The fabulous destiny of an outstanding merchant, whose passion for rugs forged an empire throughout Europe, with headquarters in Monaco.
By Joana Foglia Berrebi, Fotos By „Highlights Monaco“
The Moghadam saga began very early, in 1957 when Alexander Moghadam was a manager at Lufthansa and served as an intermediary for the stewardesses and stewards who were eager to bring back Persian rugs. Together with them he discovered a whole universe, that of his country, but also that of a thousand-year-old art, in which Iran excels.
“Each carpet is a novel that has its own language and grammar, and this poetry is revealed to everyone in a different and sometimes surprising way”, says Alexander Moghadam.
By becoming familiar with oriental rugs, Alexander Moghadam had to learn everything from scratch: the origin and meaning of the patterns, the softness of the silks, the meticulousness of the knots, the thoroughness of the weaving, and the names of the cities from which each of them comes, whose pronunciation is a journey in itself: Ghom (pronounced Goum), Tabriz, Nain, Heriz…
All these “novels“ begin with the same story: an outline which plays the role of the frame, and which offers to the eyes of the beholder an enchanted spectacle; that of hunting scenes, the favorite pastime of the Safavids, oriental flowers with enchanting colors, legendary animals, angels, thinkers who all communicate with elegance and perfect symmetry
Alexander Moghadam is not only a born trader, but also a bold and visionary businessman. In 1962, he opened his first carpet gallery in Frankfurt, Germany, and expanded in the space of only 3 years, opening 5 other galleries in the largest European capitals. They were aimed at an exclusive clientele for whom he brought back the most beautiful Persian rugs. The whole world immediately fell in love with the beauty and poetry of the Persian rugs, and Alexander Moghadam has been one of the major contributors to this acculturation of Persian artwork.
In the 1970s Alexander Moghadam fortuitously met Princess Grace, who suggested to him the idea of opening a gallery in the Principality. The Moghadam gallery was inaugurated in 1977, at 23 Boulevard des Moulins, in the presence of Princess Grace and many other renowned guests. Since then the gallery Moghadam has become the official supplier of the Prince‘s Palace.
The gallery, sitting in the middle of the shopping boulevard, accommodates works by artists such as sculptors and painters, but above all contains an incalculable number of carpets, covering the floor and walls, stored in flat or rolled piles, all with shimmering or pastel colors. That needs an expert eye to detect the art piece which would best speak to the visitor and take his breath away when the carpet is unrolled at his feet.
At least once in your life you must experience the unique sensation of walking on a woven carpet made of the finest lamb’s wool and silk and woven with gold threads. It feels as if you are walking on a cloud.
Alexander Moghadam undoubtedly spread the Iranian rugs culture throughout the Principality, so much so that even the hall of one of the most prestigious hotels in the world, the Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo, was adorned with a splendid blue 850x850cm Nain, made on special order from the Princely family
Alexander Moghadam‘s vision did not stop there, because what he wanted most was to pass on his passion to his loved ones so that the history and magic of the rug would live on.
In 2006, his son, Kamyar Moghadam, joined the Moghadam Empire after an education in art, and combining his cultural heritage with modernity, he launched the first concept store worldwide – Fashion for Floors – dedicated to the decoration of the floor.
Located in Monaco, Frankfurt and Paris, Fashion for Floors is a unique concept to dress the most prestigious places in the world with tailor made rugs and textiles, created by the best weavers, from the most beautiful materials, offering an exclusive decoration to the interiors.
“In life in general, you should not rest on your achievements. You have to renew yourself.“ Kamyar Moghadam
It is with this vision and expertise that Kamyar approached H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco to create, on the occasion of the Sovereign‘s wedding, a unique design of carpet that would lead the future spouses to the altar.
Made in red and white, the colors of the Principality, the carpet was made in New Zealand from a mixture of wool and silk, fully embroidered with silk, and measuring no less than 200m long by 4m wide, and requiring the assistance of 500 people to make the dream come true.
A unique work, which after the ceremony, was recut, signed by the spouses, and numbered to be auctioned for the charities of the Prince and Princess.
The Moghadam saga is deeply connected to the Principality and still has many horizons for us to discover.
