Loading ...Elie Saab awarded an honorary doctorate from Lebanese American University
The Lebanese American University awarded renowned Lebanese fashion giant Elie Saab an honorary doctorate for a remarkable career during the commencement exercises of the university’s Business School over the weekend.
“When I started my career 33 years ago I had a burst of energy and determination to succeed,” Saab said, addressing the Class of 2015.
“What I have achieved today is a result of work and effort.”
Born in 1964 in Lebanon, Saab is a self-taught fashion talent. His interest in dressmaking started at the young age of 9, when he made clothes for his sisters. The talented adolescent sold his creations to the women in his neighborhood.
In 1982, at the age of 18, he launched his couture atelier in Beirut.
Angelina Jolie in Elie Saab at the 2014 Oscars, with husband Brad Pitt. (Just Jared)
Soon after, he presented his collection to an audience of women, who were won over by the talent of the autodidact designer. His reputation rapidly transcended Beirut’s borders.
In 2000, Paris’ prestigious Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture invited him to show in the “City of Lights.” Since then, he has presented four collections a year. In 2007, he became a corresponding member of the Chambre Syndicale and set up a flagship boutique in the heart of the “Triangle d’Or” – a posh Paris district that houses the finest haute couture shops in the world.
“But times have changed,” Saab told the LAU graduates. “Nowadays your future lies in education, which will help you fulfill your dreams. Your degree is your key to the real world.”
In the fall semester of 2013, LAU teamed up with Saab to offer Beirut’s first English-language bachelor’s degree in fashion design.
LAU’s major fuses technical know-how with courses that approach fashion through a theoretical, historical and social lens.
Collaborations with LAU’s business school and exchange programs provide students with marketing and entrepreneurial skills and exposure to international influences, respectively, program organizers told The Daily Star.
Saab noted Saturday that willpower and determination were needed to help one’s nation.
“This honorary degree has increased my responsibility,” he said. “I thank [LAU President Joseph] Jabra for the trust he put in me and I wish students all the luck and success.”
Elie Saab dons his cap and gown. (Photo courtesy of The Daily Star)
Although his designs are world-famous and worn by celebrities across the globe, Saab has always declared that Beirut is his main source of inspiration.
Working with fine materials and delicate embroidery, the designer is known for his simple, yet sophisticated, designs that work on magnifying femininity.