Lebanon is Middle East's Fashion Capital

BEIRUT — The gowns are cut low in the front, slashing down to the navel, or low in the back, swooping below the waist, inset with delicate see-through fabric. They couldn't be further from the modest dress generally worn by women in the Muslim Arab world.

A Reem Acra bridal design

Yet these fashions come from Lebanon, a tiny Arab country of 4 million on the Mediterranean. This nation better known for military conflicts than the arts has produced an impressive crop of designers, such as Reem Acra and Elie Saab, whose work is showcased at celebrity events such as the Oscars and the Golden Globes.

Elie Saab designs

"Lebanon's name has always been synonymous with war, but when it comes to fashion ... these designers really make us proud," said Laura Seikaly, 39, who was among a recent crowd of bikini-clad sunbathers on a beach north of Beirut. "I guess it comes from the society itself, the way Lebanese women dress. They're very courageous, even more than Europeans."

Halle Berry made an indelible mark in awards fashion history when she won an Oscar in 2002 wearing Elie Saab's stunning sheer burgundy floral embroidered gown.

Perhaps best known among the long list of couturiers is Saab, a Lebanese icon. He catapulted to fashion superstardom in 2002 when Halle Berry accepted an Academy Award sheathed in a dazzling Saab burgundy gown — a first for a Lebanese designer.