A model presents a creation by Lebanese designer Elie Saab
© AFP Francois GuillotPARIS (AFP) - Until mid-September when the 42-year-old designer went back to his homeland after the devastating month-long war, his collection had been 1970s-inspired and in vivid mauve, yellow and apricot.
But it was the warm golden 'Sun of Beirut' that shone on Saab's ready-to-wear line for spring-summer 2007 shown at Paris fashion week Sunday, in tribute to the residents' joie de vivre.
"They wanted the sun, to dance, to party, to go out," Saab said in an interview with AFP before his show which he described as "a homage to my country" following the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah Shiite militants that ended in an August ceasefire.
"Fifteen days before the presentation I said 'no' I must change the theme of the catwalk show, I called it the 'Sun of Beirut' in that all the collection is golden."
From behind a glittering curtain of golden discs, Saab sent out a panoply of light dresses on to a sunny yellow runway that were mini, strappy, frilled, flounced, halter-neck, pleated, long and flowing or curvaceous.
He mixed matte and shiny golds, in sequins, lame silk faille, jacquard of silk and lurex and amber chiffon, like the hazy warmth of the sun as it begins to climb in the sky, to the full strength of its burning rays.
Many of the sophisticated gowns were fit for stepping straight out on to the red carpet, such as a curvy dress in a pattern like dancing sun beams with a high front slit and backless.
The Lebanese designer shot to global stardom when Halle Berry accepted her Best Actress Oscar in 2002 in one of his creations -- a burgundy ball skirt with a sheer bodice embroidered with flowers.
His collection also included shorts and jackets, the waist often defined by wide or thin belts over platform sandals with an ankle strap and big slouchy bags or dressier smaller ones.
For his haute couture, Saab said he had moved his atelier during the conflict, which broke out on July 12, to a site he previously had used during Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, located in a Beirut district not affected by the strikes to enable the 150-strong staff to continue working.
The haute couture collection was shown in Paris just days before the outbreak of the conflict. As orders started to come in, Saab faced the problem of the Israeli air blockade on Lebanon, forcing his international business to go via the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Despite the difficulties, Saab said there were no delays. "Thanks to the staff we have, we really managed to do everything on time," he said.
His haute couture clients come from the United States, Middle East, South America and Europe, while the US is the biggest market for his ready-to-wear clothes, he said.
One of his clients, Emilie Sioufi, for whom Saab designed her daughter's wedding dress six years ago, was full of praise on Sunday for the 'Sun of Beirut' collection and its creator.
"There's been no one better than him in Lebanon," she enthused afterwards.
©AFP