Elie Saab, a thousand dresses and one night in Riyadh

An explosion of joy is a firewall to the darkness of the contemporary world. Elie Saab is convinced of this. “ Beauty knows no boundaries. In what we perceive and what we create, we pursue a form of universality. When beauty and creativity are your ultimate goal, the world becomes a wonderful place. », Enthuses the Lebanese couturier, guided for forty-five years by this optimistic philosophy. In the gentle heat of the night embracing Riyadh, the designer multiplied his message in front of more than a thousand people during a gala entitled “The 1001 seasons of Elie Saab”. To speak only of a “show” would be simplistic, as the event was designed as a celebration highlighting no less than 300 voluptuous and sparkling dresses, selected by Elie Saab with stylist Carine Roitfeld to reflect the different periods of the label.

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To the rhythm of Bianca Li's millimeter-tuned choreography, various generations of top models intertwine, from Helena Christensen to Candice Swanepoel, the Franco-Saudi Amira Al Zuhair, Eva Herzigova and Adriana Lima. On stage, the energetic Jennifer Lopez opens the show as a revue leader, adorned with Art Deco feathers, and rises above the troupe of thirty dancers dressed in sequinned leotards. The young singer Camila Cabello was no less brilliant in accompanying a floral tableau bringing forth vaporous and airy dresses exploring all the shades of pink. A naturalistic ode to femininity that unfolds the spectrum of seduction. For many Middle Eastern women, Elie Saab's style carries panache. “ Her dresses magnify me as a woman, make me feel powerful and recognizedexplains one of his local followers. Here, when we say Elie Saab, we say elegance. When I wear one of her dresses, I look in the mirror even more often and I find myself even more beautiful. »

With their warm voices, artists Nancy Ajram and Amr Diab transcend oriental rhythms to magnify Arab cultural expression. Moment of grace, Céline Dion ignites the audience. His unexpected presence had been the subject of rumors throughout Riyadh. The one whose first visit to Saudi Arabia does not shy away from her pleasure at being there for her friend's celebration. “ Her generosity and her talent sang with me, as I have worn her dresses, her talent, for years and years », Says the Quebec star. Draped in gold and adorned with diamonds by Bulgari, she concludes the show with I’m Alivereminding us in passing that it is still very present.

A gentle show of force

The designer seems very moved on the long podium. Everything was seen in a big way. Even to the somewhat jaded eyes of Fashion Week regulars, the soft blue velvet armchairs relegate the ” front row » Spartans from the usual fashion chapels. Personalities from Saudi high society rub shoulders with a mix of prestigious international guests such as American actress Kelly Rutherford and Briton Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. James Bond girls Monica Bellucci and Halle Berry attract attention. Moreover, that evening the latter wore the Elie Saab dress with which she was dressed to receive the Oscar for best actress in 2002. Her style has not changed a bit. One by one, the 300 silhouettes taken from the archives and the new collection take up the thread of the legendary story of the One Thousand and One Nights. The woman's appearance is revealed as much as her body. Some messages must remain subliminal.

Behind the scenes, some observers note that what may have been shown in Riyadh would likely have shocked the puritans if the parade had taken place in the United States. But Elie Saab enjoys a very special status in Saudi Arabia. “ My journey began in the torments of war in Beirut, where I built a world of beauty, being grateful for all the opportunities given to me. The first place outside of Lebanon where I was able to settle down, express myself, succeed and open up new horizons and bigger dreams, Saudi Arabia has always held a very special place in my heart », Underlines the Lebanese, full of gratitude towards his hosts. A manifesto for a flamboyant vision of heightened femininity, the evening is also a gentle demonstration of strength.

The choice of location is not trivial. The new center of Riyadh's cultural life, The Venue is one of the most modern transformable structures in the world. A project which is part of the multi-year development program, entitled “Vision 2030”, promoted by King Salman Ben Abdelaziz al-Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed Ben Salman. By opening its doors to Elie Saab, notably thanks to the president of the General Entertainment Authority, Turki al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia intends to demonstrate its status as the creative epicenter of the Arab world. As a bonus, it is a good opportunity for the kingdom to send messages of openness and balance in this troubled period. To see it as a political message would certainly be an exaggeration. Preparing such a project required three months of production and began more than a year ago. Even if they were feared, the current events in Lebanon, which are pushing the brand's workshops to temporarily withdraw to a safer location, did not interfere with the preparations.

However, at the end of the parade, many Saudi personalities did not hide their satisfaction at seeing their country send such a signal in the region, but also on a larger scale. “ We worked hard to design this international haute couture event in the heart of Riyadh. And I believe that tonight is a very special, unique event, not only for Riyadh, but also for the whole world and for the fashion industry », confirms Elie Saab Jr, the son of the designer and CEO of the brand, seeing it as an open page towards new chapters in the history of the label, whose influence is growing well beyond the Middle East and Hollywood. “ My message transcends borders, they are living manifestations of joy, in all the areas that we have explored since my beginnings, beyond what we could have imagined or dreamed of. Beauty is limitless, our Arab world is teeming with talent whose creativity is radiant », continues the designer who has dedicated his life to imagining dresses to shine until dawn. If he was only going to stay one night, it would be this one.