Elie Saab Pursues a Dream in Beirut
Editor’s note: The city of Beirut has long inspired Elie Saab’s creations and with his latest collection, the prominent Lebanese couturier wished to celebrate Lebanon’s capital for all the creativity and elegance it has instilled in him.
In an exclusive for The Daily Star, Saab shared the intimate story behind his Spring-Summer 2015 Couture collection, unveiled at Paris Fashion Week, which he dubbed: “Beirut, chasing a dream.”
Foreword
A beautiful memory of Beirut often visits me in a dream. A loving, giving and tolerant Beirut. A glamorous one too. A beautiful memory that never ceased to inspire me – that inspired this collection. This is a tribute to the city that I love. My Beirut.Looking back at the eventful history of Lebanon, through its flourishing periods and its downfalls, I feel hopeful, I feel grateful. Vivid images overtake me: the golden age of the ’60s. The typical elegance of the Beirut woman. Distressing times quickly forgotten. The glorious reconstruction of the ’90s. Ups and downs. A dream that gets lost, sometimes, before emerging again, always stronger. And immortal. When these images overtake me I know for certain that the Beirut of my dreams will forever be alive, magnetic, festive and charming. I know for certain that I want to contribute to its glory. And when I close my eyes and think of Beirut, I know for certain that this dream is mine.
When I sit back and reflect on my journey, I’m always transported to the city where I was born, somewhere between the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains. Back then, Beirut seemed to be constantly adorned for a party that would never end. I was instantly enthralled by beauty and wanted to ensure it remained untainted. To this day, I’m still enchanted by a clear vision: my mother in an evening gown. Curved at the waist. Flared like a corolla. Tulips printed on silk. A vision that fueled my flare as a designer. And with every new collection I conceived, the striking image of my mother in this tulip print silk dress reappeared endlessly.
These memories and Beirut were the steppingstone of my passion for design. It was these things, along with the courage, the grace and the elegance of the women of my city, that influenced the person I am today. And if there were to be a message behind my couture collection, it would be: Thank you.
A Riviera in the Levant
As a child in the ’60s, I pranced around medlar and laurel trees, playing beneath the purple billows of the jacarandas. The oak and olive trees sprawled around this runway are vivid resurgences of the gardens of my past. Under the sun, jasmine and oranges dotted the streets, as a humid gust rose from the sea.
These memories still inspire my colors and my scents. The ethereal fabric of this collection embodies my childhood’s summer breeze. Just like the soft green of my blooming springs, the pale blue of the misty horizon, the yellow of the mimosas, the brown of the damp soil. Flash-forward to the ’70s, women in ankle length dresses, trapeze dresses, high waist skirts, embroidered and sheer tops wading through downtown. And as the sun shimmered on the pavement and as the days went by, I simply stood there and stared, fascinated by their demeanour, struck by their style.A lifestyleSegueing images on television and in magazines delighted me, carrying me through the daily life of my country. Its warm oriental traditions, its Swiss mountains, its French Riviera beaches, its Parisian culture, its Las Vegas shows and some of the most stunning festivals in the world.
Source: www.dailystar.com.lb