6/8/22, 10:52 PM A Genuis's Guide to Cutting to the Curve

A Genuis's Guide to Cutting to the Curve

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About the company

Name: Elie Saab

Country / Territory: Lebanon

IP right(s): Trademarks

Date of publication: June 10, 2011

Last update: August 25, 2021

Elie Saab, Lebanon

Elie Saab began his sartorial career by cutting cloth and
drawing sketches for his sisters at home in Beirut, the
Republic of Lebanon (Lebanon). Sewing table cloths and
curtains into new designs, the nine-year-old was learning
for himself how to cut clothes to the curve. In 1982, when
he was only eighteen years old, the largely self-trained
designer opened his own fashion store in Beirut.

From humble beginnings at the kitchen table, Mr. Saab’s

elegant dresses with soft edges and exquisite detail are
today worn by the rich and famous around the world in
fashionable locations such as Beirut, Hong Kong,
London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Moscow, New York, and
Paris.

The entrepreneur’s dazzling rise from obscurity to

international haute couture superstardom, and his
seemingly infinite ability to innovate, has led industry
experts to refer to him as a “precocious genius”.

Research and development

Portrait of Elie Saab (Photo: courtesy of

In 1981, Mr. Saab went to Paris to study fashion, but he

Elie Saab)
soon returned to Beirut and opened his first workshop –
with fifteen employees – a year later.  Despite the

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challenges of the Lebanese civil war, the young designer found inspiration for his research and development
(R&D) not only in the pre-war French influences in Beirut, but also in the Lebanese themselves.

Lebanese elegance is particularly evident in women’s evening gowns which often appear in flowing,
intricately stiched, fully studded dresses with clean and simple lines. “The culture is in the dress, in the cut
and the shape, with layers and movement. And there's also the embroidery. It’s these small details that
make a difference,” said Amine Jreissati, fashion editor for Marie Claire Arabia – a well-established fashion
magazine.

Indeed, in the old neighborhoods of Beirut, there is an intricate and thriving network of small ready-to-wear
boutiques and textiles shops. It is in this context of dressmaking entrepreneurship that the young Elie Saab
was inducted into the world of fashion. “I grew up surrounded by beautiful women. Lebanese women are
always elegant…,” said Mr. Saab.

Eli Saab designs are noted therefore for their fusion of

Arabic and Western influences. The designer prefers to
use rich materials such as taffeta (a woven fabric made
of silk), organza (also made of silk), and satin intertwined
with liquid fabrics such as muslin and lace. Mr.Saab’s
dresses often incorporate sequins, semi-precious stones,
and Swarovski crystals (a kind of precisely-cut lead
crystal manufactured by the Swarovski AG company
from the Republic of Austria) stitched into feminine
curves and shapes.

To keep up with increasing demand for his stylish

dresses, in 2005 Elie Saab opened new headquarters
located in the heart of the highly fashionable Down Town
area of Beirut.

With an R&D department that includes a couture

production, a studio, a boutique, and two hundred and
twenty qualified and experienced staff, as of 2011 Mr.
Saab was well-placed to expand into new areas of
fashion and design.

Ready-to-wear by Elie Saab (Photo: courtesy of

Branding, commercialization and
Elie Saab)
licensing
Inspired by his surroundings and the people in his life,
Mr. Saab showcased his first set of designs in the early 1990s at the Casino du Liban, in Beirut. Elie Saab
House Design and Art in Beirut – as the showcase was called – was a sensational hit which spread the
designer’s name to the French Republic (France), the Swiss Confederation (Switzerland), and other
countries.

In 1997, Elie Saab became the first non-Italian haute couture member of the prestigious Camera Nazionale
della Moda – the premiere association promoting fashion in the Italian Republic (Italy). By 1998, Mr. Saab’s
fame was such that he started a ready-to-wear line of clothes in Milan and in the same year held a fashion
show in the Principality of Monaco.

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Having become an eminent designer in Italy, in 2002 Eli Saab’s fame reached new heights when Halle Berry
wore one of his designs to receive the Oscar for Best Actress, thus becoming the first Lebanese designer to
dress an Oscar Academy Award winner.

With his name assured in the annals of design history and his designs acknowledged by industry experts,
the Chambre Sundicale de la Haute Couture – the French fashion industry’s governing body – invited Mr.
Saab to become a member in 2000. In July of the same year, Mr. Saab showed his first haute couture
collection in Paris. Three years later, the designer showcased his first ready-to-wear collection for Paris; the
city subsequently became his permanent ready-to-wear runway.

Aware of the marketing potential of a well-branded product, Elie Saab maintains a variety of new brands in a
portfolio aimed at attracting new customers. The label Elie Saab, moreover, has developed three main lines:
ELIE SAAB Couture, Elie Saab Ready to Wear, and Elie SAAB ACCESSORIES. Another bridal line is sold
all over the world through a Spanish bridal company – Pronovias – under the “Elie by ELIE SAAB” brand.

Furthermore, in 2009 Elie Saab announced a ten years licensing contract with Beaute Prestige International
(BPI) – an internationally renowned perfumery – to begin producing Elie Saab perfumes in early 2011.
“Creating a fragrance has become an essential step of the development of our couture house. We have
chosen BPI as a partner who is able to actualize our ambitions,” said Mr. Saab.

Further augmenting his brand portfolio, in 2010, Mr. Saab

signed a design contract with Weyves International (WI),
a yatch maker based in London, the United Kingdom
(UK). Mr. Saab was commissioned as an interior and
exterior designer for new a range of luxury mega yatchs
for WI. “Designing a yatch and conceiving of its art of
living constitute a perfect opportunity to expand my
brand’s universe…,” said Mr. Saab.

As of 2011, the designer’s ready to wear clothes are

distributed throughout the world through selective
stores. The company continues to expand its product
portfolio, using its brand equity to venture into new
business opportunities.

Trademarks
Although Elie Saab is a well-known name, the company
recognizes the benefits of  protecting its brands through
the registration of trademarks.

Wishing to expand into the United States of America

Ready-to-wear by Elie Saab (Photo: courtesy of

(USA) and other international markets, in 2004 Elie Elie Saab)

Saab™ was registered as a trademark using the Madrid
System of the international registration of marks at the
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

In 2009, the company filed for trademark in the European Union (EU), one of its biggest markets, also via
WIPO.

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With his trade name protected by the intellectual property (IP) system, the designer has been able to expand
the company’s brand portfolio and open up new commercialization opportunities.

Business results
Not only receiving international accolades, the designer has became a national celebrity and his name a
byword for style and elegance in Lebanon. In recognition of his service to the Lebanese fashion industry, in
2003 the designer received the title of Chevalier de L’Ordre National du Ce’dre Republic from the Lebanese
government.

Moreover, in 2007 Elie Saab’s first flagship store outside Lebanon was opened in the capital of fashion, at 1
Rond point des Champs-Elysees, in Paris, France. A year later, the company opened its first boutique in
London, UK, at the prestigious Harrods department store.  Furthermore, in 2010 Elie Saab opened a new
boutique in the illustrious Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates.

Mr. Saab’s designs continue to amaze and dazzle on catwalks across the world, and have become a
common choice and favorite amongst A-list celebrities including royals such as the stylish queen Rania of
the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

The first cut

Elie Saab made his first cut into the world of fashion as a child in a kitchen in Beirut. Since then, the
designer’s prodigious talent has inspired others by showing how well-made cut-to-the-curve clothing can
lead to a well-known brand name well worth protecting with registered trademarks.

Sources, references and related links

This case study is based on information from:

Elie Saab
Pronovias
Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana
Lebanese Fashion Shines
Beauté Prestige International inks fragrance and cosmetics deal with Elie Saab
Elie Saab signs cosmetics and fragrance deal with Beaute Prestige International
Weybes Couture by Elie Saab

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