Protect the past, plan for the future

The World Cup is arguably the most viewed sporting spectacle and social event worldwide. So when Jennifer Lopez opened this year’s games dressed by Lebanese designer Charbel Zoe and accessorized by Lebanese jeweler Yeprem, it proved that Lebanon’s luxury designers compete at the pinnacle of their professions. Even before that, the likes of Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad were offering their own evidence that Lebanon could dress the stars at major red carpet events, blockbuster films and high fashion photoshoots. The Lebanese do not just have a flair for luxury products, they also have a special knack for creating them — both at the level of the designers who dream up novel creations, and at the level of the skilled artisans who have honed their craft across centuries. Moreover, we know that these products can be globally successful thanks to the proofs of concept embodied in the likes of Elie