The Interview: Alidad

THE INTERVIEW | MASTERS & MUSES | CABANA MAGAZINE

Iranian-born interior designer Alidad sits down with Cabana to tackle our Masters & Muses interview, sharing insights and highlights from an illustrious career. With characteristic charm and humour, Alidad shares his dream dinner party guests, ideal (and nightmare) interiors, favourite fabrics, guilty pleasures, greatest challenges and more.

INTERVIEW BY EMMA BECQUE | MASTERS & MUSES | 7 MARCH 2025

Alidad in his Wow!House 2024 showcase: The Legend Room © Maryam Eisler

The most memorable trip you've taken...

Venice with my parents when I was young remains etched in my memory. To see these houses and streets, not streets but canals, was utterly captivating. Everything Venetian is unique because Venice represents a crossroads where East and West met. Particularly during the 16th and 17th centuries, Venice and Istanbul shared an incredible fusion of textiles; you couldn't distinguish Venetian velvet from Turkish velvet. This unique blend of cultures continues to inspire me. I've often imagined travelling from my birthplace, Tehran, through Europe, eventually settling in Venice, feeling perfectly at home.

The best party you've ever been to...

I've attended countless parties, most forgotten, but one spectacular evening in Germany stands out. The Germans know how to throw an extravagant party, and this was a grand one. It was themed around Winterhalter, a painter famous for capturing Europe's glamorous ladies in lavish gowns. The hotel was completely transformed into a sumptuous Belle Époque palace, not just decorations but carpets, curtains, everything. Guests were transported into another era, which made an unforgettable impact.

A moment that changed or defined my career...

The pivotal moment was when I decided to leave Sotheby's. I had an enviable position, surrounded by friends and immersed in fascinating art objects. But deep down, I knew if I didn't leave then, I'd never have the courage later. My parents supported and blessed me, profoundly changing my life's direction.

Another transformative moment occurred about ten years later, in 1997, at London's Cambridge Gate showhouse. I designed a suite themed around an imaginary European gentleman; on the top floor of his Palazzo or Chateau, living modestly yet elegantly with his treasured possessions. Unexpectedly, I received awards from Min Hogg for The World of Interiors, Sue Crewe for House and Garden, and Ilse Crawford for Elle Decoration. That evening significantly elevated my career.

Alidad’s award-winning 1997 suite at London's Cambridge Gate, inspired by an elegant European gentleman catapulting his career as a designer © Simon Upton 

The greatest challenge you've overcome...

Every day presents fresh challenges, especially coordinating builders to meet deadlines. Our decoration department always delivers early, but design - dealing with construction constantly tests patience and resilience. Managing this has taught me the importance of adaptability and perseverance.

An object you'll never part with...

A sculpture of Nijinsky, the iconic Russian dancer, crafted by Uma Troubridge. Nijinsky revolutionised ballet in Europe, and this sculpture, inherited from my parents, embodies elegance and dramatic artistry. It is deeply precious to me.

The greatest gift you've ever been given...

The greatest gift was my parents' support. When I completed my Statistics and Computer Science studies at University College London, I went to my parents and told them that I had secured a place at the London School of Economics on a course in some unpronounceable subject, and asked if I could change my career altogether. It was my parents who suggested I pursue Sotheby's Works of Art course. Not many parents would have supported such a drastic shift, especially without guaranteed employment. Their trust changed my life entirely, a generosity I deeply cherish.

Young Alidad, pictured (above) with his mother in Iran, cherishes his childhood and his parents for gifting him with intuition and the ambition needed to start his design studio. 

Your dream dinner party guest...

It would be Rumi. He was a Persian poet and Sufi mystic whose works explore love, spirituality, and the search for divine connection. One of his famous poems starts with ‘I am neither Christian nor Jew, Neither Muslin nor Hindu.’ It unifies people rather than separating them, which is important to me as today is all about separation in society.

Your guiltiest pleasure or greatest extravagance...

Sugar is my obsession. It is an extravagant indulgence I struggle with daily. Professionally disciplined and privately indulgent, I'd happily spend days immersed in sweets and idle distractions if not for work.

I would describe my childhood as... 

Idyllic. It might sound cliché, but my childhood was idyllic, shaping a deep sense of balance and contentment that influences my aesthetic sensibilities even today.

Alidad founded his eponymous studio while at Sotheby’s, where he was the youngest departmental director of Islamic art and textiles. He is shown (above) during an auction in Geneva in 1980.

I feel most confident when wearing...

A jacket and tie. It's a timeless combination that conveys comfort and confidence.

My signature scent... 

I am drawn to church-inspired fragrances rich in incense. Perhaps I was a monk in a past life, as such scents evoke peace and a spiritual calm.

My go-to recipe... 

My work life is about meticulous planning, but when it comes to cooking, I like to approach this with no plan whatsoever; it’s very intuitive, spontaneous, and improvised. This is sometimes a disaster and sometimes good. My girlfriends will often ask for my recipes, and I will say ‘open your cupboards, see what you have. Then open your fridge, see what you have.’. There are no measurements in my cooking, I do it by the eye.

My all-time favourite fabric...

Concini in Fleur Verte from Pierre Frey's Le Manach collection. 

The person I call for good advice is...

I unwisely rarely seek advice, preferring to rely on my intuition, not wanting to bother people. However, I turn to my brother for practical matters such as finance. Generally, I offer guidance, entrusted with the confidence of clients and friends alike. I should probably ask for advice a little more going forward.

The person I call for a good time is…

I happen to cherish companions who are deeply serious about work yet equally enthusiastic about fun. At Alidad, our studio blends rigorous professionalism with joyful camaraderie. My closest circle keeps life vibrant and fulfilling, never boring!

Ideal interiors in three words...

Timeless and original. I appreciate interiors that carry an authentic essence, transcending fleeting trends and remaining timeless, irrespective of style. It's about capturing something enduring beyond personal preferences that looks as if it’s still got the original essence, having created it five minutes before.

The red library room inside Alidad’s London apartment is where his interior career ignited. Later, this design would be replicated for the British Design Exhibition in Chelsea Town Hall in 1987 © James McDonald Photography

Distasteful interiors in three words…

Impractical, thoughtless, cluttered. Numerous aspects I find distasteful, particularly cornice lighting. More importantly, interiors that prioritise aesthetics over functionality. Spaces that look appealing fail to consider a home's natural flow and connectivity. For instance, beautifully styled rooms become immediately inconvenient when guests have nowhere to place a cup of tea or safely navigate with a tray of refreshments without stumbling over unnecessary obstacles.

Effective design must thoughtfully integrate practical considerations such as storage. If you enjoy entertaining with cocktails, glasses should be conveniently accessible. I often emphasise to my clients that a successful interior should require no additions; even the most miniature cupboard added later indicates insufficient planning. Interior design transcends merely assembling attractive fabrics. It demands meticulous consideration of everyday living and evokes a timeless, sentimental essence to last a lifetime.