Lebanese fashion designers and the rise of Beirut's fashion industry

Lebanon as a Fashion Country- Beirut as a Fashion Capital in the Middle East
1. Introduction
In the last ten years or so, Lebanese fashion designers have been featured prominently in the international press for the good work they are doing. The designers, especially those who are based in Beirut, have created a buzz in the fashion world. This has led to some fashion critics referring to the city as the fashion capital of the Middle East (Endeavor Lebanon 2015). The city has for decades been considered as one of the most friendly, welcoming, progressive, and cosmopolitan cities in the region. It is the welcoming nature of the city and the country as a whole that have enabled Lebanese fashion designers to thrive in the regional fashion world. As of now, thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people from across the Middle East troop the country every year, to buy new and trendsetting haute couture, casual, sexy, Arabic, and Islamic fashion designs. 
In the whole of Lebanon and across the Middle East, what people wear is an integral part of the society. When attending important social gatherings or when simply going out for dinner, the women and men of Lebanon dress up appropriately to honor themselves and their hosts. Thus, there is often a high demand for custom-made dresses, gowns, robes, and other popular clothing items and accessories. This demand has for over one hundred years been met by the tailors and designers of Beirut. The tailors and designers have not only met the domestic demand but also catered to the clothing demands of the rich and famous in the region. When Lebanese fashion industry was starting to gain serious prominence towards the end of the last century, local tailors used to imitate designs from popular French fashion houses and adapt them slightly for the Lebanese market. However, as time went by, the talented tailors and designers started making their own unique designs, some of which featured local and regional influences. As of now, the country’s fashion industry is filled with its own domestic talent. Some of the most popular homegrown designers include Reem Acra, Tony Ward, Robert Abi Nader, Abed Mahfouz, Basil Soda, Georges Hobeika, Georges Chakra, Zuhair Murad, Rabih Kayrouz, and Elie Saab (Endeavor Lebanon 2015). These designers are popular both locally and regionally. Some of the designers have had their fashion designs on runways in important global fashion capitals such as London, Milan, and Paris. Others such as Elie Saab have had the honor of dressing celebrities such as Halle Berry (Gemperli 2010; Endeavor Lebanon 2015).
Even though many Lebanese fashion designers have made a name for themselves both locally and internationally, it is still difficult to sell clothes especially casual clothes with a ‘Made in Lebanon’ label. However, the custom-made clothing industry is thriving and there are over forty fashion companies operating in Beirut alone, earning the Lebanese capital city the moniker “the Fashion Capital of the Middle East” (Endeavor Lebanon 2015). Most of the young designers in the country often look up to Elie Saab because he is the most successful Lebanese designer in the international scene. The young designers are also integrating technology into their businesses to link with clients and to work with textile manufacturers and merchandizers. It is thought that the continued collaboration between fashion designers and their suppliers and their clients will help to boost productivity and to popularize the “Made in Lebanon” label across the world. The young designers are also bringing more creativity to the industry, which is expected to further popularize Lebanese clothes and designs. If all factors are held constant and the Lebanese fashion industry continues growing as it has been growing, it is expected to play an even more prominent role in Lebanon’s service-based economy. 
1.1. Background 
See through dresses, open-back gowns, and jumpsuits with plunging necklines are part and parcel of the Lebanese fashion industry haute couture portfolio. These types of clothes and designs are obviously very different from the designs worn by the majority of women throughout the Middle East. However, as mentioned above, they are designs that are made by the country’s designers such as Elie Saab and Reem Acra in Beirut and in other places across the tiny Middle Eastern nation. The fashions are high quality and unique and quite a number of them have been worn by renowned celebrities for awards ceremonies and other events (Sharif 2017). This is despite the fact that the country has been known more for armed conflicts and for its war with Israel. Many Lebanese people are proud of the fact that local designers are putting the country in the limelight for different reasons. Moreover, many believe that the unique and sexy designs that are giving their country a good name are not an adaptation of European fashions but an expression of the way courageous Lebanese women dress (Hill 2008).
Generally, the fashion items from Lebanon are shaped by the country, its culture and its citizenry. In sharp contrast to other nations on the eastern and southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Lebanon is a somewhat democratic country with multiple religious groupings. Its parliament is roughly 50 percent Muslim and 50 percent Christian. It is in fact, one of the very few countries in the region to have a president of the Christian faith. The country is popular with foreign tourists because of its stark contrasts. On the same streets, one can find many women covered from head to toe and at the same time see sexily dressed women with shorts, tight skirts, or tops with plunging necklines. All sorts of fashions are largely tolerated in most parts of Lebanon (Karam 2009). Another contrast is in the French connection; having been colonized by the French, there are multiple French colonial relics in Beirut and other Lebanese cities that are perfectly French but seem to be so far away from France. Apart from the French connection, millions of people of Lebanese descent live in the diaspora. They contribute not only to the economy of the country but also to the liberal views of the majority of its populace. The liberal views and the openness of the Lebanese society have contributed to the growth and creativity of its fashion industry. 
Most Lebanese people especially those living in towns happen to be very modern; they are educated, they speak a foreign language (French or English), and are well-grounded with modern fashion. The contemporariness of the Lebanese society has created a great market for the local fashion industry and for the hair and makeup businesses in the country. It has also created a culture whereby almost half the population of Lebanese women, will dress to kill even for the most ordinary functions. However, this is most prevalent in cities and major towns. In rural Arab areas and in areas where people are deeply religious, women where more traditional and conservative clothing. This is particularly true in Southern Lebanon where a militant group by the name Hezbollah reigns and in the port city of Tripoli which is overwhelmingly Muslim (Karam 2009). While the women may wear very attractive clothing at the drop of a hat or may wear conservatively if in rural or deeply religious areas, the Lebanese men where pretty much the same. Most men are fashionable and wear designer items such as watches, sunglasses, wallets, and so on, in addition to their robes or smart casual dressing. 
One of the pioneer designers who saw the need to meet the modern and haute couture fashion demands of the Lebanese society was Elie Saab. Saab’s interest in fashion showed from very early on. During his free time as a kid, he used to sew together and cut tablecloths to make clothes for his siblings. When he got old enough, he went to Paris to formally study fashion. After that, he started making his own designs. From then on, things have really looked up for him. He has displayed his designs on the biggest runways in the globe, he has dressed popular world celebrities including Angelina Jolie, Catherine Zeta Jones, Halle Berry, and Beyoncé, and the clothes have even been worn by royals from around the region. Saab has used his fashion popularity in the Western world to showcase what the country has to offer in terms of designs, and to also spread positive messages. Once, he had all his models wearing gold-colored outfits to show support for his country during a conflict with Israel (Karam 2009; Sharif 2017). He is the epitome of Lebanese fashion designers; he works hard, he is bold, and he is deeply attached to his country.
1.2.  Research objective
This paper utilizes various market frameworks and analyses to provide insight on Lebanon’s fashion industry. This paper comes at a time when the country’s economy is not doing particularly well and signs of instability are creeping back into its politics; conditions which are pushing the Lebanese creatives to greener pastures in stable and prosperous countries and places such as France, Spain, and Dubai. In fact, a good number of Lebanese fashion designers are now settled in Dubai where they supply the city’s local and foreign populations with luxury gowns, dresses, robes, and casual wear (Endeavor Lebanon 2015; Sharif 2017). And it is very likely that new and emerging Lebanese designers may end up relocating to Dubai because the city has an official fashion design district that it hopes to attract international designers to through the use of incentives and pro-business regulations. Nevertheless, as of this moment, Beirut remains the fashion capital of the region. And if the government of Lebanon puts in concerted efforts to build the country’s fashion industry, the industry could expand considerably and it could create new employment for thousands of youths. 
The objectives of this research are to:
1. Evaluate the Lebanese fashion industry via identifying its pillars and the challenges it faces. 
2. Assess the role that Lebanese designers play in the industry and investigate how they can help to catapult the industry forward. 
3. Make recommendations that that government and other stakeholders can take to continue maintaining the position of Beirut as the fashion capital of the region. 
2. Literature Review 
2.1. History and Background 
Found on the shores of the Mediterranean and bordering countries such as Israel and Syria, Lebanon is a tiny yet significant country in the Middle East. An official nationwide census has not been done in the country for quite a while but it is estimated to have about four million people. The people are from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. The country has undergone periods of progress, stagnation, and destruction over the last one hundred years ago. When the French as a colonial power, the country was wealthy and it was a melting pot of multiple cultures and religions. Tourists from all ethnic and racial backgrounds visited the capital city in numbers and were amazed by its cleanliness, architecture and the warmth of its people that some commentators referred to it as the Paris of the Middle East (The World Bank 2016). However, this period of peace and progress was cut short by the start of the Lebanese Civil War in 1975. The war ended 15 years later in 1990 and the country has ever since trying to build back up to its pre-war levels of economic success. 
With regards to the cultural scene, Lebanon is one of the best countries in the world. Its positioning in the middle of the Middle East has made it a meeting point for food, dance, fashion, and music from the East and from the West. Combined with its own Arab foods and traditions, the fusion of multiple cultures makes this country a must-visit for cultural enthusiasts. A sizeable population of the country lives in the diaspora. In fact, some figures suggest that more than eight million Lebanese people live abroad. These foreign-living Lebanese people are not only contributing to the openness of the Lebanese society but also introducing their family and friends back home to foreign fashions and designs. They also provide funding and in some instances they collaborate with locals to establish creative businesses or industries back home. The country also has a specific association to develop funding for culture-based businesses and initiatives. This organization and the other factors explained for it show that culture is being taken seriously in the country and that there are many stakeholders who are already actively involved in trying to improve the already-amazing culture of the country. It is safe to conclude that the future is looking bright in terms of culture. 
The capital of the Lebanon is Beirut. It is also the largest city and the commercial center of Lebanon. The city has an international airport and road and rail links to all parts of the country. Beirut is also multicultural, multi-religious, and multilingual. Compared to the rest of the country and to other cities across the Middle East, Beirut is one of the most welcoming and tolerant cities in the region. The economy of the city is largely service-based and quite a number of fashion creatives are contributing already contributing significantly to the economy. 
Because of its stagnating economy and multiple internal and external crises, significant numbers of the countries talented youths are relocating to other countries in the Middle East and elsewhere around the globe. To put an end to this and to ensure that the talented youths focus their energies in their homeland, there is a need for a comprehensive plan to create political and economic stability. There is also a need to create a bold strategy to incentivize the country’s creatives to establish businesses or expand their businesses to international markets so as to improve the local economy and to create jobs for others. The good thing is that the country’s vibrant diaspora population is largely wealthy and is an available asset that can be deployed to tap into the largely untapped local fashion and creative industry potential. The faster that a strong plan is drawn and implemented, the faster the country will be able to grow its economy to provide jobs, and better services for its population.
2.2. Overview of the Lebanese Fashion Industry 
The fashion industry is a multi-faceted industry; there are multiple subsectors in the industry without which the industry would not move forward. The subsectors include: fabrics and textiles manufacture; fashion design; clothing production; clothing distribution; retail; and marketing. This research particularly focuses on one element of the Lebanese fashion industry i.e. womenswear design. Womenswear include custom-made luxury clothing and ready-to-wear apparel. Custom-made luxury clothing are haute couture garments that are made-to-measure. Clients usually have to give their specific measurements for such garments to be made. Most haute couture garments are handmade. Ready-to-wear apparel are clothes that are produced in bulk in manufacturing facilities. They are available in standard sizes and often include activewear, tops, bottoms, blouses, dresses, and almost all other types of clothing (Bauknecht, Schaefer and Bug 2017). Most of the times, in a bid to market their clothes as high-end or good quality clothes, some clothing companies often refer to their ready-to-wear apparel as haute couture. Therefore, the line between the two types of clothing is sometimes blurred (Bauknecht et al. 2017; Krijnen and De Beukelaer 2015).
Lebanese fashion designers are renowned for making both lines of clothing (haute couture and ready-to-wear). The most famous Lebanese designers are those who have been making haute couture gowns and dresses. This is what Lebanese designers are known for throughout the fashion world. Several world-famous celebrities have worn Lebanese designers on red carpets including Beyoncé and Angelina Jolie. This kind of publicity has not only brought even more attention to the industry but is also testament to the quality of the clothing and stylishness of the designs made in the country. Moreover, wealthy clientele from the Middle East, the Far East, Russia, and other parts of the globe often frequent the fashion houses of Lebanese designers in Beirut and in other places around the globe to buy their evening gowns and other luxury clothing, another proof of the popularity of the country’s haute couture clothing (Krijnen and De Beukelaer 2015; Hill 2008).
The fact that Lebanon was for a very long time a French colony, one of the more positive French legacies was to create an appetite for the French way of dressing. The style included mostly the wearing of luxury evening gowns and dresses. This is one of the important contributing factors that made the country to become known as the Paris of the Middle East (Sharif 2017). Even as early as 1960, Beirut was already the playground for rich men and women from the region. The rich could just dock their boats at the port and hold lavish parties. This doubled the need for luxury party dresses and further contributed to the popularity of haute couture designs in the city and in major towns across the country. 
Figure 1. Downtown Beirut, 1941. (Adopted from Sharif 2017)
2.3. ESMOD Beirut
ESMOD Beirut is a part and parcel of the country’s fashion industry. The school has helped to nurture thousands of young Lebanese designers who have gone on to become successful in their own right. ESMOD was founded in France by a French designer by the name Alexis Lavigne in 1841. At the time he was establishing ESMOD, Alexis was designer for the French royal house. He had also already invented the flexible measuring tape, the fashion bust mannequin, and several tailoring guides. ESMOD was the first fashion school of its kind in the globe. Alexis established it to pass on his knowledge to others. As of now, the prestigious school has only fourteen campuses around the globe whose objective is to integrate students from diverse culture into the international fashion world (ESMOD Beirut 2018). The school has produced the likes of Olivier Rousteing, who have gone ahead and dominated the fashion world. 
One of the few cities across the globe where this prestigious fashion school has a campus is Beirut. This shows that the city is indeed one of the foremost fashion centers in the region and in the globe. ESMOD Beirut was established in 1999 and has been graduating hundreds and sometimes thousands of young designers almost every other year. This has created a steady stream of young designers who are ready to bring in creativity and new ideas to the local fashion scene. Many of the designers who have graduated from the school have ended up creating popular fashion labels or working for renowned fashion brands. The goal of the school’s Beirut campus is to train students not just to be designers but also to be creative and innovative (ESMOD Beirut 2018). The Lebanese Ministry of Education, recently allowed the school to offer a Bachelor’s degree in partnership with a local university (ESMOD Beirut 2018). This recognizes the school’s intensive three-year fashion course and provides even more opportunities to its graduates. 
It is crucial to note that ESMOD Beirut is not the only fashion academy in the country. There are several other major fashion programs and academies in the country including the one which is offered by the London College of Fashion in collaboration with the LAU (Lebanese American University). Elie Saab helped to make this program a reality. 
2.3.1. ESMOD Beirut graduates
The Lebanese haute couture evening gowns style is based on romanticism (Sharif 2017). Some of the designers who have helped to popularize the style in the global scene are graduates of the ESMOD Beirut academy. They include Elie Saab, Zuhair Mourad, and Reem Acra. These designers have dressed Hollywood celebrities and have had the opportunity to have models walk the runways of major fashion capitals in their designs. From Milan to Madrid and London to New York, most of the Lebanese designers basking in the international limelight are most likely graduates of ESMOD Beirut. According to Samuels (2017), Lebanese designers such as Reem Acra and Elie Saab have been on the forefront of fusing Western styles with Middle Eastern styles. This among other rave reviews show how good graduates from the academy are. 
If there is one name that is synonymous with the Lebanese fashion industry, it is Elie Saab. The man has been at the center of the Lebanese style evening wear since the late 1990s. He is now a sought after designer in the international scene and he now counts among his clients important individuals such as Hollywood celebrities, noble women, and the powerful business women from the region. Many commentators are in agreement that it is he who took the Lebanese style to the global arena and in the process opened the way for other Lebanese designers. Saab was born in Beirut in the year 1964. He got interested in fashion from a very young age. Reports say that he used to make dresses for his siblings during his free time when he was only nine. As time went by, he improved his dressmaking skills in the city and was soon known for glamorous and fitting gowns and dresses that hugged the female body. 
After a while he went to study fashion in the fashion capital of the world, Paris. He studied fashion for several years before deciding to discontinue his studies and to rely on his natural talent rather than formal schooling. In 1982, he established his first luxury tailoring store that specifically made only luxurious wedding dresses, featuring lacy fabric, intricate embroidery, and gorgeous styles. By 1997, he was accepted as a member of a prestigious institution that is behind the Milan Fashion Week and is responsible for developing Italy’s fashion industry. From then on things really looked up for him. He ended up being invited to multiple fashion shows to show his designs. Saab was also able to start a ready-to-wear line in his country. He also designed the gown Halle Berry wore for the Oscars red carpet in 2002 and the glamorous coronation dress worn by the Jordanian Queen Rania in 1999 (Samuels 2017). The dress for the queen and gown for Halle Berry are the designs that catapulted Saab to international fame. To date, many more famous and ordinary people have worn his gowns and dresses in the Middle East, Europe, the United States and in several other places across the globe. 
Figure 2. Elie Saab Paris Haute Couture Sprint- Summer 2012 (adopted from Samuels 2017)
Even with all the fame and prestige and with the fact that he now has workshops in fashion cities such as Milan and Paris, he remains grounded to his roots. His main goal remains to create beautiful dresses and gowns that complement the shapes of his clients. In an interview he gave a couple of years ago, he told the interviewer that his objective has always been to create dresses that flatter but don’t overshadow the women wearing them (Zhang 2014). His main workshop is still in Beirut and this shows that his connections to the city and to the Lebanese style that made him popular, still remain. In fact, Saab himself has stated this in another interview in which he told the interviewer that his designs are inspired by his background and his culture and that one can see the culture in the fabrics he uses, the warm colors of his designs and so on (Samuels 2017; Zhang 2014).
Figure 3. Saab's dresses spring-summer 2014 haute-couture line (adopted from Zhang 2014)
Ellie Saab might be the pioneer of haute couture Lebanese style dresses and gowns but he is not the only ESMOD graduate to take Lebanese fashion to the world. Of the other dozens of notable designers, Reem Acra deserves a special mention. The woman has created amazing bridal collections that have featured prominently in international magazines. Her gorgeous bridal dresses are sought after by celebrities from across the world. Just like Saab’s foray into the fashion world, Acra is also reported to have a great interest in fashion from a very young age. The very first dress to win her recognition was one which she designed for herself using her mother’s tablecloth. She designed it for a party and was impressed enough with the end result that she ended up attending the party in it. This is despite the fact that she was a university student, which means that she could have been ridiculed if she had gotten it wrong. However, the dress was actually quite impressive. In fact, a local fashion magazine editor who was also at the party, was so impressed with the design that he offered to organize a fashion show for her (Zhang 2014). 
After the show, she ended up going to the prestigious FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) to continue with her studies and then later attended ESMOD. After she completed her studies, she ended up establishing her own fashion house in the mid-nineties and has being designing bridal dresses from ever since. Her bridal designs are known for their style, their simplicity, the silk fabrics used, beading, embroidery, and their elegance. She is now based in New York from where she designs luxury wedding dresses to wealthy clientele from all over the world. Popular female celebrities including the likes of Beyoncé and Angelina Jolie have worn her styles (Samuels 2017).
Figure 4. Reem Acra's designs on the haute-couture 2014 runway (adopted from Zhang 2014)
In contrast to Saab’s figure-flattering designs, Acra’s designs are all about the wearer’s personality. Acra’s dresses have been noted for matching the personalities of the wearers and not simply imitating the popular designs. This has made her dresses unique although most of them are still expressions of the Lebanese style in their own ways (Samuels 2017). In an interview with the blog Fashion Foie Gras, Acra stated that she was inspired by Lebanon in general and her mother’s Lebanese style in particular. She stated in the interview that her mother was her first teacher of fashion and fabrics. And although her formative years were all in Lebanon, she has admitted severally that whenever she designs, she wants to make sure that her designs take into account women from all sorts of backgrounds and ages so as to result in gorgeous, timeless dresses that are perfect for now and for the future (Samuels 2017).
Both Acra and Saab have helped to expose the creativity and the talent of Lebanese designers to the rest of the world. At the moment, more and more Lebanese designers including Assaad Osta, George Azzi, Krikor Jabotian and others are gaining popularity both locally and internationally. Both Osta and Azzi are graduates of ESMOD proving the the academy continues to produce graduates who are ready to take on the fashion world (Zhang 2014; Samuels 2017).
2.4. Lebanese Society 
Nothing has contributed to the growth of the Lebanese fashion industry quite like the Lebanese society. The Lebanese people are known to be a very warm and welcoming society. Those who are well-off will immediately purchase new fashion items whenever they become available. For instance, as of now global fashion labels such as Gucci, Fendi, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton are already household names in most suburbs. In fact, luxury labels are so popular in Lebanon that some scholars have argued that if the country had continued with the stability it had after independence, its capital city could have now been one of the major fashion capitals in the world alongside the likes of Milan, Madrid, and London (Schaer 2013). 
The Lebanese people love Western style apartments, furniture, home decorations, and so on. They also love their sports especially soccer. Like many other societies in the Middle East, the Lebanese people also like to gather for social activities in their neighborhoods or near historical places (Schaer 2013; Godart 2014). Perhaps the best aspect about the society is the fact that there are no actual classes. But there are the rich and the poor. The wars have somewhat wiped out the wealth the country’s middle class had before the mid-seventies. This has caused a wide gap between the rich and the poor. However, the poor are not that badly off compared to the situation in other countries. 
In Lebanon, most of the Muslims and all the Christians residing in major cities such as Beirut and Tripoli wear European clothes. While in rural areas especially to the south of the capital, and in some city districts, one will find men wearing white robes and women wearing the traditional Islamic veil (Godart 2014). The Muslims and Christians of this country speak a variety of languages. Arabic is the main language, while sizeable chunks of the population also speak fluent French and English (Godart 2014). Arabic is the main language because it is the Arabs who have settled on the land for the longest continuous time (Tarnowski 2017). 
In terms of politics, Lebanon’s constitution states that it is a democratic republic. The main power rests with the parliament that elects both an executive prime minister and the country’s president. The president, the prime minister and the speaker of parliament must all come from different religious backgrounds according to a power sharing agreement signed by the country’s main belligerents to bring an end to the Lebanese Civil War. The main political parties in the country have their own media which they use to share their ideologies (Arwiche 2006). 
The country has very low crime rates compared to most countries around the world. The country also has a great healthcare system and a program. Unlike in other parts of the Middle East, Lebanese women are allowed to vote, drive, go to school, and to go out by themselves. Although the women have many equal rights as men, Lebanon remains a largely patriarchal society where women are considered subordinate to men (Arwiche 2006; Tarnowski 2017). Education is held in high regard in the Lebanese society. The majority of parents will struggle to find their children places in the most prestigious schools in the country and to pay fees to keep them there. 
People love arts, culture, creative, and sophisticated stuff in Lebanon. However, the artists in the country are not supported by the government in terms of incentives. Most of them survive by getting money from those who buy their stuff. There are different types of painters in terms of the styles they use (Tarnowski 2017). Many different institutions around the country have galleries and exhibitions of both modern and antique paintings. Local crafts are also encouraged and many people buy them to support the individuals trying to keep alive such traditions. 
The Lebanese people love their music. Both Arabic and Western genres of music are popular. The locals themselves have their own popular singers and opera performers. Local dance troupes are also popular. Foreign ballets and orchestras occasionally perform in the country’s two major cities and in the ruins of former Roman temples found throughout the country (Tarnowski 2017). 
Lastly, the Lebanese people love lavish weddings. In most cases, families spare no cost to ensure that the wedding of their son or daughter is as glamorous as it deserves to be. In the wealthier districts of the country’s main cities, there have been some rumors that weddings often have budgets as high as two million dollars. This is despite the economic and political challenges that the country has continued to face in the last couple of years. One thing that can be learned from this is that the Lebanese people are resilient and hopeful for a better future. They could despair if they wanted but they do everything to be happy and to make their sons and daughters happy. Thus, weddings often feature glamorous Lebanese bridal dresses worth thousands of dollars, catering preparations, flowers, and lavish reception parties. In some cases, some parents treat the bride and groom to foreign weddings in locations as far as Italy or the South of France (Tarnowski 2017; Arwiche 2006).
2.5.  ‘Fast fashion’ in Lebanon
As mentioned earlier, the Lebanese people love dressing up. Specifically, the love dressing up in foreign brands such as Gucci, Luis Vuitton, Berska, H&M, Zara, and the likes. So ‘fast fashion’ or the trending ready-to-wear clothing business is really thriving in the country. This has meant that small-scale designers and tailors who have been offering custom-made clothing for a long time are not experiencing the same level of demand for their services as they previously did. The result is that the local fashion industry has kind of stagnated and it is not doing as well as the stakeholders want it to (Leigh 2014). Despite the stagnation of the local fashion design industry, more and more foreign brands are trooping into the country. New retail spaces in cities across the country are being taken up by brands such as Victoria’s Secret and GAP. This shows that the demand for fast fashion products is there and seemingly continues to grow as time goes by (Leigh 2014).
Several authors agree that the demand for ‘fast fashion’ in the country is driven by three main groups of people; local wealthy Lebanese families, Lebanese people in the diaspora visiting their home country, and foreigners in Lebanon. A sizeable population of Lebanon is rich with both local and foreign business interests. The rich especially live in the posh districts of Beirut and Tripoli. They can afford to dress up in expensive ready-to-wear foreign brands and do so regularly. They form the base of the market for ready-made clothing. The Lebanese people from the diaspora are also relatively wealthy. When they come home, they come back with sophisticated tastes and dressing styles that they have adopted from the European or American cities they now call home. They will not only buy fast fashions for themselves but also for their family and relatives as gifts. Lastly, there are the foreigners in Beirut. Quite a number of malls are located in districts occupied by foreign embassies and missions and normally patronized by tourists. One such district is Verdun. The embassy officials and the tourists are more likely than not to prefer the fast fashion brands because they are more familiar with them than with local fashion designers or tailors (Luvaas 2016; Leigh 2014).  
E-commerce is taking the fashion world by storm but the case is not really the same in the Lebanon. The country has not really embraced online retailing. Even though there are quite a number of online shops such as Aishti and others, they have not made an impact as significant as online fashion stores are making in Western countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States. In the US and the UK, online shops are thriving so much so that brick and mortar retail stores are shutting down rapidly in what is now known as the retail apocalypse. However, the case is not quite the same in Lebanon; online shopping has not really caught on in the country. Some of the reasons cited include lack of reliable logistics and distribution systems to ensure the fast delivery of merchandise, lack of sufficiently high internet speeds throughout the country, and credit card fraud concerns. Nevertheless, things are expected to change in the next couple of years as physical retail stores increasingly integrate their businesses with online platforms, tools, and payment solutions. This is known as omni-channel retailing and it is already being pioneered by the likes of Amazon and Macy’s in the United States (The World Bank 2016). If the political stability continues, it is also likely that the company’s internet penetration rates will go up and the speeds will also improve. These factors will encourage more Lebanese people to consider shopping for clothes online. 
Another aspect about ‘fast fashion’ industry in Lebanon is that the customer is becoming more price-conscious. This is true even though the majority of people in Lebanon who buy trending ready-to-made clothing are rich. The typical Lebanese buyer of fast fashion is now more likely to wait for sale periods or to hunt for bargains online or in other malls before buying new clothes. This has resulted in more and more retail stores having bigger and longer sales to attract more customers. Even the upmarket brands that previously exclusively targeted the high society are now focusing more on the production of more fast fashions to get more buyers even at the risk of tainting the exclusive images.
2.6. Beirut, the capital city 
Beirut is a wonderful city and the capital of the Republic of Lebanon. Unlike other cities in the Middle East, Beirut is very cosmopolitan (Sharif 2017).  Hundreds of thousands of people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds co-exist side-by-side in the city, contributing to its culture and to its economy. There are mosques and churches next to other in the city. There is also a level of tolerance and openness in the city unlike in many other places in the Middle East and elsewhere around the globe. The openness is what has allowed all kinds of new and sexy fashion designs to thrive in Beirut. The openness and freedom in the capital have also enabled local designers based in the city to continue promoting it as the center for creativity and innovation in the region. Many shopping districts in the city e.g. Verdun have plenty of stores selling original and luxury designer clothing items and other fashion items from brand names such as Gucci, Fendi, Christian Louboutin, Yves Saint Laurent (YSL), and Louis Vuitton. 
In the whole of the Middle East, no other city has for as many years been considered the center for arts and fashion like Beirut even despite the city and the country not having any significant natural resources to support the sectors. The city has a rich history having been continuously occupied for hundreds of years. Over the last century, it was occupied by the French for a significant period. Even after the country got its independence and the French left for their country, the French influence in multiple spheres of the Lebanese life still persist. For example, a sizeable number of people in Beirut speak fluent French. Moreover, the Lebanese people also love French style apartments, and attending lavish parties in sexy, figure-flattering evening gowns that were previously the mainstay of parties in Paris. In fact, the French influence especially in Beirut has been so much so that the city was given the moniker: the Paris of the Middle East. This moniker not only points to the unique French-influenced fusion of local and foreign cultures that still remains but also to the very vibrant fashion scene in the city (Arwiche 2006). 
Apart from the French and their influence on culture and fashion in the city, Beirut has also been occupied by other forces over the years. The multiple occupations have resulted in a fusion of cultures, values, and ideologies resulting in the Beirut we all know today. The fusion of cultures is evident in the fashion designs from the city. Some of the world’s best designers including the likes of Reem Acra, Zuhair Murad, and Elie Saab come from the city and their designs clearly have Beirut written all over them. These pioneer fashion designers have put the city in the global limelight. They have also managed to display their designs almost every other year in the Paris Fashion Week, the Milan Fashion Week, and several other major fashion events, helping to popularize the city as a hub for creative and innovative fashion designers (Arwiche 2006).
The streets of Beirut are lined with Parisian-style restaurants and cafes. Moreover, upmarket parts of the city have easily identifiable French architecture. Even the streets in some parts still have unique French designs (Arwiche 2006; Tarnowski 2017). The meaning of all this is that the capital has not really changed. It is that the people have continued with the French legacy and French influence in designs to date. Those who started designed dresses and other clothes in this city began by imitating French designers. Those who followed them, engaged French designers but adapted most designs based on local needs and preferences. Those who came after started making their own unique designs but most of them were graduates of the French ESMOD fashion school in Beirut so their designs still have that minor bit of French in them. 
Starting a fashion business in Beirut is a great idea because a business can quickly become a popular brand in the city considering its relatively smaller population when compared to other fashion capitals of the world (Tarnowski 2017). However, it must be noted that the smaller population does not also provide for enough room for growth. This is why those who have succeeded in the local fashion industry have ended up leaving for the fashion capitals of the world. 
To succeed in the Beirut fashion scene, one needs to be talented, to create unique designs, to market themselves, and to definitely have a proper workshop. Without sufficient funding or investment, it is extremely difficult to succeed regardless of how talented one is (Tarnowski 2017).
2.7.  Significance of the Research 
From the review of literature, it is clear that the Beirut fashion scene and the Lebanese fashion industry in general dominate the region. Both ready-to-wear and custom-made clothing lines are doing relatively well. The Beirut fashion industry is well-developed and has all styles and types of clothes. One can find designers making tight figure-hugging dresses or tops with plunging necklines in the same street as designers making conservative but stylish Islamic gowns and robes. The significance of this research is to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the Lebanese fashion industry and to recommend ways through which it can be improved. 
3.1. Research Design 
This research was done using an ethnographic study research methodology. The study involved five separate parts: the initial planning process following by the sampling process, then the collection of data, followed by data analysis, and finally writing up the discussion. To get access to the research area, the author of this study sought the approval of those in charge and of the participants themselves. Considering the fact that the Lebanese society has a mixed culture, a combination of one informal and one formal data collection methods were used, namely, survey and interviews. To build rapport with those in charge, the author tried chatting up with them. After building rapport and comfort, the participants were then told the purpose of the study and their approval sought before data collection begun. 
3.2. Sampling 
To make sure that the methodology would be wholesome and without any bias, the study utilized random convenient sampling (Blomberg et al. 2017). Fashion house owners i.e. those who own an establishment involved in the making and selling of clothes, bridal wear, handbags, shoes, and jewelry, were carefully selected for the study. Only a big enough but still manageable number of those recruited were accepted to participate in the final study. The owners were selected through online platforms where they have official accounts and they were subsequently requested to participate in an interview. Selection of participants via online platforms/ social media platforms is perfectly acceptable and has been done in multiple studies (Latzko-Toth, Bonneau and Millette 2017, p.200; Berg, Lune and Lune 2004). Apart from the use of online platforms, the observation method was utilized as an exclusion criteria to eliminate fashion house owners without many customers. Furthermore, businesses not owned by the designers themselves were also excluded from the study. 
The fashion house owners who agreed to participate in the interview were then contacted and given details about their interviews and a portion of them were requested to request their customers to participate in a fashion survey. For the purpose of providing deeper insights into the data that was collected from both the interviews and the surveys, the data was triangulated and thoroughly analyzed. Considering that this is an ethnographic study, it included the author and his assistants deeply immersing themselves into the lives and the work of Lebanese fashion house business owners.
3.3. Data Collection and Analysis
The interviews were unstructured and including flexible questions. The purpose for doing this was to ensure that the study participants were free enough to express their own thoughts on particular issues in the Lebanese fashion industry. Collection of data and analysis was also done utilizing credible textual material including graphics (images from fashion shows), existing laws passed by the Lebanese parliament, and reports about the fashion industry from various media houses. 
The analysis partly chiefly entailed doing three things: compiling the collected data and making it understandable, finding out the links and the connections between different data elements, and the, explaining the data in this write up. 
3.4. Note-taking 
Note-taking was an important part of this research as the researcher had to not only write about the interactions in the field but also to write up about their research experience (how it was). Many assume that ethnography writing is different and distinct from field work but it is not. Notes must be taken during the field study to ensure that the details are captured writing as early as possible before they become distorted in the mind. 
4. Results 
4.1. Analysis of the interviews 
No authority or organization in Lebanon has publicly available information about the number of fashion businesses in the country. However, what is publicly known is that the country has different types of fashion businesses including those that made and sold ready-to-wear clothing, custom-made clothing, and those that exclusively made and sold fashion accessories. Other types of fashion businesses in Lebanon, do not exactly make their own clothing but specialize in tailoring, whereby a customer will come in with details of what they want and they imitate existing designs to the customer’s specifications. Other types of fashion businesses in the country include those that have no exact strategy or structure. This study exclusively focused on fashion businesses that are owned by designers and are either involved in the making of haute couture or ready-made clothing. Businesses without many customers or not owned by the designers themselves were excluded from the study. In cases where a fashion business owner recommended another owner for the study, the recommended person was contacted and requested to voluntarily participate in the study. This helped the study to get a good number of interviewees. 
Apart from the interviews with designers cum business owners, the researcher also conducted interviews with five separate men and women who have been in and around the Lebanese fashion industry for years. All those who accepted to participate in the study were contacted and a two-part questionnaire was either sent or hand-delivered to them by the researcher. The two parts of the questionnaire were about the Lebanese fashion industry and about what to do to move the industry forward. The Lebanese fashion industry questions included questions about customer numbers, customer types, suppliers, distributors, staff, funding options, the existing regulations, available training, and any other related incentives. While the questions about how to move the industry forward included those about inspirations, previous employers, best sources of funding, where to get mentorship for your fashion business, and recommendations to help the industry to record even more success in the future. 
It is crucial to note that this paper utilizes the terms entrepreneur, fashion house owners, and fashion designers to mean the same thing: Lebanese fashion business owner. 
Findings from the interviews reveal that even though most of the fashion designers in the Lebanese fashion industry have only trained locally, at least one in every four were educated outside the country. The majority of those who were trained in foreign countries did so specifically in American and European fashion capitals. 
i. Interviewees with a graduate degree
ii. Interviewees  with an undergraduate degree
iii. Respondents with previous work experience and area of work
The interviews also revealed that most of the companies are relatively small in terms of employee numbers with an average of about five. It was a challenging to classify the fashion businesses as either couture or ready-to-wear as the line between the two categories is often blurred (Thelwall 2012a). Nevertheless, a decision was made to classify the designers based on how they described their businesses during the interviews. Quite a number of the businesses are both couture and ready-to-wear businesses. The majority of the businesses (approximately sixty percent) outsource some part of their business to domestic clothing production facilities, while the remaining percentage does not outsource as is mainly involved in making fitting haute couture gowns, dresses, and wedding garments. 
iv. Fashion business size based on staff numbers
v. Type of fashion business and method of operation 
Type
Women’s clothing
Ready-to-wear only
30 percent 
Couture and ready-to-wear
25 percent 
Couture 
11 percent 
Accessories 
34 percent 
vi. How long the fashion business has been in operation
4.2. Analysis of the Lebanese Fashion Industry 
4.2.1. The Strengths of the Lebanese Fashion Design Industry
The study asked the interviewees why they had established their fashion businesses in the country. Even though most of the fashion entrepreneurs stated that they had opened their businesses in Lebanon because it is where they live and they feel more comfortable at home, a significant portion of the other entrepreneurs stated that they chose Lebanon because the country and its capital are known to be very fashion-forward and are therefore destinations of choice for budding designers. From the data gathered, it was clear that the Lebanese fashion industry has two main strengths that important especially for new fashion houses: the Lebanese culture and the availability of skilled labor. 
a. The Lebanese culture 
From the analysis of the interview results, the questionnaires, and the textual documents, it was found that many fashion businesses in Lebanon chose the country because of the country’s great reputation as a hub for creatives and as the fashion capital of the region. Quite a number of the individuals who were interviewed agree that the country has high tolerance levels, freedoms, and no strict censorship laws, compared to its neighbors in the Middle East. This level of openness has enabled designers to create all types of clothing items for customers who are also free to wear them. The openness is probably the result of the ethnic, racial, and religious diversity of the Lebanese people, and it is usually cited as the reason why a wide variety of fashion designs, arts, and music items thrive in the country. 
Another thing about the Lebanese culture is the unity of the people. In Lebanon, and probably in most other parts of the Arab world, families and friends usually come together to help each other out through difficult or challenging situation. The situation is pretty much the same in the Lebanese fashion industry. Most of those who were interviewed explicitly stated that either a family member or a friend was instrumental in helping them to set up their business (Gwilt 2012). In several cases, the designers stated that their families pooled family resources together to give them funding to boost their businesses. This kind of unity and togetherness is part of Lebanese culture and has apparently helped many up and coming designers a lot especially in the first few months after they established their businesses. Quite a number of interviewees also stated that the togetherness is extended to the media, with many saying that they received publicity from blogs and local and Arab media just a couple of months after launching. The publicity helped them to gain exposure and to get inquiries from interested clients and partners. 
Although the Lebanese people are about six million strong, many agree that the size of the country is relatively small. The “smallness” of the country is part of its culture and it is one of the reasons also cited by the respondents as a contributing factor to their success. According to those interviewed, the small size of the country makes it easy to set up a business and to quickly meet face-to-face any supplier or individual whom you want to link up with to do your business. 
As shown in the figure below, around 70 percent of fashion designers stated that they have received either high or moderate cultural support.
Figure 5. Availability of cultural support
b. The availability of skilled labor 
This is the second most significant strength of the Lebanese fashion industry. The majority of Lebanese couture designers in our study, about 60 percent, are in agreement that the country has a very good pool of talented designers. Most of them are also of the opinion, that the available talent pool, is particularly equipped with technical fashion skills such as embroidery. Nevertheless, it is not all positive. The designers also seem to be in agreement that even though there is available skilled labor in the country, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find it. The reason for this maybe the brain drain of skilled designers to other lucrative regional fashion markets such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The majority of Lebanese accessories’ designers in our study, also agree that there is good talent locally. According to them, the local craftsmen and women are particularly skilled in leather craft. The experts we interviewed also concur. It is their opinion that the country has a unique artisanal culture. Some say that so significant is the artisanal culture in the country, that it is what has kept alive the traditional fashion industry in Lebanon. An interviewee quipped in one of the sessions that he started his business in the country because he really loved the skill level of the local craftsmen and wanted to work with them. Nevertheless, even though things are pretty good right now, a number of the people we talked to warned that the artisanal culture is dying because more and more artisans are realizing that they cannot make it with the little they are earning from their crafts work and are therefore turning to other businesses or sources of employment. 
Although those with couture womenswear businesses and accessories businesses agree that there is skilled labor in the country, designers involved in the ready-to-wear fashion business were not fully in agreement. A significant chunk of them, approximately 38%, believe that there is no skilled talent in the country for their businesses. They revealed in the interviews that most of the workers in the fashion industry in Lebanon, are not trained in the skills required for the mass production of clothes and garments (American University of Beirut 2007). This is despite the fact that quite a number of prestigious fashion colleges are located in the country including ESMOD Beirut and CAMM (College Artistique de la Mode Moderne). 
Type of fashion business 
Accessories 
Couture 
Ready-to-wear and couture
Ready-to-wear
Views on availability
74%
67%
42%
38%
Table 1.  Percentage of fashion designers who think that they have skilled talent in their business
The explanation for the low levels of skilled labor in the ready-to-wear fashion business may be that most fashion colleges are involved in teaching technical fashion design skills and not in making factory workers. However, even with that said, the main problem seems to be that local fashion schools and colleges are not adapting as fast as they need to to the changes in the industry. Globally, academies and colleges offering fashion courses regularly review and adjust their curricula to ensure that what they are teaching meets the needs of employers (Kapferer and Bastien 2012; Gwilt 2012). This, however, appears not to be the case in Lebanon. Most local fashion schools seem not to be moving as fast as they need to to address the needs of fashion designers. Furthermore, the schools do not seem to be involved in imparting entrepreneurial skills on the designers. Thus, some often end up graduating very skilled designers but bad business managers. Such kind of graduates cannot really make it in the fashion world because fashion is business. Moreover, several of the designers we spoke to added that the bulk of local fashion schools do not have linkages or partnerships with other schools or renowned fashion houses, and therefore deny their students the opportunity to get exposure and to form strong networks. Nevertheless, even with the existing challenges, quite a number of people agree that locally trained fashion students are actually good and that those who take up fashion in the country are usually very talented in the first place and often become valuable assets to their employers. 
4.2.2. The Weaknesses of the Lebanese Fashion Design Industry
Considering the small size of Lebanon, the very obvious challenge that comes to mind is the small size of the market for fashion designs. Other challenges identified by respondents in the study include the lack of funding for the industry and its key players, and lack of business support systems. 
a. The small size of the country
The small size of Lebanon is the main weakness of its fashion industry. This is because it means that the pool of suppliers and customers is restricted. In terms of suppliers, most of the respondents we talked to said that they get their fabrics and other materials from local suppliers. However, there are very few suppliers who have the habit of overpricing their merchandise. This makes it difficult for local designers to do business as they are sometimes also forced to increase their prices because of the high cost of supplies. And as we all know, higher prices tend to reduce demand in most industries and business sectors. 
Moreover, the few suppliers in the country usually stock more supplies for couture designers and less for their ready-made clients. This sometimes delays the production of ready-to-wear clothes leading to losses or reduced revenues and profits. Furthermore, because of the political and economic instability of the country, some suppliers tend to limit the stock they import from time to time, which also reduces supply and often results in higher prices for suppliers. What compounds the problem is that circumstances force most new designers to continue working with the few suppliers because they do not have enough capital or networks to contract international suppliers. 
As stated before, quite a number of designers in Lebanon outsource the production of their clothes and accessories to clothing production facilities, major tailors, and artisans. These designers often face multiple challenge especially when they have bulk work or orders. This is for the reason that sometimes, clothing production facilities do not produce consistently high-quality end products. Other designers stated that most local clothing production facilities have higher production costs per unit than those in Bangladesh, India, Turkey and China (Endeavor Lebanon 2015). These higher costs make it expensive to produce clothes in the country and make ready-made Lebanese clothes to be generally more expensive than ready-made clothes from other countries. Furthermore, designers have also stated that they have had intellectual property rights issues with some of the artisans they have worked with because they ended up using their designs to make similar products for others without their permission. All these problems are because of the small size of the suppliers market. If there was a larger market, there would be good competition and everybody would be doing their best to remain relevant in the business. Not the current situation where there are only a few players, with some who have become complacent at their jobs according to the respondents. 
As mentioned earlier, the domestic market for fashion products in the country is small because of the small size of the country in terms of population. Moreover, local boutique owners are usually reluctant to stock clothes and accessories from local designers. Their reason is that local designers often do not consistently produce quality garments. While this may be true, it is not a situation that is exclusive to Lebanon. Even in western countries, big companies sometimes end up making mistakes. The solution to this is to draw up return policy contracts between the designers and the boutiques to ensure that clothes that are genuinely of low quality are returned to the designers at no cost to the retailer. Another problem is that quite a number of Lebanese designers often have their own stores selling the clothes they make. Many retailers would obviously not want to compete with the designers directly hence they refuse to stock locally made merchandise (Thelwall 2012a; 2012b).
Considering the fact that the local market is small and the many challenges that designers have to overcome to sell their merchandise in the local market, it is only natural that many Lebanese designers have tried to access foreign markets. However, things are not much easier in the foreign market. This is because of a few reasons. The number one reason is that it is very expensive for fashion designers to take their merchandise to foreign markets. For example, to display one’s designs to the world at fashion shows in major cities across the globe would require the payment of a hefty registration fee plus the cost of getting oneself to the venue and hiring models and makeup artists to prepare them. Another example is that some foreign companies often ask designers to make a number of designs in preparation for demand before they list their merchandise on their websites. Making 20 or 50 units of clothing for no immediate compensation is quite costly for many designers. The many challenges associated with getting into the foreign markets have forced most Lebanese designers to first focus on the regional market, where their reputation is already good and it is cheaper for them to get their products to retail stores (Endeavor Lebanon 2015; Hill et al. 2008). 
Presence in foreign markets
Asia 
15%
Gulf 
32%
Europe 
25%
North Africa
6%
Russia 
11%
South America 
6%
United States of America
13%
Online 
34%
Table 2. Presence of respondents' products in foreign markets
The table above shows how many respondents have a presence in which foreign markets. As it is clear from the table above, the Middle East region (Gulf) is the biggest foreign market for Lebanese designers. Moreover, one in three of the designers have an active online platform where their merchandise can be bought from. However, most of those who have an online platform also said that their online sales are not yet significant enough. Nevertheless, most respondents agreed that their online platforms are complementing their businesses. For example, there was one who said that although a client did not buy one of her listed designs, the client contacted her via email and said she was interested in a dress similar to one of the many that were listed. They ended up chatting and exchanging contacts and measurements and within two weeks, the designer had a brand made-to-measure dress meeting the client’s exact specifications and the client paid top-dollar for the dress. Hence even without great sales, having an online presence is still very important in the modern day and age. 
One more significant challenge that is preventing Lebanese designers from accessing foreign markets are regulations. In some cases, the regulations impose custom duties that double the prices of important merchandise, in other cases, the designers themselves cannot easily be allowed into some countries just because of their nationality. This has somewhat restricted the market of Lebanese fashion products to Lebanon and the region (Krijnen and De Beukelaer 2015).  
b. Lack of business support for the industry and its key players
One of the biggest challenges facing Lebanese fashion designers is the lack of support. Over 75% of our respondents stated that they have received very little or no support at all since they started working. In the major fashion capitals and countries across the globe, designers are usually first and foremost supported by a national lobby group or council. For example, Italy has the National Chamber for Italian fashion, while the United Kingdom has the British Fashion Council. And while Lebanon has the Lebanese Syndicate of Fashion Designers, the organization is largely inactive as it has rarely created any significant initiative or funding opportunity for young designers since its inception according to the respondents. Furthermore, even the big and more successful designers from the country usually opt to have their shows in foreign countries and in fashion capitals across the globe because they opine that the local market is too small to recoup the costs of organizing such events locally (Tarnowski 2017). Needless to say but if such events were organized locally, they could give local players the exposure and publicity they need to get to the next levels of the fashion business. 
However, although the overwhelming majority of the designers said that they have received no business support, quite a number mentioned several organizations that they said are playing a key role in trying to give designers the support they need. One such organization is the MENA Design Research Center. The Center is behind the annual Beirut Design Week which gives a platform to old and new Lebanese designers to display their designs to the world (Endeavor Lebanon 2015; Schaer 2013). The Beirut Design Week also has organizes talks and workshops to give entrepreneurs the guidance they need to get to the next level. The British Council was also cited by several designers as one of the leading organizations in trying to improve the skillset of Lebanese designers through its series of annual workshops. The Starch organization was also mentioned severally for its program that helps chosen designers to create premium quality collections and to market them locally and abroad (Endeavor Lebanon 2015; Sharif 2017). 
c. Lack of sufficient funding 
Lack of funding is perhaps the biggest impediment to success for Lebanese fashion designers. The majority of them have to rely on their own funds or on the generosity of the family and friends to get the funding they need to kick-start their businesses. As things are currently set, most designers cannot get loans because of the strict local requirements and the overpriced interest rates. None of our respondents received funding from the government but some admitted to having been able to access loans. However, the majority said that they could not get loans and that they could not quality for the existing business loans. The finding from this is that the current level of funding for fashion businesses in the country is not supportive and is not doing anyone any favors. 
Figure 6.  Availability of funding
4.3. The assessment the role that Lebanese designers play in the industry
Lebanese designers are playing a significant role in sustaining the country’s fashion industry and trying to move it forward. There are five main ways through which they help the industry move forward: mentoring employees, mentoring other entrepreneurs, inspiring potential designers, directly investing in other companies, or establishing more companies. The combination of all these efforts can considerably move forward the country’s fashion industry (Endeavor Lebanon 2015; Thelwall 2012a).
In Lebanon, there are dozens of designers in the fashion industry, many of whom are trying in their own ways to move the industry forward. However, considering the fact that there is intense competition among the players, it is understandable that some designers would not really want to assist others up the ladder. Moreover, there are others, especially the big industry players, who have removed themselves from the local fashion industry and want very little to do with local players. However, as mentioned earlier, many Lebanese designers are trying to help others in the industry to move forward. Two of the most notable examples are Rabih Kayrouz and Elie Saab. Many young designers in the country cite one of the two as their inspiration. Rabih Kayrouz who is known for is unique styles has been a household name in the Lebanese society since he founded his fashion house in 1998. He has worked both in Beirut and in Paris (Hill et al. 2008; American University of Beirut 2007).. The case is the same for Elie Saab who founded his own label in 1982. Elie Saab is the older and more successful of the two designers. His work has earned him praise and rave reviews in some of the most renowned international media. Saab’s designs are renowned for their intricate details and the use of delicate materials (Karam 2009).
RABIH KAYROUZ
The research revealed that many young designers in Lebanon have been mentored by Rabih Kayrouz. Experts interviewed for the study were also of the opinion that the man has mentored many young people and provided with the support they need to succeed in the local industry. Upon noticing in 2007 that there were many designers leaving the country because of lack of opportunities, Kayrouz started the Starch Organization to help reverse the situation. The goal of the organization was to identify and mentor young designers through the whole entire process of designing and selling clothes. Apart from that, the organization also holds multiple events in Beirut and other cities across Lebanon to promote local talent. Through the organization, Kayrouz also gives an opportunity to young Lebanese young students to work with him and gain the experience and exposure they need (Gemperli 2010; Godart 2014). Nearly one in five of the fashion business owners who participated in the study said Kayrouz had had some sort of positive effect on their journey in the fashion business. One of the respondents also said that he had had the opportunity to be chosen for Kayrouz mentorship event which he described very positively.
ELIE SAAB 
The questionnaire give to respondents had the question “What inspired you to join the fashion business?” Most of the designers, especially the older ones, said that they were inspired by Saab’s success at the global stage. Saab is largely a self-taught designer. He tried to study design in France but he quickly recognized that education was not for him hence he decided to go back home and to start working on his business. Regardless of his lack of education, he went ahead and achieved multiple feats that gave him international fame and recognition. For instance, he has been able to dress the likes of Halle Berry (the Hollywood mega star) and Queen Rania of Jordan (Endeavor Lebanon 2015; Samuels 2017). He has also been admitted to several exclusive haute couture organizations in the major fashion countries of the world. Saab not only inspires local designers, he also employs quite a number of them in his Beirut workshop; his company employs over three hundred individuals. Out of all the participants of our study, about 33 percent said they had either worked or interned at Saab’s fashion house. He has also worked with ESMOD to mentor and advice young Lebanese students in his country. In fact, he has in several instances helped to supervise the final year project of the school. Moreover, he also helped a local university, the Lebanese American University, to establish a degree program for fashion design. The degree has been said to be one of the best in the region as it is at par with what is offered internationally. Lastly, Elie Saab is known to fly to performing local students to the Paris Fashion Week to inspire them to become the best they can be. In short, the designer has really helped to teach, inspire, and motivate young fashion designers in the country. 
5. Discussion 
From the results of the study, several key trends have emerged. First, the Lebanese culture has played a tremendous role in helping the country’s fashion industry to develop. Second, the country’s young designers have been mentored directly or inspired with the achievements of those before the. Third, as of now, there are no concerted efforts from the government or from the private sector to provide you fashion business owners with the support they need for success. Lastly, despite challenges, the industry can grow significantly in the region and internationally (Hill et al. 2008; American University of Beirut 2007; Endeavor Lebanon 2015). Below is a discussion of some of the key factors of the industry:
5.1. The structure of the Lebanese fashion industry 
Throughout the Middle East and the larger Gulf region, Lebanon is known as a fashion forward country, with its capital Beirut being regarded as the capital of the regional fashion world. The Lebanese fashion world has multiple components including the designers, the clothing production facilities, the artisans, and the suppliers. In terms of structure, the local fashion world is divided into two main sectors: ready-to-wear clothing and haute couture (made-to-order) garments. Ready-to-wear clothing including underwear, swimwear, activewear, denim, sportswear, casual wear, tops and bottoms for men, women and children of all ages. Ready-to-wear clothing are made in bulk in the three standard sizes: small, medium, and large. Sometimes other sizes are also made. The Haute couture garments are often evening gowns that are made to fit specific clients. Only one or two are often made at a go. Apart from the two main fashion world sectors in the country, there is also the fashion accessories sector. The sector includes all the designers, artisans, and facilities that are involved in the making and selling of fashion accessories including handbags, lingerie, shoes, scarves, belts, personal care products, cosmetics, and hair care products (American University of Beirut 2007; Thelwall 2012a).
The successful fashion designers Lebanon are members of the Lebanese Syndicate of Fashion Designers. This body was created to act as a lobby group for improving the business environment for local designers and for promoting the Lebanese style both locally and internationally. However, there have been complaints that most new designers are not members of the syndicate and that the syndicate does not do enough to make the fashion business more viable in Lebanon. Moreover, in contrast to other countries, especially in Western Europe, that support their own designers through proper funding and business support, there is very little support from the syndicate, the government or any other organization for young Lebanese designers. 
Locally and regionally, the rich in Lebanon are known for their love of fast fashion, haute couture fashion, watches, luxury perfumes and other luxury items. The country’s haute couture fashion sector is quite popular in the region. And although the political and economic instability pushed some designers out of the country, quite a number are now moving back to help develop the haute couture fashion sector even more. A significant number of those who are moving back have trained in some of the world’s finest fashion academies or have worked for some of the most prominent fashion houses in places like London, Paris, Milan, and New York (Thelwall 2012a; 2012b).  The majority of designers who work or have worked in Lebanon, have consistently been producing quality clothing items for the domestic and regional markets. Moreover, the majority of them deal with the making of dresses and gowns. 
Most Lebanese designers are also known for their fashion-forward styles. Only some of the older designers such as Kayrouz are known to have a classic design style. Some of the unique things are about general Lebanese style of fashion is its use of warm colors and its employment of embroidery especially when it comes to dressmaking. The established Lebanese fashion houses have great marketing departments. Most of them know how to target wealthy clients across the country and the region. Some have enjoyed great publicity. So instance, the likes of Reem Acra and Elie Saab have been able to display their works during the New York and the Paris Fashion Weeks.