Project Shahdad marked the beginning of a new chapter for Ashkiyoun — a moment when the boundaries between tradition and contemporaneity had to be redefined. Its formation was shaped through the accumulation of valuable knowledge and experience, accompanied by numerous trials, revisions, and reconsiderations. More than anything, this journey required courage and a completely open, liberated perspective — different from anything Ashkiyoun had previously created.

The first Shahdad piece embarked on a journey from its inception to its placement within an interior space, becoming part of the Shahdad marketing campaign. This path was a conscious decision; Ashkiyoun intended for Shahdad not merely to be seen, but to be narrated. The stages of design, the weaving process, the finishing services, and the travels through nature, space, movement, and imagery all gave meaning to the carpet. Long before it was installed in an interior setting, it had already begun telling its story.

To develop content and introduce the collection, a professional team was assembled with a carefully structured plan. Conceptual direction and executive management of the project were led by Lena Späth from Munich — author of Behind Thick Curtains: Interior Design in Iran. Project coordination and logistics were managed by Mehdi Hosseini, photography was carried out by Hamed, and photographic consultation was provided by a photographer from an international magazine.

During a two-week journey, the team began in the Shahdad Desert in southeast Iran and continued to the southern shores of the Caspian Sea. Final content editing was completed with the consultation of Sebastian and Misha, Art Director at Anikst Design Ltd. in London.

The journey did not remain limited to Iran’s geography. Following the completion of the content production, the Shahdad project traveled to southern Germany and later to the region of the Black Forest, where the Shahdad carpet was presented in a showroom setting to audiences in person. This phase completed the project’s narrative — a moment when the carpet, after passing through nature, journey, and image, ultimately entered into a direct dialogue with its viewers.

Initially, Ashkiyoun’s strategy was to introduce Shahdad as an independent brand under the naming structure:
Shahdad by Ashkiyoun

However, over time, the collection came to be recognized alongside the Jafarnejad and Sahara works as an integral and complementary part of the Ashkiyoun universe.