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Elie Saab

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Elie Saab
Saab at his Spring 2012 Fashion Show
Born (1964-07-04) 4 July 1964 (age 60)
Beirut, Lebanon
OccupationFashion designer
LabelElie Saab (1998–present)
SpouseClaudine Saab

Elie Saab (Arabic: ايلي صعب) (born 4 July 1964) is a Lebanon-based fashion designer. He started his business in the early 1980s and specialised in bridal couture (expensive fabrics, lace, gemstones, Swarovski crystals, pearls, detailed embroidery, etc.).[1]

His main workshop is in Lebanon, with additional workshops in Milan and Paris.[2] As of March 2017, his couture collections are available in Paris, London, and Beirut, while his ready-to-wear clothes were in 160 retailers and his own boutiques.[3]

He is the first Lebanese to be admitted to the fashion industry's governing body, Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.[4] Saab appeared as a judge[5] on Project Runway: Middle East in 2016.[3] Kate Middleton wore a Saab gown to the Royal Ascot in 2019, marking the first occasion where Saab has dressed a British royal family member.[6]

Early life

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Elie Saab is the eldest son, of five children, born in Beirut, to a Maronite Catholic[7] wood merchant in Damour, a southern coastal suburb in Beirut, Lebanon.[8]


Saab began sewing as a child. At the age of eight, his attention had turned to fashion. With his sisters serving as models, he would cut patterns out of newspaper and search his mother's closet for materials.[9]

Career

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The logo of Elie Saab's fashion house.

Early years in fashion

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In 1981, Saab moved to Paris to study fashion, dropping out to return to Beirut. In 1982, when he was 18 years old, he worked with a team of 15 employees. At first his atelier specialized in bridal couture, making wedding dresses and gowns using expensive fabrics, lace, detailed embroidery, pearls, crystals and silk threads.[1] In Beirut his reputation grew from dressing women in his neighborhood, and was soon enhanced by high society women sporting his designs.[10]

In 1997, Saab was the first non-Italian designer to become a member of the National Chamber of Italian Fashion,[11][12] and in 1997 he showed his first collection outside Lebanon in Rome.[13]

In 1998, he started his ready-to-wear line in Milan, as well as an accessories line. During the same year, Saab held a fashion show in Monaco, with Princess Stéphanie of Monaco in attendance.[14]

In 1999, one of his dresses thickly embroidered with emeralds and diamonds was reportedly sold for $2.4 million.[15]

Exposure internationally

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Magdalena Frackowiak in Elie Saab at Paris Fashion Week Fall Winter 2011

Saab became more well known in the United States after he became the first Lebanese designer to dress an Oscar winner, Halle Berry,[16] in 2002.[17] In May 2003, the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture invited him to become a member,[11] and he showed his first haute couture collection in Paris in July 2003.[citation needed]

In 2003, he teamed up with Pronovias to create a bridal line, Elie by Elie Saab.[18]

The Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture inducted him as a membre correspondant in 2006.[3] His first ready-to-wear collection in Paris was the Spring-Summer 2006 collection.[citation needed]

Saab, Tina Knowles, House of Deréon, Giorgio Armani, Versace, and Herve Leger served as the designers for the outfits of the 2007 The Beyoncé Experience tour.[19] In 2010, Saab dressed 102 celebrities for events overall, up from 40 in 2009. That year, he signed a 10-year licensing agreement with Beauté Prestige International for fragrance and cosmetics.[20] The figure for 2011, up until March, was 88.[21] In 2011, Madame Tussauds unveiled a wax statue of Kate Winslet draped in the Elie Saab dress she wore at 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards.[22] In 2011, Elie Saab launched his first fragrance[23] Le Parfum.[citation needed]

The Duchess of Cambridge wore an Elie Saab gown while attending Royal Ascot in 2019. This was the first time one of Saab's gowns was worn by a British royal.[24]

Recent dresses and collaborations

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In 2012, he worked with the Lebanese American University and London College of Fashion to launch a bachelor's degree in fashion design.[3] As of 2013, the brand had boutiques located in Beirut, Dubai, Doha, Paris, London, Geneva, Hong Kong, Moscow, New York City, and Mexico, with 100 retail outlets total.[1] Saab's son, Elie Saab Jr, became brand director in 2013.[3]

Saab appeared as a judge on Project Runway: Middle East in 2016.[3] Between 2015 and 2017, the Elie Saab company opened a second Paris boutique and a new location in London's Mayfair, and in Manhattan.[3] The Manhattan store that opened in October 2016 was his first in the country.[25] As of March 2017, his couture collections are available in Paris, London, and Beirut, while his ready-to-wear clothes were in 160 retailers and his own boutiques.[3] Also that month, the Elie Saab company opened a new Madison Avenue store.[26]

Elie Saab X Emaar

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The Lebanese fashion designer and the real estate development company Emaar reveal luxurious Elie Saab at Emaar Beachfront property in Dubai. The luxurious gated island property, Grand Bleu Tower at Emaar Beachfront, will include one, two and three-bedroom apartments as well as four-bedroom penthouses with interiors by Elie Saab. The residential tower boasts views of the Arabian Sea, The Palm and Dubai Marina.[27]

Beirut explosion, 4 August 2020

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Saab's main office and headquarters were left badly damaged by the explosion, his home nearby was completely destroyed.[28] Despite this, the designer and his team planned to get back to work in order to finish the collection for the September show.[28]

In April 2021, Elie Saab launched an initiative that consists in donating a portion of sales to UNICEF's "Integrated Education and Well-Being for Vulnerable Girls in Lebanon Program."[29]

Notable clients and projects

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Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, wearing an Elie Saab bridal gown in 2012.

He has been worn by Queen Rania of Jordan,[30] Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden,[31] Princess Madeleine of Sweden,[32] Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece[33] and Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.[30] In 1999, Queen Rania of Jordan wore Elie Saab for her enthronement.[15] Countess Stéphanie and the Hereditary Grand Duke married in a civil ceremony married in 2012, where the bride wore a dress designed by Elie Saab.[34] Princess Claire of Luxembourg also wore an Saab-designed dress on her wedding.[35] First Lady of France Brigitte Macron wore an Elie Saab outfit of military coat and skinny trousers during a state visit to China.[36]

Beyonce and Evangeline Lilly
Many attendees at the 64th Golden Globe Awards in 2007 chose beaded or metallic dresses, such as Beyoncé's sequinned gold Elie Saab gown.[37]

Halle Berry wore a burgundy gown by Saab to the 2002 Academy Awards when she won for Best Actress.[38] In a poll by Debenhams published in The Daily Telegraph the dress was voted the 8th greatest red carpet gown of all time.[39] Cosmopolitan magazine cited the dress as "one of the Best Oscar dresses of all time".[40] Berry later wore another dress by Saab to the 2003 Oscars.[41]

Sandra Bullock wore Elie Saab at the 85th Academy Awards in 2013[42] and at the world premiere of the movie Ocean's 8 in New York.[43][44]

In 2018, Rose Leslie wore a floral embroidered Elie Saab wedding dress when she wed her Game of Thrones co-star Kit Harington.[45]

Jennifer Lopez has worn Elie Saab on many occasions, including the 87th Academy Awards,[46] 45th Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards,[47] Global Citizen’s Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World,[48] and Elie Saab’s Paris Haute Couture Show.[49]

Other notable clients of Saab's work have included Nicole Kidman,[50][51] Eva Green, Beyoncé,[30] Aishwarya Rai,[52] Anna Kendrick,[53] Christina Aguilera,[54] Catherine Zeta-Jones,[30] Angelina Jolie,[55] Celine Dion,[56] Elena Anaya,[52] Elsa Zylberstein,[52] Heidi Klum,[57] Karlie Kloss,[58] Dame Helen Mirren,[59] Emilia Clarke,[60] Priyanka Chopra,[61] Sonam Kapoor,[62] Kendall Jenner,[63] Taylor Swift,[64][65] Tiffany Trump[66] and Ons Jabeur.[67][68]

Personal life

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Saab and his wife Claudine live with their family in Lebanon, and together have three sons.[25]

Controversies

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In January 2018, Saab received backlash on social media after his label's Instagram account posted a picture of Israeli actress Gal Gadot wearing one of his dresses to the National Board of Review awards with the caption "A flawless Gal Gadot in Elie Saab Ready-to-Wear Spring Summer 2018 at the national board of review annual gala in New York". The post was later deleted.[69]

Filmography

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Elie Saab". The Fashion Model Directory. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  2. ^ "See Inside Elie Saab's Luxury Paris Apartment | Paris Design Agenda". www.parisdesignagenda.com. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Fernandez, Chantal (14 March 2017). "Elie Saab Sets a New Course in New York". The Business of Fashion. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  4. ^ Hamdan, Lubna (30 November 2017). "Interview: Elie Saab, king of the red carpet". Arabian Business. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  5. ^ "'Project Runway ME' launched with Elie Saab". gulfnews.com. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Kate Middleton Wore This Arab Designer To The Royal Ascot". Vogue Arabia. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  7. ^ Putz, Ulrik (2 November 2007). "Libanons Designer Elie Saab: Mission Mode". Spiegel Online (in German). Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  8. ^ MacFarquhar, Neil (5 May 2002). "Oscar night dress put Elie Saab on the map". SFGATE. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  9. ^ MacFarquhar, Neil (27 April 2002). "An unlikely couturier from an unlikely 'Paris'". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  10. ^ "Elie Saab". Vogue Australia. Archived from the original on 19 February 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  11. ^ a b "Elie Saab is One of the 500 People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry in 2017". The Business of Fashion. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  12. ^ "Elie Saab". Vogue. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  13. ^ "How Elie Saab Brings Dreams to Life". Whitewall. 28 December 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  14. ^ Thakur, Monami (8 March 2012). "Elie Saab's Ultra Glam and Opulent Red-Carpet Creations at Paris Fashion Week [PHOTOS]". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  15. ^ a b King, Steve (8 October 2011). "Saab Story". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  16. ^ "Halle Berry in Elie Saab". Heart. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  17. ^ Nellis, Cynthia. "Halle Berry - Memorable Oscar Dresses". About.com. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2009.
  18. ^ "The Vogue List: Elie Saab". Vogue Paris. 24 November 2015. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  19. ^ Knowles, Beyoncé (2007). Official: The Beyoncé Experience World Tour Program. USA: Columbia Records.
  20. ^ Weil, Jennifer (7 October 2009). "Saab Signs Scent Deal With Beauté Prestige". WWD. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  21. ^ Robson, Julia (21 January 2012). "How Elie Saab has made the red carpet his catwalk". The National. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  22. ^ "Kate Winslet wax figure on display". Belfast Telegraph. 9 November 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  23. ^ "Elie Saab Celebrates Launch Of New Fragrance In Beirut With A Star-Studded Event". Harper's BAZAAR Arabia. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  24. ^ "Kate Middleton ups style stakes in Elie Saab during Royal Ascot outing". Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  25. ^ a b Menkes, Suzy (15 July 2016). "Elie Saab: Secrets Of The Lebanon". Vogue. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  26. ^ Phelps, Nicole (15 March 2017). "Elie Saab, Couturier to the Stars, Comes Down to Earth With a New Madison Avenue Flagship". Vogue. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  27. ^ "Elie Saab Grand Bleu Tower at Emaar Beachfront". eliesaab-beachfront.ae. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  28. ^ a b "Elie Saab opens up about moving forward after the Beirut blast". Harper's BAZAAR. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  29. ^ "Designer Elie Saab launches new initiative with UNICEF for children in Beirut". Arab News. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  30. ^ a b c d "Top Designers: Elie Saab". Fashion TV. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2009.
  31. ^ "A Royal Affair: Princess Victoria's Wedding Style". People. 21 June 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  32. ^ Saab, Elie [@ElieSaabWorld] (11 June 2013). "Princess Madeleine of Sweden wears an Elie Saab embroidered gown to attend a private dinner on the eve of her wedding" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 July 2019 – via Twitter.
  33. ^ Saab, Elie (21 October 2014). "Artful Living". Tumblr. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  34. ^ "The Maids of Honour, Bridesmaids and Pageboys" (PDF). Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 February 2014.
  35. ^ "Princess Claire of Luxembourg is picture-perfect in Elie Saab wedding gown". Hello!. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  36. ^ Pudney, Harriet (11 January 2018). "This Middle Eastern label just dressed Brigitte Macron (twice)". Emirates Woman. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  37. ^ Nellis, Cynthia. "Golden Globes Fashion 2007". About.com. Archived from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  38. ^ Aktar, Alev (28 March 2002). "It's the dress for success - Elie Saab goes from obscurity to fashion's front row". New York Daily News. ProQuest 305673678.
  39. ^ Khan, Urmee (9 October 2008). "Liz Hurley 'safety pin' dress voted the greatest dress". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  40. ^ Lowe, Victoria (25 February 2011). "Oscars Best and Worst Dressed". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  41. ^ Lee, Esther (11 February 2011). "The Beautiful World of Elie Saab". The 949 Style Guide. Archived from the original on 13 May 2012.
  42. ^ Foley, Emily L. (25 February 2013). "Sandra Bullock In Elie Saab – 2013 Oscars". Red Carpet Fashion Awards. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  43. ^ "Sandra Bullock Wore Elie Saab at the 2013 Oscars". StyleBistro. Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  44. ^ Kallon, Catherine (6 June 2018). "Sandra Bullock In Elie Saab Haute Couture - 'Ocean's 8' World Premiere". Red Carpet Fashion Awards. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  45. ^ Périer, Marie (9 July 2018). "See the sketch of the Elie Saab dress that Rose Leslie wore on her wedding day". Vogue Paris. Archived from the original on 9 December 2018.
  46. ^ Edwards, Jess (22 February 2015). "Oscars 2015: Jennifer Lopez does the sexy princess thing, nails it". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  47. ^ Meredith, Karenna (12 January 2020). "Jennifer Lopez Basically Said "Cinderella Who?" With Her Dreamy Powder Blue Gown". Popsugar. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  48. ^ Tabet, Hanane (3 May 2021). "Jennifer Lopez Dazzles In Both Elie Saab And Zuhair Murad At The Global Citizen: Vax Live Concert". Special Arabia. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  49. ^ Velasco, Matthew (24 January 2024). "Jennifer Lopez Looks Like a Couture Flower Garden In Paris". W Magazine. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  50. ^ Kallon, Catherine (10 July 2011). "Nicole Kidman In Elie Saab Couture - BAFTA Brits To Watch Event". Red Carpet Fashion Awards. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  51. ^ Kallon, Catherine (14 July 2011). "Nicole Kidman In Elie Saab - "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" New York Screening". Red Carpet Fashion Awards. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  52. ^ a b c "Couture dresses at Cannes". Haute Couture News. 23 May 2011. Archived from the original on 18 November 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  53. ^ Critchell, Samantha. "Bullock wears 'Oscar' gown, other stars take risks". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 11 March 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
  54. ^ "Do you love Christina's bold make-up against this dress?". Glamour. Archived from the original on 11 December 2008. Retrieved 23 March 2009.
  55. ^ "Angelina Jolie In Elie Saab Black Dress Oscars 2009". Stylefrizz.com. 22 February 2009. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2009.
  56. ^ "Couture dresses at Oscar 2011". Haute Couture News. 28 February 2011. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  57. ^ "Heidi Klum In Elie Saab @ 2018 Creative Arts Emmy Awards". Fashionsizzle.com. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  58. ^ Larocca, Courteney (14 November 2018). "24 Hottest CMAs Dresses Of All-Time: Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift & More". HollywoodLife.com. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  59. ^ Kallon, Catherine (12 May 2018). "Helen Mirren In Elie Saab Haute Couture - 'Girls Of The Sun (Les Filles Du Soleil)' Cannes Film Festival Premiere". Red Carpet Fashion Awards. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  60. ^ "Nicole Kidman, Diane Kruger and Emma Watson lead the best-dressed on the pre-Golden Globes party circuit". The Daily Telegraph. 7 January 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  61. ^ "Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas make one stunning public appearance after another". Hindustan Times. 8 December 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  62. ^ "Sonam Kapoor turns heads in gold Elie Saab outfit at Cannes". The Economic Times. 23 May 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  63. ^ Day, Emma (19 January 2017). "Kendall Jenner Chose A Gown By Elie Saab For Her Film Cameo". Emirates Woman. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  64. ^ "Grammys 2015: Taylor Swift in Elie Saab". Tom + Lorenzo. 9 February 2015. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  65. ^ "Taylor Swift stuns on stage in golden Elie Saab ballgown". The National. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  66. ^ "Tiffany Trump wears Elie Saab to marry Michael Boulos at Mar-a-Lago". The Independent. 13 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  67. ^ "Ons Jabeur époustouflante pour Vogue à New York". Business News. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  68. ^ "Lorsque Elie Saab gâte Ons Jabeur". Tuniscope. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  69. ^ "Lebanese Designer Elie Saab Deletes Instagram Photo of 'Flawless' Gal Gadot Following Backlash". Haaretz. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
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