The violet color of the flower that grows from the majestic cedars of Lebanon, the dusty earth tone of some archaeological remains or the turquoise blue of the imposing domes of the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque that crown the city of Beirut. Everywhere you look, the color range of the Lebanese capital is reflected in the Elie Saab collections, the luxury brand that straddles East and West, between Beirut and the city of Paris.
The creator of some of the most spectacular dresses on the red carpet, his designs have been worn by actresses such as Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry, Diane Kruger or, recently at the Oscars, Cara Delevingne.
Elie Saab Jr, son of the founder and executive director of the family business, landed in Barcelona last April to present his bridal collection for the first time in Spain, within the framework of the Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week 2023 international fair.
Dressed in rigorous black –Christian Dior used to say that you can wear black at any time, at any age, and that it is a guaranteed triumph–, the eldest son of the creative is the spitting image of his father. Dark hair and complexion, perfectly trimmed beard and affable gaze. Accompanied by his work team, made up exclusively of women, he greeted those present in the room one by one with a courteous smile.
It was not his first time in Catalonia; nor was it going to be the last. “I love Barcelona. I was fifteen years ago for the first time and when I have the opportunity to return I enjoy it more and moreâ€. The first link between the son of the Lebanese designer and the Catalan city occurred a little over a decade ago as a result of the collaboration agreement between Elie Saab and Pronovias.
This union was also the company’s first experience in bridal fashion in the Middle East, before, in 2016, they ventured to design their own collections. “Going back to the place where it all began fills us with inspiration.”
Elie Saab is an image of success and progress in the Middle Eastern fashion industry and a symbol of hope for a country that has been immersed in a serious economic and financial crisis since 2019, shaken, in addition to the pandemic, the explosion of the Beirut port and a serious political stalemate.
Like an oasis in the middle of a desert, the firm continues to grow by leaps and bounds with its ready-to-wear, haute couture, bridalwear, children’s fashion and decoration collections. “During the pandemic we managed to expand our business and make sales grow. We have put all our efforts to be leaders in the market and we are on the right trackâ€, explains Elie Saab Jr, CEO of the company.
During the break that Covid-19 brought with it, the company reorganized itself to study possible market niches and managed to surprise people on the last Haute Couture catwalk in Paris with designs for men, a world little inspected by this sector of the industry. “If we got into this field – that of masculine haute couture – it is because we studied it conscientiously and we saw that there could be businessâ€.
The Lebanese proposal materialized in a collection of Indian reminiscences, loads of embroidery and dresses that take up the codes of the traditional sari. For them, mid-calf jackets with beaded embroidery reproducing paisley patterns, silk blouses where the neck lace becomes a tie and shiny loafers.
And it is that in this specialized and exclusive branch of fashion, where the clientele is only about 4,000 people worldwide, the search for new horizons is not something purely anecdotal, and could mark the beginning of a new romance for the industry. of fashion.
