Elie Saab

Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab opened his couture house in Beirut at the age of eighteen, specializing in bridal wear distinguished by intricate lacework, gemstone embellishments, and elaborate embroidery. His international profile rose sharply when he became the first Lebanese designer to dress an Oscar winner — Halle Berry at the 2002 ceremony — and he was subsequently invited to show haute couture in Paris by the Chambre Syndicale in 2003. The house entered perfumery in 2011 with Le Parfum, created by master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, which became the top-selling fragrance in fifteen countries upon release. The scent translated Saab's signature elegance into olfactory form through a luminous blend of orange blossom, jasmine, and cedar. The fragrance line has since expanded with several flankers and new compositions, each reflecting the designer's vision of refined, feminine luxury informed by Middle Eastern and European sensibilities.