DUBAI: The past year has not been easy for Lebanese couturier Elie Saab, despite his status as one of the most sought after designers in the world. With events canceled — from red carpet premieres to extravagant weddings — 2020 had virtually no need for a glamorous couture gown. Then, in August, the Lebanese designer’s Beirut atelier and home sustained heavy damage during the tragic Beirut explosion, which resulted in more than 200 deaths and rendered hundreds of thousands homeless.
“I feel that COVID-19 is one thing, and the explosion is another,” Saab told Arab News in a rare interview. “I think that what the Lebanese people have suffered since August 4 and onwards is far worse than war. It has been a very difficult time for all of the Lebanese people. I do not know if sometimes the Lebanese forgot about COVID-19 only to come out of the terrible disaster of the 4th,” he added.
He revealed that prior to the pandemic, the couture house was working at breakneck speed, producing up to 12 collections per year. “People were running in every direction. No one was satisfied, everybody wanted more. COVID-19’s benefits, for want of a better term, are that people gained back their conscience and returned to their ordinary, simple lives,” he said, finding a silver lining in the situation.
In order to keep up with his client’s requests, Saab turned to the world of e-commerce. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, going online was the only way to deal with our customers,” he said. “Our shops around the world were closed for more than five months. In order to establish a contact point between us and our customers, going online was the only way to do it.”
In the face of adversity, Saab’s determination and work ethic is admirable.
The couturier recently added Elie Saab Maison, a lineup of furniture, lighting, rugs, and home accessories, to his portfolio. Despite restrictions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, the designer opened the line’s first shop in Milan to a great reception.
“Elie Saab Maison is a mix between the simple and the luxurious,” he explained. “Simultaneously, you will find a simple couch or one completely in bronze worked in a different way. There are details that reveal Elie Saab’s touch in each piece,” he added.
He also recently debuted a 28-piece collection of watches as well as a children’s line.
“The kids’ collection is aimed more at department stores and multi-brand kids’ stores,” he says. “I wanted the clothes to stay royal like the dresses we make, but I wanted them to be cuter.”
