Meet The Arab Designers Who Dressed Dame Joan Collins For Bazaar Arabia’s September 2024 Cover Shoot.... by Sophia Serin
Azzi & Osta
With a serendipitous start (George Azzi and Assaad Osta met at design school in 2004), the Lebanese pair have gone on the create fashion magic. After the duo both graduated top of their class at Esmod Beirut, they went on to intern with Elie Saab.
So impressed with their work, the designer hired the twosome as assistant designers at their internship end. In 2010, George and Assaad launched Azzi & Osta which (now) includes haute couture, bridal and ready to wear lines. Known for their classic designs but always with a twist, the brand is a heady mix of Carrie Bradshaw meets Amina Muaddi.
Georges Chakra
Next time you watch a re-run of The Devil Wears Prada or Gossip Girl, look out for Georges Chakra designs. A Hollywood go-to, Georges first started out as an interiors design student, but soon discovered his love for design leaned more towards fashion than furniture. To make it official, Georges jetted across the globe to get a degree in fashion design at the Canadian Fashion Academy.
Post-graduation, the designer moved back to his hometown of Beirut and set up a working studio in where he began sketching (and making) a wardrobe for himself. In 2002, the designer upped himself and moved his workshop to Paris to debut his first couture collection and was soon dressing the world’s most talented A-Listers including Helen Mirren, Rihanna and Andra Jay.
Rami Al Ali
Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Aishwarya Rai – the world’s most accomplished women are wearing Rami Al Ali, securing him the spotlight on the world’s fashion stage. The Syrian-born designer established his eponymous label in 2001, and quickly went on to dress women-about-Dubai town along with regional celebrities.
In 2012, Rami Al Ali Couture debuted at Couture Fashion Week, launched a ready to wear line in 2014 and went on to launch a bridal line, Rami Al Ali White in 2020. His natural talent and flair for designing original creations to suit every woman has made him one of the most acclaimed designers in the Middle East.
Reem Kachmar
to always make a statement. Her custom-made corsets are at the heart of her designs and favoured by clients who adore a frilly, feathery, feminine frock.
With a studio located in downtown Beirut, her ingenious evening wear and wedding dresses are made by hand, and are famous for their delicate and intricate embroideries that make each gown a glamourous masterpiece.
Saiid Kobeisy
Saiid’s father owned a boutique that sold evening gowns and was a place where the designer would love to spend his time as a teenager and interact with clients purchasing their dream dress.
Fast forward a couple of decades and Saiid Kobeisy gowns are sold in over 35 countries and available in over 130 points of sale. Needless to say, Saiid is a pretty big deal when it comes to dressing women around the globe. With haute couture, ready to wear and bridal lines, the Lebanese designer opened his first atelier in Beirut in 2010 and now has showrooms in Dubai, Beirut and Paris.
Rami Kadi
In 2011, Rami Kadi was 25 when he opened his showroom and first atelier, Rami Kadi Maison de Couture in downtown Beirut. It didn’t take long for the beautifully detailed wedding and evening dresses to start making their way into the wardrobes of the world’s most stylish. In 2014, Rami started showcasing his collections at Paris Fashion Week, and had his first show in 2019.
With a commitment to sustainable fashion, the designer was designated as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainable Fashion in 2020. Always making a grand entrance, Rami Kadi gowns are a constant on the Cannes, Venice and Red Sea film festivals, not forgetting the Grammy’s, Emmy’s and Golden Globe Awards.
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