical school, learning fashion “in the wild,” balancing heritage with modern design, and building a career in New York. Milena Baghdasaryan: What drew you to New York City? Abel Martirosyan: To begin with, I came here to pursue my master’s degree in fashion design at Parsons School of Design at The New School. It was actually my second degree in fashion, following my Master of Arts from the State Academy of Fine Arts in Armenia. Moving to New York was quite unexpected; Parsons was the only program I applied to, and I briefly forgot about my application until I received an acceptance letter. Upon reviewing the offer, I learned they had awarded me an exceptional scholarship covering 75% of my tuition. Given such an incredible opportunity, I decided on short notice, about two to three months before classes started, to relocate to New York. Everything came together seamlessly from there. M.B.: Do you plan to remain in the United States, or do you intend to return to Armenia at some point? A.M.: I don’t have definitive, long-term plans to remain here or move elsewhere. However, since I currently have a job, established industry connections, and active projects with very exciting collaborators, I’ve decided to stay for the time being. The fashion scene in New York is exceptionally fast-paced; you never quite know what to expect from one day to the next. Staying here allows me to ride that momentum, though I remain open to where my path might lead in a few years. M.B.: Were you interested in fashion design from a young age, or did that passion develop later? What was the turning point for you? A.M.: Interestingly, I originally planned to become a doctor and spent my final years of high school actively preparing for a medical career full-time. While I always loved fashion and was deeply connected to the creative community through friends, medicine was my primary focus. But then I realized the intense stress of the medical track wasn’t the right fit for me. Virtually overnight, I made a swift decision to pivot and apply to the State Academy of Fine Arts. It ended up being a very natural, seamless transition into the field, and despite the high demands of the fashion industry, I thoroughly enjoy it. M.B.: What factors have shaped your design signature and personal style the most over the years? A.M.: My creative identity has been heavily shaped by the people I’ve collaborated with, worked for, and learned from over the last nine years of my professional journey. Working under different mentors and collaborators gives you varying perspectives on the exact same creative processes. My background includes major projects in Armenia, where I worked with local artisans in a Fashion Lab setting, alongside exchange programs and short courses with fashion schools based in Paris and London. Experiencing how fashion operates across entirely different infrastructures, comparing the methodologies of Armenia to Europe and New York, gradually molded my creative perspective into what it is today. M.B.: Does your Armenian identity influence your design style? A.M.: Of course it does, but not always as a literal visual reference. You won’t necessarily see a recognizable shape or motif directly transposed onto the garment, but the heritage is deeply embedded in the research foundation. For instance, my graduate collection presented at Parsons, which was shown during New York Fashion Week, was built on deep, intense research into traditional Armenian bridal (harsanekan) and ceremonial attire. The heritage informs the concept and ideology, even if the final visual language remains modern. M.B.: Who inspires your work? Are there specific Armenian or international artists, books or films that influence you? A.M.: That is always a complex and delicate question for a designer. Inspiration often comes from an artist’s underlying philosophy rather than just a single person. Conceptually, I connect deeply with the work of Martin Margiela, Helmut Lang and Dries Van Noten. In terms of Armenian figures, someone like Sergei Parajanov obviously leaves an indelible mark on any creative who encounters his work. However, I am extremely protective and careful regarding the artists I admire. I prefer not to overstep or replicate their visual work directly in my own designs. For me, creative research is very intimate; I read about their work, internalize their ideology, and translate that inspiration without echoing their exact visual output. M.B.: Your portfolio connects you with high-profile artists and creative teams, including figures surrounding Lady Gaga. Could you share more about those relationships? A.M.: Currently, I am actively collaborating with Gaga’s stylists, developing an ongoing creative relationship. While there are specific projects currently in progress that I cannot publicly disclose, working with Lady Gaga directly is a major goal of mine, and we are constantly building toward future collaborations. M.B.: Beyond formal design, your work spans styling, wardrobe consulting and technical making. Did you learn these multidisciplinary skills at university? A.M.: I don’t want to overshadow the value of university education, but many vital skills are learned out “in the wild.” No university, at least in Armenia, teaches you how to reach out to people, how to read the room, how to price your work properly or how to communicate effectively. You learn those by getting out there, failing a few times, discovering your limits and making sure you can actually deliver on what you promise. Being multidisciplinary across tailoring, styling and consulting makes you flexible, which is essential when you are part of a massive production team where you can’t hold anyone back. M.B.: When designing for high-profile clients or specific individuals, how do you ensure your approach is custom-tailored rather than generic? A.M.: Active listening and presence are crucial. Production environments in New York are massive, frequently involving teams of 20 to 50 people on a single project. Whether providing custom design, precision tailoring or structural support, you must identify your key contacts and listen carefully to their exact requirements. Because the workflow moves extremely fast, there is no time for unnecessary back-and-forth communication. Being completely present ensures that the design is tailored specifically to the project’s parameters and the individual’s persona. M.B.: When starting a new design from scratch, do you usually begin with a story, an emotion or a visual silhouette? A.M.: I’m a very technical person when it comes to design. I rarely approach a project from a pure emotion or feeling first; I approach it technically. I need a clear shape, set design environment or specific fabrication in mind. Once you gather all the practical parameters of a project, your intuition as an artist acts as your best shortcut to mapping out the execution. M.B.: Is there a difference in your design methodology when creating for live stage performances versus screen media? A.M.: The primary distinctions are technical. A garment designed for a static studio photoshoot has entirely different technical priorities, structural limitations and handling requirements compared to a piece made for a live stage concert, television appearance or video recording. You always have to evaluate how the piece will behave in motion versus how it will be captured under static studio lighting. M.B.: We live in an era of fast fashion. Is it a challenge for you, or is it a form of support? How do you approach this concept, and how do you ensure your designs stay original? A.M.: There is a very fine, almost non-existent line when it comes to fast fashion. In my own work, I don’t interact with fast fashion because I focus on very specific, niche, made-to-measure and demi-couture pieces tailored to specific measurements and our own visual language. However, we have to be realistic: mass production is part of our current reality, and the majority of people rely on fast fashion; I’m wearing a Uniqlo T-shirt right now! I don’t see mass production ending anytime soon because it’s heavily driven by corporate greed. But the solution starts with individual responsibility. Regardless of whether a garment is fast fashion or couture, once you buy an item, you have a responsibility to care for it and keep it out of landfills for as long as possible. M.B.: And another sensitive topic: the use of AI when it comes to designing. Do you use it, and what’s your take on it? A.M.: I don’t personally use AI in my design process right now, but I believe an AI creation is only ever as good as the person behind it. There is still an essential human factor involved; even inputting a prompt is your own “creative” contribution. Ultimately, it comes down to how you choose to use it: whether it’s a tool to refine an existing idea or something used to generate concepts from scratch. M.B.: Do you have times when you experience a creative block, like a blank mind? How do you handle those situations? A.M.: The romanticized idea that a designer has to be in the clouds and constantly creative all the time is a myth. You don’t have to be creative 24/7. For me, balancing the technical side of design with the creative side is the best way to handle mental blocks. Taking time to step back, get grounded and focus on practical, technical execution allows me to stay productive without forcing creativity when it isn’t flowing naturally. M.B.: Is there a strong network among Armenian creatives in New York, and do you collaborate with one another? A.M.: Yes, we have a very solid Armenian creative community here spanning tech, finance, fashion, editorial and design. While it isn’t a massive or formally organized network, people connect organically. I collaborate with several Armenian creatives here, and some have become my dearest friends. M.B.: Out of your entire body of work so far, what project are you most proud of? A.M.: My MFA thesis collection at Parsons, “Valley of the Mythic.” It was an accumulation of everything I’ve learned over the years — my time at the Academy in Armenia, my studio work, and my master’s degree. Up to that point, I hadn’t directly referenced my heritage in my work. But for this collection, I did an intense deep dive into traditional Armenian bridal and ceremonial attire. I used deadstock guipure lace, silk chiffon, felt, and jersey, combined with lace patchwork and rope cording to reinterpret ancient forms into modern silhouettes. Presenting that on a platform like New York Fashion Week was deeply meaningful because it bridged my heritage with everything I’ve built across Armenia and New York. M.B.: Looking forward, what is your next milestone or ultimate end goal? A.M.: I don’t have a final destination; I know where I’m going, but I don’t know at what point I’d ever want to stop. As for what’s next, that’s the beauty of living and working in New York. Life is fast and ruthless here, but it’s also unpredictable. You can wake up with no idea who will text or call you in the middle of the day with an exciting project. I love open endings in life. M.B.: What is your advice for young Armenian designers trying to take their first steps, whether in Armenia or abroad? A.M.: Put your ego aside and reach out to people! Reach out to the people you think you can learn from and grow with, and don’t be afraid or overly protective of your ideas out of fear that someone will steal them. Be vocal and clear about what you want to achieve. The fashion community in Armenia is exciting and growing every day, but designers often work in silos rather than collaborating. If you’re an emerging designer and there’s someone whose experience you admire, make the first move. Introduce yourself, offer your help and show genuine curiosity. Taking that initiative counts for a lot. Photos courtesy of Abel Martirosyan.

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Milena Baghdasaryan

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