A Cinderella story with Pailiani, on the streets of Beirut City.

It all started when I dragged my cousin along to see a side of Bourj Hammoud we had never seen before. An artistic one. This place has many stories to tell, and alot of history for me. Afterall it is where my mother grew up, where she and her family sought shelter from shelling and where they saw color tv for the first time...to name only a few. But to see it from an artistic, and inspirational perspective, is really something else. You walk through the buzzing streets and you can hear the sounds from each atelier; the ticking of a sowing machine's needle, the jewelery maker's hammer banging consistently on his wooden work desk. Just across my grandma's house, is my cousin's shoe making workshop. I used to peak in during the summer to see what they were working on..the fabrics, sketches and prototypes. Of course their style is different since they cater to a local Lebanese market, but I loved watching them hard at work. A couple of doors down, but on the same street, is where Vartan's been making purses for the past 24 years that I've been passing by his window...These are but a few of the artisans who have turned Bourj Hammoud into the vibrant market that it is today. During my last trip to Lebanon, I attended the Varbed createur event that showcased the younger generation of Lebanese-Armenian craftsman. Missak Haji-Avedikian is one of the designers I had the pleasure to meet and keep in touch with.

Another designer was Hrag Pailian, a shoe designer carrying on his father's legacy. A former Guiseppe Zanotti intern and graduate from Italy in shoe design, he came back to Lebanon and started his own line, under the name of Pailiani Design. I fell in love with his designs and suggested he work with me for a spring-summer lookbook. A couple of days later, we planned a quick photoshoot in Gemmayzeh and took some beautiful pictures. I also paid a visit to his atelier, where we listened to the music that inspires his designs. And he told me the story behind this guitar....


and how he got Steve Vai to sign it. He told me about all his adventures in Italy and the concerts he attended. Roger Waters, Pink Floyd, Skid Row, Scorpions, Deep Purple...to name only a few. He even missed his train once after a Santana concert, and decided to sleep outside. The concert tickets he held on to, (seen above) are part of the memories that inspire him...I asked if he regretted leaving Italy and if he'd want to go back there. Yes, was an obvious answer. But he was in Lebanon to continue what his grandfather started decades ago. This week he gets to add another ticket to his collection, BB King, the legendary blues singer who has a concert in Beirut.
He plays the guitar, obviously, and wears a pick around his neck. He listens to live concert sets while sketching in the early a.m., when everybody else is sleeping. The Atelier is his stage, his pencil is the guitar, the lines on the paper are his melody....and I'm his groupie :)

Moving on to the collection. Now I don't have the most beautiful feet or legs, but somehow all the shoes were a perfect fit!
Here are my picks and favorites from the collection, and the pictures I chose for my blog. You can check out the rest of the gorgeous collection on the Pailiani facebook group.

Detailed to perfection...

Photos taken by: Nareg D.B.

These photos haven't been edited, they are just the ones I kept for my blog.  You can find the ones that are being used for the lookbook on the Pailiani Design facebook group.
The designer also works on custom orders for private clients and is currently looking to expand his business to other countries in the Middle East, so if you're a buyer or you know one, do get in touch!

Hope you like the photos! :) 

"Varbed Createur" dans la Maison Rose called Badguer

"BADGUÈR is the Artisan's locale, a meeting place where young designers and artisans, passionate about art and culture can testify the living cultural heritage of Bourj Hammoud and its inhabitants.”

La Maison Rose in Bourj Hammoud

Following the first genocide of the 20^th century, a large part of the Armenian population settled down in Bourj Hammoud, Lebanon. Low income housing, poor living conditions, they all came with the package of a thing called war and injustice. Over the decades, these strong minded people rose back to the top and introduced their unique heritage to a country ravaged by war itself. Long gone are the days when Armenian youths had to guard their streets during the night and risk their lives for the safety of their families and the elderly who had already survived a genocide to say the least. Although they left their treasures behind, buried in the ground, forever irretrievable; there is one thing that has stayed and will stay with them forever, and that’s culture. Armenian artisans and craftsman have now made a home for themselves in this humble location. Leather, bronze, silver, jewelry, textile, embroidery and traditional cuisine are but a few fields in which these people have excelled and passed on their skills to a new generation who isn’t afraid of artistic expression.

La Maison Rose (the pink house) stands inside one of the buzzing streets. The house isn’t difficult to notice, thanks to its beautiful architecture, color and the sound of a piano playing inside which easily draws you towards it. Each room is dedicated to a certain type of art, with the Varbed Createur on standby for any questions or discussions. Varbed is translated from Armenian as “professional” and “createur” is translated from French as creator, or maker of things. As the name of the launch event states, each artist is a professional at what he/she does, a master of creation.

First stop, is Hrag Pailian from Pailiani Design, a shoe designer whose work easily caught my eye.  From the bright red platforms, to the yellow suede. From the crystal heels to the immaculately engraved fabrics…From the second I saw the shoes, I knew we’d have a love affair. The shoes and I, that is. Instantly we made a connection and I got to try them on. It was a match made in shoe heaven.

Hrag Pailian's colorful sketches and samples

“I do, I do!”  *tear*

“I never thought this day would come.”  My skinny feet had always been the twin sisters, but on this day, they were Cinderella. Ideal for Italian size shoes, which brings me to the next fun fact: After comparing his style to that of Guiseppe Zanotti’s, he confirmed my observation. He is a former Zanotti intern who studied shoe design in Italy! Of course, shoe making is a popular Armenian craft that is passed on over the generations. Almost 2 out of 3 Armenian families have some kind of shoe making history. Hence, the extensive use of shoes for smacking naughty kids. Easily repairable.

After chit chatting for a while, I convinced Hrag to collaborate with me on a photoshoot since he didn’t have promotional material yet for his work and was looking for exposure. The shoot was a success, which I’ll share with you in a later post. (check my facebook group for a teaser)

Moving on to the second floor, another designer caught my eye; MissakHaji Avedikian. Since the world is so small, his name sounded familiar. A new friend in Saudi had mentioned his sister being friends with Missak, but other than that, I had seen him somewhere before. “You’ve changed a lot!” He says to me. Aha, it clicks. I saw him in Krikor Jabotian’s Atelier where I temporarily worked in the winter. Anyway, so he was hard at work on an Emerald green dress with a corset. I wonder how that would look on me. I guess we’ll have to find out on Saturday when I pay a visit to his Atelier, and get to be Cinderella for one more day!

Fashion Designer Missak Haji-Avedikian

Last but not least, I met Nareg D.B, the photographer whom I first saw being interviewed on a talk show called Bi Beirut. He spoke about Badguer and the upcoming launch...luckily for me we had a mutual friend so I got in touch with him before the launch in hopes that he would collaborate with me. His fortay is street photography and he's part of the Beirut Street Photographers group. If I were to tell a story about his photos, I'de say this:  "You pass by a local shop in Bourj Hammoud, selling colored spices aligned on the sidewalk giving off an unbelievable aura...while the whole place is buzzing and alive...an old man sits on his chair. Barely visible to passerbys who are preoccupied by the chaos around them. To him, this street is his home. It's where his parents settled after the genocide. It's where he was born. Where he rode his bicycle for the first time. Where he walked to school everyday and where he barely missed the fatal remnants of a missile. This is where he found love, and where he lost it. This is where his children got married. This is the place they abandoned. This is where they left him...sitting on his chair." And this is the part where I have a small tear rolling down my face, as I look at this photo, I see my own grandfather. I'm sure many Armenians can relate to this feeling.
The stories in Nareg's portraits are drawn with the thin lines covering the faces, each crease representing a different struggle. However, other than portraits, he captures everyday moments which is what makes his photography so genuine.

Clearly, I had make a connection with this guy. I had to make him a part of this blog. And, I did. :) Soon, you will discover how.

Nareg D.B. with his photos

The house is a very unique concept that motivates the preservation of art and culture. Its doors are wide open, and the atmosphere is highly welcoming. After the launch day, BADGUER will serve as an ongoing promotional center and space for artisans and creativity.

Don’t forget to pay La Maison Rose a visit, and check out the Badguer website!

From the Desert -- Ethnic style inspired by Bedouin Culture

Patterns worn by Bedouin woman driving her truck in the desert via National Geographic

I've always been intrigued by the Bedouin culture. Not because I was raised in Saudi, but because I've led and am leading a nomadic lifestyle, which I've only begun to appreciate now that I've realized that it was written for me.

"You may love novelty but you are very much a creature of habit. Innovation excites you, but you treasure tradition. You value independence, yet you crave commitment. " as my horoscope states, and as I confirm, I constantly have to deal with these contradictions battling in my mind. Yes, I love to travel, experience new cultures, live in different cities and environments..but that's not to say I never long for stability. I wonder how the Nomads dealt with the concept of a moving home? Then again, what is home? Is it a geographical location or is "home where the heart is?" Maybe, it's a lifelong debate that all children of a diaspora will take to their graves.

I on the other hand, have accepted my fate, as a Modern Day Gypsy. Afterall, when your mind uses up too much energy trying to "find meaning," it stops you from actually living.

--------- FROM CULTURE TO FASHION ------

Patterns and prints customarily worn by Bedouin women in the desert Via National Geographic

"Veiled to all men beyond her family, a young Bedouin woman wears the classic face covering of her people. Given only passing mention by the Koran, Islam’s holy book, the veil is an ancient custom traced to India and Persia; it was adopted by Arabia’s nomadic tribes, which enforced a strict code of female modesty."

After almost 20 years of living in a desert, I finally went on a Desert Safari. Some people had actually brought toddlers with them, I guess they had no idea what they were in for. At some point I thought the car was going to flip on its side. But I must say, it was an exhilirating experience riding through the desert, engulfed by waves of sand..literally sliding down the dunes. When we got to the campsite we had the option of riding camels and dune buggies in a confined space, so we passed on that. Instead my friend & I climbed up a high dune nearby, away from the hundreds of noisy tourists..and sat there for a while. Until, Harbi came along...
Earlier on we had spotted a four seater dune buggy,with crazy neon lights on its sides, riding around the area. Everytime he saw us, he'd wave. Obviously, we looked like the only two "foreigners" amongst the sea of persians who were there celebrating their New Year. At his 3rd attempt to lure us in, we decide to wave back and hitch a ride through the desert. Turns out the guy was a professional driver who was there practicing for his upcoming competition! We rode through the desert on the buggy, the thing didn't even have doors. Kind of scary considering the fact that he had one hand on the steering wheel most of the time, and the other on the radio... "sun is up-Inna" khaliji remix
Moving on...

From Bedouin culture to high fashion....

TRENDING NOW:

ETHNIC PRINTS AND PATTERNS - Mixing it up Desert style!

Natasha Poly Desert photoshoot Via Fashionising

I hope these photos inspire you to mix it up!
Even though the Bedouin culture has given way to oil-driven wealth and adapted to the capitalist lifestyle....It's clear that in their hearts they still long for their Nomadic roots... Everywhere around the city there are tents set up by people,as a second home they can resort to in times of stress. I guess it's a sense of nostalgia that is comforted by a feeling of detachment from modern society and its obligations. A longing for the simple life. Wait a second, I had one too, her name was Pandora!
A little F.Y.I: Camels, as pictured above, cost in the millllions....now if you're thinking of stealing one, think again. Every camel you see lingering in the desert, has an owner. They have a metal plaque engraved on their body which proves so.

It's amazing how much inspiration we can get from culture and apply it to art and fashion. Instead of numbingly following trends just for the sake of lookin' good and stylish, it's nice to dig up the stories and inpiration behind those trends....

HAPPY INSPIRATION! :)

When Lebanese Folkloric Pop lights up the city, who needs Kahraba?

           A couple of months ago I received a random facebook message from an old friend...you know the one that makes you smile from ear to ear...and overwhelms you with a rush of blissful nostalgia....
In this message he described a sweet memory that came to mind as he found an old worn out folder in his bedroom while cleaning it up. In this folder there were old sheets of paper with lyrics on them and cassette tapes (remember those?) with recordings of my songs - completely out of tune - which made him laugh alot. And so the first time he actually thought about doing music was apparently a teenage version of me, sitting next to him on a random swing in my compound in Saudi, proposing we put some melody to my lyrics...
We were little birds who longed to fly...locked inside this cage called "Saudi." But with the little resources that we had, we managed to make music a part of our lives. There was a fiery lust for self-expression burning inside of us. I loved dancing, writing lyrics and singing, he loved playing the keyboards and singing. I always thought he had a unique, distinguished voice...whose power we were unaware of at the time...

ADONIS performing @ DICTATEUR

His name is Anthony.
He is now the lead singer of a hip Lebanese folkloric pop band called Adonis and a gifted architect by the way.
The Band includes Joey Abou Jawdeh on the guitar, Fabio Khoury on the bass guitar, and Nicola Hakim on the drums.
Last night I attended a mini-concert celebrating the video premiere of the band's song called "Ma kan mafrood" In English: It shouldn't have been.
What they did?
They brought to life a different kind of appreciation for Arabic music amongst the most hopeless of all.
Catering to a diverse crowd, they've also managed to attract that cynical, artsy youth of Lebanon who are more difficult to please. That daring, alternative crowd of Beirut that repels anything remotely commercial and celebrates individuality among one of the most conformist societies. *Sigh* Amen to that!

Spotted: 
Me, standing right at the front, looking like a groupie.
What an exhilarating feeling it is to stand there and take in a friend's accomplishment. Literally be proud of someone from the bottom of your heart for having followed their dreams. I couldn't stop smiling, I started having face spasms. No joke. That tends to happen to me alot.
What beautiful lyrics.
What beautiful melodies. And is that a Ukelele?? I'm floating in the air right now. And I'm completely sober.
People you would usually spot at a rave are here singing along to those light-hearted, yet moving lyrics, which happen to be inspired by their daily lives in this city. They strike a cord with every single person who has experienced living here.
Beirut, the inspiration behind every word, every note, every smile, every clap and every cheer.

Strings of small colored lightbulbs light up the small stage, reminding me of the electricity cables that criss cross over some parts of the city like disoriented spiderwebs.
If only we could envision those lightbulbs dangling from them....
And, as it were a page in a children's coloring book, we could use music to color this city.
Like Adonis has. 

Intrigued? Then, check them out!
Adonis Facebook page (Where you can listen to some of their awesome songs!)
Adonis Website (The new video will be available to watch online very soon)

To Suit up, or not to Suit up

Suits....oh man do I hate suits. And I'm not talking about the funky, shoulder padded ones, in fun colors...cause you know I love those. No I'm talking about the ones you have to wear when you work at a bank. With all due respect to all the women who work in banks, or other "institutions" that require you to follow a certain dress code. I recently turned down a job as a pr exec at a top notch boutique hotel, and one of the reasons for doing so were the following statement:
"You will have to wear a black suit, but since we are very flexible you can alternate with a skirt....you can even wear a high waisted one!" okay, please don't sugarcoat this for me. "Also, we prefer it if the manicure is either french or black."
Obviously, I nod in complete agreement, as I discreetly try to hide my blue colored fingernails underneath the x-mas catalogue I held in my hands. I mean, I completely understand, since every company/corporation/organization has a certain image to uphold which is reflected through their staff and employees. Especially Hotels! But come on, it's like being in school again! Being forced to conform to a certain dress code, everyone dressed in the same way, monotone, like they came right out of a factory line.
I just can't bring myself to accept a job with a restrictive dress code...here's why:
Let's make some calculations shall we?
We spend about 8 hours a day, 37 hours a week, and 148 hours a month at our workplace...
Now, a bit of psychology:
One of the main composites of our well-being, is our self-image (the way we see ourselves) which effects our self-esteem (the way we feel about ourselves) which in turn dictates every aspect of our lives.
Spending 148 hours a week dressed in a black suit is....quick frankly....to put it simply....gonna make me feel like s***! I love waking up in the morning and dressing up in colors...getting creative with my outfit, and allowing everything else (Accessories, hair...etc) to compliment it.
During that final glance at the mirror before I leave the house, I need to see someone I recognize.
Most importantly, I need to see a reflection of myself.

***

Now if you seriously have no alternatives, and that pantsuit is the portal to the most successful future you could have ever imagined for yourself...then I shall sympathize with you and offer some inspiration. 

Two workish outfits I love. Trade in the black pants with some orange, and the black blazer with a white one!

Via Stockholm Streetstyle

"Oh Betsy, you look lovely dear"
Let me just get that stick out of your a**

My creations: "A Plastik Table"

I've decided to add a little funk to my living space by refurbishing old furniture and turning it into pop art. I used  Plastik Magazine, a visual magazine published in Lebanon, known for its eccentricity and out-of-the-box fashion photography. It isn't difficult to put together images from those magazines and have them synchronize and tell a story. Never would I have imagined what a therapeutic project this would turn out to be. Through this I've discovered the concept of art therapy: It helps you acquire patience, train your mind to focus, and experience a sense of accomplishment. What a reward!

Here's a Before and after look at the table:

Covered in Plexi glass for better use

Stick around to see more of My Creations...and get inspired to create your own!
Bon Appetit! :)