Honey might not come to mind when thinking about Lebanese food products. But Lebanon has a deeply rooted history with the gold nectar; it was even mentioned in the Old Testament. Though honey production may have receded from the forefront of the Lebanese agro-industry since the days of the Bible, it has garnered increased attention…
When two passions merge
While it is often said that design talent in Lebanon is plentiful, a substantial percentage of this talent could be going to waste because of the lack of free design education in Lebanon. Enter Sarah Hermez, a Parsons School of Design graduate, and her former Parsons professor Caroline Simonelli, who together founded Creative Space Beirut…
Hussain Bazaza
Hussein Bazaza did not grow up wanting to be a fashion designer, although he has loved sketching dresses since he was a child. “Everyone who knew me thought I would be a great fashion designer, but I never wanted to be one,” he recalls, noting instead his interest in interior design or filmmaking. After finishing…
Rami Kadi
From as far back as he can remember, Rami Kadi has been passionate about the art of embroidery and other traditional craft skills. This passion ultimately led him to choose fashion design as a career path and so he enrolled at ESMOD Beirut, graduating in 2008. Following his graduation, Kadi worked with Rabih Kayrouz and…
Jean Louis Sabaji
Jean Louis’s father, Jean Sabaji, was a fashion designer who was most known for being the personal designer of the Saudi royal family. As such, Sabaji’s earliest memories were of being in his father’s atelier (which is his now that his father has passed) surrounded by fabrics and mannequins. “From when I was a child,…
Sandra Mansour
Sandra Mansour says she has always been drawn to art and creation. So after completing her BA in business, she decided to go for a master’s degree in fashion design in Paris, and she has not looked back since. After completing her master’s degree, Mansour worked for Elie Saab before launching her own brand. She…
Abed Mahfouz
In 1982, Abed Mahfouz starting working with his sister designing evening gowns and got his first taste of creating his own designs that way. In 1995, he decided to branch out with his own brand. While Mahfouz initially showcased his collections locally through fashions shows at venues such as the Al Bustan Hotel in Broummana,…
Georges Chakra
Georges Chakra initially began his studies in interior design during the Lebanese Civil War, but decided to switch to fashion design because, he says, he wanted to do something “out of the ordinary.” Studying fashion design was uncommon at the time, and Chakra says even his parents were not very accepting of his choice. It was…
Beirut a fashion capital
“It’s an exciting time to launch a fashion design program in Lebanon because of what is happening in design. Whether it’s Mar Mikhael’s little boutiques, or the designers who are just starting out with unpredictable, yet exciting futures ahead of them, or the young Lebanese designers whose names are shining abroad, there’s an energy and…
The power of tourism
Prior to 2012, it was a common sight to see wealthy tourists — mainly from the Gulf — and even some Lebanese shopping in Beirut’s luxury brand stores that dot the expansive streets of Downtown Beirut and the high-end sections of Lebanon’s malls. During the past five years however footfall in many of these international…