As renowned fashion designer Elie Saab brings haute couture to the London property market, we chat to him about the influences and inspiration that fuel his passion and ambition

At the age of just 18 years old, Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab founded his eponymous label in 1982.

Since then, the ELIE SAAB house has established itself as one of the major global players in haute couture, with ateliers based in Paris and Beirut.

The brand has continued to build on the inherent savoir-faire and innate elegance for which it is renowned, expanding into the ready-to-wear, bridal, accessories, eyewear and fragrance categories, and home and interiors with the Maison line

Now, Saab has partnered with global financial services firm, Gulf Islamic Investments, for its first signature styled residences in the UK, comprising 15 two and three-bedroom houses in London’s Hyde Park.

The ELIE SAAB Residences, which will launch this year, is a masterfully restored, Victorian-styled, new-build development that will offer spacious open-plan living and stunning views of the London skyline. As well as harnessing the aesthetic finesses of ELIE SAAB’s exceptionally crafted interior design, the properties showcase exclusive pieces from the Maison Collection

We speak exclusively to Saab about bringing his haute couture to interiors in the capital for the first time, and the design influences that have shaped his world.

As an aspiring designer, who did you look to for inspiration and influence?
Women have always been my main source of inspiration. I’ve always aspired to make the woman look beautiful. I am inspired by beauty which has been the main drive for all my creations. Working in fashion was more of a destiny and since the beginning of my career, I had a very clear vision of where I was heading.

How much has your work been influenced by growing up in Lebanon?
It was very challenging at the beginning to work in fashion from Lebanon, a war-torn country. Yet Beirut has always been known to be the city of beauty and fashion, and I was the first Lebanese designer to open an atelier and establish this trend in Lebanon. Today, I believe that being raised and having lived in Beirut has been a great asset and inspiration for me. We are the result of our culture and heritage. I’m certainly inspired by my culture and the richness it offers


Which design by anyone else has impacted you most?
Each decade has marked my career and personal life in its own way, although I have fond memories of the period between the late 1960s and early 70s as that was when I started observing women and their styles. I like the glamorous elegance in fashion and because this period gave a whole new structure to clothes. Each designer has his own identity. I admire Mr. Valentino and Mr. Christian Dior; they both respect the beauty and femininity of women.

What influences your work today more than anything?
With age comes experience, discernment, and perspective. I can say that maturity will reflect on the way you will see things, judge them, and develop a well-defined sophisticated taste.




Please tell us about your latest collaboration with Gulf Islamic Investments (GII) – what made you decide to bring your haute couture to interiors in London for the first time?
We have been working on real estate projects for some time now; the latest developments took place in the past two years, namely in Dubai and Cairo, and have witnessed great success reflecting the ambition we have in the expansion of real estate and hospitality projects. Our venture in London is very strategic as it is a key destination for properties. Entering this scheme with GII, a partner who shares common values and approach in creating aspirational living experiences, is the beginning of a long-term collaboration that will hopefully lead to other projects in line with our vision and ambition.

What are the key features of this particular design?
These residences have been designed in a way to create a convenient pied-à-terre in the heart of London. The space has been well studied to convey a sumptuous living as if you are staying in a Royal Suite of a 7-star hotel offering the highest standards of luxury and comfort. It has a prime location overlooking Hyde Park to enjoy beautiful scenery and high tranquillity. Coupled with the property’s design by GRID (GII’s development team) whereby the exterior has retained the original Victorian front façade, the homes offer the blend of old and new.

Does your approach to interiors differ from that of fashion?
They are different worlds, and each world has its own characteristic. The common ground is ELIE SAAB’s vision and aesthetic in approaching each category while maintaining the DNA of the brand and providing timeless pieces for each and every product offering.

Are you planning more interior design projects?
We created the ELIE SAAB Maison line as an entity by itself to cater to real estate and hospitality developments. We have a lot of projects in the pipeline that will see light in the coming year. I am an architect at heart, and it is a real passion for me to grow this unit and launch different projects that meet my aspirations.

In the era of social media influence, how does it make you feel knowing that your collections can be enjoyed by so many on a platform like Instagram? The digital era touched all aspects of businesses globally and anyone can use these platforms to present their products to the world. This is the new era, a growing trend, it is the future. I am very open to this evolution, and I believe it generates interaction in which you can create, share, and exchange.

How do you see your role as a design ‘influencer’ – do you embrace the term?
I am an entrepreneur and influencer. This gives me a bigger responsibility. When you are a source of inspiration to others, you must lead by example, and this needs patience, hard work, and motivation.

What’s new and coming up for you in 2022 and what are you most looking forward to?
I am looking forward to getting back to the normal life cycle, to set the record straight, and work harder to compensate for the time when we were locked down during the pandemic. There are a lot of plans, many ideas, and I am so eager to get going and translate my vision in all the projects we are working on.