How Sandra Mansour Is Leading Fashion’s New Guard in Beirut

 

The fashion industry tends to search for new talent in London (see: Molly Goddard) or the outskirts of Paris (Koché’s Christelle Kocher comes to mind). But you have to venture a little farther—to Beirut, actually—to track down the latest designer who’s caught our eye. You’re probably familiar with a few of the big Lebanese designers out there, like Zuhair Murad, Elie Saab, and Reem Acra, who have built global businesses on super-luxe eveningwear and wedding dresses. That’s what makes 32-year-old Sandra Mansour stand out: Instead of five-figure gowns that demand a red carpet or black-tie invite, she specializes in ready-to-wear you can mix and match and wear from day to night, with prices ranging from $300 to around $3,500. “Women in Lebanon and Arab countries love dressing up—they’re very coquette,” Mansour tells Vogue.com. “But when I started the brand six years ago, it was important for me to consider the American and European markets, too. I’m not trying to do prom dresses. It has to feel youthful and modern, so I’ll pair a long dress with a jacket, or do a shorter dress you can wear with a bomber.

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