West to East: How Elie Saab connected the two parts of the world

A good tradition at Couture Fashion Week is to look forward to the show by Lebanese designer Elie Saab, who skillfully combines the spirit of East and West. After all, Haute Couture and Pret-a-Porter are its main breads. Couturier became the first Lebanese designer to be honored with dressing actresses for the Oscars. And it happened like this: in 2002, Halle Berry in a transparent dress with a raspberry skirt, Elie Saab received an award for the best role. By the way, this is the first time in Oscar history that the award is given to a black woman. Suddenly the entire planet is interested in the designer and in a few months he will present his first collection during Haute Couture week.

Eli dedicated his show today to “the moment when the setting sun falls into the sea and changes its colours”. Something shamanic seemed to be felt in the atmosphere of the show: it is not for nothing that we see many ethnic motifs, from bulky men’s capes to jewelery under the lips. By the way, this day has become significant in the history of the brand due to another event – the first launch of a couture line for men. “I feel like men want to show off. Even before the pandemic, there was a desire to be liberated and to prove themselves like women. Masculine sophistication is becoming more and more popular in the market,” admits Saab. Separate laurel – an image of male feathers as a kind of totem.

The attention to detail is literally astounding: shimmering tassels and crystals that hint at the Amazons, and cropped straps that accentuate the overall geometry. Cherry – traditional for couture shows, the last exit of the bride. It would seem that everyone wants to catch such a bouquet.