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The Gemy Maalouf kaftan in champagne crepe has its high collar folded back on itself and organza ruffles at the three-quarter sleeves, and it falls loose to the floor. Gemy Maalouf opened her atelier in Beirut in 1996 and, the house says, was the first designer in Lebanon to launch Couture à Porter.
Gemy Maalouf
Gemy Maalouf says her label is now sold in 48 countries and more than 150 boutiques. The champagne high-collar kaftan is $1,782, and the same cut comes beaded on black crepe in the beaded kaftan, $1,782, with the beading thinning towards the hem. The loose-cut kaftan is pale yellow, embroidered all over with leaves, with wide elbow-length sleeves, $1,814. The puffed-sleeve kaftan in printed mikado stands away from the body with a funnel collar, $990 in the current sale. Her kaftans come in US sizes 2 to 20 and are made to order, which adds two weeks before dispatch; delivery then takes three to seven business days to most countries, with free shipping to the US and Canada over $1,200 and duties paid on arrival.
- Long kaftan with Reversed Champagne High-Collar, Gemy Maalouf, USD 1,782
- 3/4 Sleeves Beaded kaftan, Gemy Maalouf, USD 1,782
Yassmin Saleh
Sisters Yassmin and Farah Saleh grew up in Abu Dhabi and went back to Beirut to found Yassmin Saleh in 2018. Every collection is designed and made in the city by local craftsmen. "Beirut is our Muse," the label writes. The Nocturne dress is stretch jersey with a sheen, long sleeves, a high neck and ruching down the centre front, floor length and close to the body, $935. Sizes run 34 to 44.
Vanina
Tatiana Fayad and Joanne Hayek started Vanina in Beirut in 2007 as a jewellery line, and its clothes are still handcrafted in Lebanon. The Colette dress is a black crepe column to the floor with a mock neck and short sleeves hung with fringes of wooden beads and paper straw, $680. The Dragée abaya is opaque ivory chiffon in an oversized butterfly cut, round at the neck, with full sleeves and pearls scattered across it, one size, $1,200; on the model it falls to mid-calf.
- Colette Dress, Vanina, USD 680
- Dragée Abaya, Vanina, USD 1,200
amer
Ahmed Amer studied interior architecture, joined Creative Space Beirut, won the Fashion Trust Arabia ready-to-wear prize in 2023 and is creative director at Inaash, the social enterprise for Palestinian embroidery. He is also an illustrator, and his label, amer, pairs minimal cuts with organic illustration. The Zaytoun thobe is grey, high-collared and buttoned at the neck, full length, with white aghabani embroidery on the sleeves, $485. The Zaytoun bomber dress is olive nylon with puffed sleeves, a ruched waist, a gathered skirt to the floor and a Zaytoun brooch at the neck, $380. The Ritual abaya is brown with a large polo collar and satin-stitch embroidery all over, $705.
- Zaytoun Thobe - Women, Ahmed Amer, USD 485
- Zaytoun Bomber Dress, Ahmed Amer, USD 380
The edit
— The editors