Born in Tehran in the 1970s, Ferdod grew up in an artistic home. He remembers those years as “beautiful.” The 1979 Iranian Revolution forced his family to migrate to the US. In 1980 he returned with his mother to reclaim their property as the Iran–Iraq War began. These events deeply shaped his art.
Ferdod, raised in Vancouver, BC, now lives and works in Seattle’s Pioneer Square with his Canadian wife, interior designer Karli Neale. In 2005 they launched a custom luxury handmade rug line, Designs By Ferdod. www.designsbyferdod.com.
In 2009 Ferdod Haghighi began painting to document and express the social and political upheaval in Iran, with a particular focus on the women’s rights movement. His early paintings were both witness and protest: visual narratives that captured resilience, resistance, and the everyday dignity of women confronting restrictive social norms.
As his work matured, Ferdod’s paintings found an audience. He began selling pieces, then opened a gallery space and studio where he continued to exhibit, create, and engage with a broader community. This gallery became a platform for dialogue and a creative hub that connected his artistic practice with activism and cultural exchange.
In 2024 Ferdod translated his signature visual language into textiles, launching a line of luxury jacquard knits crafted from fine Merino wool. Drawing on years of experience in the handmade rug tradition, he fused artisanal textile techniques with contemporary knitwear design. The jacquard knits carry his distinctive motifs—layers of symbolic imagery, bold contrasts, and textured patterning—rendered with the precision and softness of high-quality Merino.
Ferdod Haghighi clothing is the culmination of these converging passions: art, fine textiles, fashion, and advocacy for women’s rights in Iran. The collection is produced independently from his primary professional work as a rug designer / producer.
The clothing line is not considered a “business”; it embodies a small-scale, craft-forward approach. Each piece functions not merely as a garment but as a wearable statement—an intersection of creative expression and cultural commentary rooted in decades of artistic practice.
Ferdod Haghighi’s artistic expression transcends borders, inviting viewers into a realm where art and life intersect. Through his paintings and designs, he invites us to reflect on the human condition, prompting dialogue and contemplation.