Part 3 – Opinion     :

Lebanese people are known, even in war, for their heightened sense of style and fashion. Do you think that, in the light of the economic crisis, that will change?

No, no and no!! Lebanese people have always been suckers for all things shimmery and nice. Be it in the way they dress, the food they eat, the cars they drive, or the houses they live in. They just like to be on top of trends, and always looking fabulous. With a 300% inflation rate on the Lebanese pound, this still hasn’t changed. I don’t suppose it will change under any other circumstances. Lebanese people have found a way to buy clothing, cars and other luxuries. Local businesses are thriving, and they are providing the people with fashionable options at acceptable prices. As long as this market keeps growing, Lebanese people will stay covered regarding all fashion purposes.

In your opinion, could Lebanon’s fashion producing sector one day meet the needs of a large part of the population? With the crisis worsening, will you keep on with Aquìbeirut?

 I really believe it will. We have no option, really, other than producing locally. At the mall, stores are gradually closing, and the shops that are still open have unbelievable prices. It is just not worth it. I believe that with everyone shifting towards buying local (at least in terms of clothing), local production will see a great increase in the coming months. This sector certainly still needs a lot of work, especially in terms of factories and fabrics, but we are getting there. Lebanese men and women have a great potential when it comes to designing clothes. Take Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad for example, and note that they are not the only Lebanese designers that have seen great success! Plus, the demand in Lebanon is huge. Literally everyone (and their mothers) wants to dress up nicely. Simple supply and demand requires that this sector grows over the next couple of months. Hopefully, in a few years’ time, we would be able to walk into a shopping mall and see local brands dominating.

Do you see an opportunity here for Lebanese students that are interested in fashion?

Definitely. This country needs our input now more than ever. I would say that a year ago or two     , there wasn’t much room for local brands to thrive. But now, with the dollar rate increasing, and international brands closing their doors, it is our time to shine. Women and men are relying on local production, so whoever is thinking about launching a clothing brand should absolutely go for it! We should see this crisis as an opportunity, and not a misfortune. Things are changing fast and unpredictably, yes. But I think we can be part of this change, and we can maybe shift it towards the better. We have already started producing clothing, food and other means locally. If this transition is to go on, we would completely rely on local production in a year or two. I mean, Lebanese people have always been operating solo, with no governance or surveillance over what they do. This is not about to change any time soon, the political situation is only getting worse. Perhaps we can do something about the economic situation though. And who knows? We might become international superstars because Lebanese people are super diligent, passionate and clever.