Lebanese fashion designer Sana Sabini has established a directional presence in the Middle East with her eclectic, original style. Her participation at fashion shows across Paris, Germany and Italy determines an unmistakable charisma that she brings to the fashion industry. I had the opportunity to speak to her and see how the fashion industry had been treating her.
We began by talking about her initial introduction to fashion, she revealed to me her fascination with fashion from a very young age, “I think I was actually born with a needle and thread in my hands, with a measuring tape across my neck! I’m just joking, I used to design and cut out small dresses for my dolls, it was the only thing that kept me entertained for hours.”
Eventually her pastime became a reality, whilst still being at school Sana worked for a big company, promoting their designs to small boutiques in her hometown Beirut. She realized how much she enjoyed being in touch with the fashion environment and started to use her unconventional ideas in designing her own clothes. She recalls, “My first proper piece was a stunning red dress, tight-fitting and long – with a luxurious silk fabric. A very famous actress wore it for a television program, and I sold a lot of that design after!”
To thrive in being an accomplished fashion designer she advises “above all things, you need to have a strong passion and love for it – otherwise you can’t succeed, and educate yourself in all its aspects.” Sana believes only after fully dedicating yourself to fashion can you reach its sky scraping heights.
Eventually, we ventured onto the topic of her inspiration, deep in thought, she listed the many things, which she is touched by, or that make her feel a certain way. She described how on her travels she was able to appreciate that other countries are so rich in culture and how she is able to draw much influence from them. “Sometimes a drawing inspires me, sometimes a piece of fabric – inspiration comes from a lot of things in life and nature” she explains.
Once she has been inspired she explains that compared to working for a large fashion corporation she can demonstrate individuality with her own label. “I can express my feelings in a single dress. My whole mood can be reflected in a collection. I can create an explosion of my feelings into a language that a woman enjoys and loves. This is something you don’t get to do if it’s not your own label.”
Sana speaks enthusiastically of her career choice and displays a real zest for it. It makes me see just how much devotion and commitment is required in being a fashion designer. She passionately relates the thrills and challenges she encounters on the job on a daily basis. “Its exciting, spontaneous and energetic.”
Nevertheless, despite her constant zeal for designing Sana still acknowledges the difficulties in running her own label. One of the biggest challenges she faces is to continually provide new designs that are to the same standard, if not higher than the previous. “I always like to maintain high standards for my collection and preserve customer satisfaction.”
With this in mind she indulges me into what she thinks the top style trends for 2010 are “I think it’s a youthful look this year. Everything’s fresh, feminine yet with a touch of elegance. A woman will be someone’s darling forever, and clothes this summer are focusing on that.”
Looking to the future Sana is dedicating most of her time and efforts on two of her upcoming fashion shows in Paris to showcase her 2010 summer and winter collections. When I asked her what a typical day for her is like she smiles and simply says “Unpredictable! But you can be sure there’s a lot of coffee involved!”
