It now encompasses the School of Design and its annual graduate fashion show, the CSB label and an online retail platform. “As our mission became greater than us,” they explain, “Creative Space Beirut grew into a multifaceted social enterprise providing resources for the innovation of design practices in the region”. The initiative developed further over time - Sarah joined forces with Tracy Moussi and George Rouhana - and after years of moving between basements and apartments, the team finally settled in the Beirut Souks. Their three-year intensive curriculum combines technical courses, theoretical classes and experimental learnings. “Some of our students never went to school but they all had an immense talent, despite their lack of background in fashion,” Sarah adds. With the guidance of her mentor, Caroline Simonelli, and with zero financial aid, she launched a tuition-free fashion school out of a Beirut basement. Given the disastrous situation our ruling class has thrown us into, it has become impossible for any business to plan, work normally, import, let alone grow in these conditions.” “This is my small contribution to the local ecosystem,” she says. This blurring of identities and eras caught the attention of Net-a-Porter where Cynthia is currently showcasing and selling her AW20 collection.Īs for the future, though the 31-year-old designer has temporarily relocated to Paris, she still produces her clothes in Beirut.
Indeed, the Renaissance Renaissance woman seems to have leapt off the page of a Brontë novel, only to reinvent herself in the present day and dismantle gender boundaries. “I like to refer to it as an exploration on identity, a way to play with codes of gender and most importantly a reflection on what it is to be a woman,” she explains. A name that summarises what the brand stands for: a deep dive into the history of garments. In 2016, Cynthia took a leap of faith and launched her first collection in Beirut under the label Renaissance Renaissance.
0 kommentar(er)
