Eli Saab The favorite of royalties

The East and the West are meeting in order to be demonstrated explicitly in the designer clothes of Eli Saab, who transformed the ethno-fashion into a total hit. Their modern look and actuality is temporarily lost, in order to return again, turning into impeccable accent and dominating power amongst the fashion designers. The Eastern cultures have been endless source of fresh ideas and they manage to implant a certain amount of simple, but unique vision in every single dress, independently from the fact who is the designer.
Eli Saab is born in Lebanon on 4th of July, 1964. Since the age of 6, he has been showing his designer talents. His parents were guessing that he is going to become a sewer and they were partly right. Undoubtedly the little Eli himself has been even imaging that he will walk the long way towards the world fashion with all its shine and glory. In 1982, when he was only 18-years old, he launches his own trade mark in Beirut, and a year earlier he studies fashion in Paris. His urge towards the world fashion platforms has been partly obscured by the culture of his own country, where the fashion and men are seen as totally incompatible. In the conditions of continuing civil war he has needed to discontinue several times his work in his newly opened atelier. These obstacles are the factors that form the moderate style of the designer who rarely reaches some extreme opposites.  The discretion in the fashion designs of Saab sometimes turns to be this very necessary provocation which often slips out from the contemporary tendencies creators. One of the absolutely obligatory elements for every collection is the presence of a fairylike wedding toilet, which is always the cherry on top of the cake and at the same time – a unique creation of Saab.

Sudden confessions
The Rome week of fashion acts like the “spring board” in Saab’s career. He is invited there to present a collection of supreme fashion thanks to the fact that the organizators of this fashion show have been impressed by Eli’s fashion-reviews in Paris and Switzerland. He became the first non-Italian designer in the history of Alta Moda in Rome and even more – he realizes the big responsibility he takes on. However, his success does not come too late and he takes his place accordingly amongst the big names of the world fashion industry. It happens in 1997. On the next year he creates special ready-made clothes in Milan. Only couple of months later he held an amazing fashion show in Monaco with the support of princes Stephanie.  In USA the lucky star of Saab rose when Holly Berry appeared dressed in his cloth at the ceremony for awarding the Oscars in 2002. This is also when she receives a prize for the Best actress. Brave and slightly conservative in the meantime, the dress manages to capture the attention of fashion experts thanks to the delicate silhouette, the beautiful ornaments and the purple color, which ideally fits the dazzling Holly Berry.

The favorite Paris
In July 2003 the designer is invited to present a collection of supreme fashion in the beautiful and romantic Paris. The comments have not been very positive as a whole – according to some critics the models are far too commercial and impersonal. However, for another part of the public they are like a sip of fresh air, which the supreme fashion admirers have been lacking for a long time.  The final wedding dress is shown by the “black pearl” of the fashion Naomi Campbell herself – glorious final for which everybody talked for a long time.  Three years later Saab invents ready-made clothes that have been distributed in the French capital, where is situated also one of his boutiques. The others are located in Beirut and Milan.  However, his clothes can be seen in the whole world, including Bulgaria.
Last year the Lebanese designer launched together with Dior the Week of supreme fashion in Paris, which usually turns into Arena for luxurious and eccentric clothes, designed by the best in the fashion industry. Eli Saab exceeded even Armani and overwhelmed him with an outstanding fashion defile, which undoubtedly succeeded in fascinating even the most fastidious fans of “haute couture”. Again he staked on lavish shine and exquisite line in the official clothes, inlayed with Swarovski stones, which can be seen more than once in the clothes of the designer. Saab stayed faithful to him and did not miss the chance to show also some outstanding wedding dresses. The tenderness of the silhouette and the fine details create a unique feeling for fairy adventure and arouse a desire to go to the altar, dressed exactly in such a toilet.

The new absolute leader
 „ES“ are well known initials for a number of royalties and Hollywood stars – the biggest fans of the Lebanese designer who makes fashion already 20 years now, moved forward by an endless inspiration and creative passion. Princess Stephanie, the queen of Jordanian Rania, Sharon Stone and Tony Braxton adore exposing their definite styling by the remarkable dresses of Eli Saab. The lavish, the magnificence and brilliance are integral part from the official toilets of the designer. This quality attracts the royalties from the East – his favorite and crazy rich clients.  The Lebanese always stays faithful to his motherland, no matter how many sorrows she has brought to him. Great portion of his creative designs and mainly these from the supreme fashion are made in Beirut, where his wife lives together with their three children. The designer feels immense attraction towards Lebanon. However, despite this love often he needs to work in the world fashion capitals Paris and Milan, where he has his official representation offices, and his line prêt-a-porte is produced exactly in Italy. The recognition of the designer comes mainly from the West, but people in his country also acknowledge and remember his success and personal contribution to the fashion world. As a result in 2003 the Association for establishing of commercial standards awards him with the title “Manager of the year”. He receives also a medal for Knight of the National order of the cedar.
Gracefulness and style
Eli Saab undoubtedly entered the group of the best modern designers. He is often inspired by the richness and magnificence of the 70s. More than that, the starry Hollywood ceremonies never stop provoking the creative ideas of the Lebanese and some details from them inevitably sneak into his collections. Embroideries, precious stones, pearls and high quality materials – he invents his exquisite dresses for the ladies who want to feel beautiful and attractive with their toilet – especially if it comes to elegant fashion events. The silver and gold elements often present in the collections. These elements in combination with the colorful shades are intertwined with simplified forms in order to create incredible combination of refinement, eastern savor and classic chic.  The ready-made clothes that he introduced for the first time in Paris in 2006 is a chance for Saab to show the everyday clothes that he makes – pants, dresses, costumes and informal toilets. Regardless of the fact that this is casual wear, again it is produced out of high quality materials and exquisite traditional details. Despite this the fairytale and fine dresses meant for the most important day in the life of every woman – the wedding day, take a substantial part of the collections of the designer.
Dimitrina Ivanova