“It’s a big stepping stone in my career to work on a project for Madonna, she is a global fashion icon who has been a reinventing her image for decades now and to be a part of that is a huge honor.”

INDIANAPOLIS — The 2012 Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 5 was highlighted by Roman and ancient Egyptian themes, but what viewers may not have known while watching is the Arab American connection behind some of the designs.

Rami Kashou, who was born in Jerusalem as the son of a former Miss Jordan, designed many of the costumes for the show’s female dancers, with the goal of making them look ‘high fashion, ethereal and dramatic,” he said.

Kashou received a direct call from Madonna saying that she was a fan of his work and asking for the distinct Roman/Egyptian style costumes, which he called a “wonderful” opportunity that became reality in a little over two weeks.

Kashou grew up sketching his designs in school notebooks in school before moving to the United States in 1996 with the support of his parents after high school, following which he worked on his own brand and began selling designs and work to stylists and celebrities. The 35-year-old has since designed for well known figures such as Heidi Klum and Queen Rania of Jordan, which allowed him to get sponsorships so he could invest in his own boutiques and a studio with a supporting creative team.

“It’s a big stepping stone in my career to work on a project for Madonna, she is a global fashion icon who has been a reinventing her image for decades now and to be a part of that is a huge honor,” he said.

His works can be viewed at RamiKashou.com.