This week ‘s mini bios section is going to be dedicated to one of the most wowed and talked about designers of all times whose garments have thrilled and stolen all the red carpet shots and worn by many celebrities.
Our star for today is Elie Saab - a Lebanese designer with the main work shop located in Lebanon, and two more workshops in Milan and Paris.
Elie Saab’s unique style is a fusion of western and eastern cultures blended in mesmerizing evening dresses, in which he often uses noble fabric like organza, chiffon, taffeta and shimmering embellishments that give the most breathtaking look.
In order to understand the magnificence of his talent and the amount of beautiful work that has been created by this designer, one must simply count the number of celebrities that chose to wear his pieces of art to various high society events where every garment worn is a statement made.
Just a few names from the top of the list of his loyal celebrity customers are as follows:
- Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden
- Queen Rania of Jordan
- Angelina Jolie
- Halle Berry
- Beyonce
- Jennifer Lopez
- Celine Dion
- Catherine Zeta-Jones
- Taylor Swift
Elie Saab has started his journey of success very early in his childhood. At the age of eight his sister was his first model for whom he designed and made garments out of his mother’s wardrobe, which was a treasure chest that he raged looking for lace and anything that shimmered and could help him create stunning and elegant look. His early interest in fashion didn’t have to wait too long and at the age of 18 Elie Saab was already running his own atelier in Beirut with 15 employees.
The atelier first specialized in wedding dresses. He used rich lace fabrics embroidered with pearls, crystals and silk threads. He worked continuously creating beautiful dresses and his fame began to grow as he dressed women in his neighborhood. With time, his beautiful and unique style soon became much known and women from high society started spotting his designs and falling in love with his creations.
In 1997 Elie Saab became the first non-Italian designer to become a member of the Italian “National Chamber of Fashion” (“Camera Nazionale della Moda”), and same year in Rome he has conducted his first runway show outside of Lebanon.
His popularity and success gained momentum and in 1998 Elia Saab finally launched ready-to-wear collection in Milan spurring his fashion business to grow with wholesale and retail shops opened in fashion capitals.
In the United States Elie Saab became well-know after Halle Berry wore his burgundy evening dress at the 2002 Academy Awards where she also won the Oscar for the Best Actress.
By the first quarter of 2011, Elie Saab has dressed 88 celebrities. Today his brand has boutiques located in Beirut, Doha, Dubai, London, Paris, Geneva, Hong Kong, Moscow, New York - more than 100 retail outlets in total.
Elie Saab continues to steal our hearts and we advise you to look out for his garments on the next red carpet event, it will definitely worth your time!