BAC Design · The Creative Space

Collaborating with other local designers, The Creative Space hosts workshops as part of its program in the hope of exchanging tricks-of-the-trade and encourage peer-to-peer education. Parsons the New School for Design sponsored our visiting professor and renowned New York designer, Caroline Simonelli’s trip, while New York based designers, Diane Von Furstenberg and Donna Karen donated high-quality fabrics to the initiative.

In this exhibition The Creative Space will showcase their current collection for the public inspired by how they perceive ‘the Woman’. Also on display is a replica of the atelier’s workspace, a perspective into their process, visual installations, projects undergone throughout the term and a short documentary film about The Creative Space and its genesis.

A silent auction will take place during the first four days of the exhibition, in which silent bids are placed on any garment. When the outcome is announced, the successful bidder is scheduled for private fittings with the designers, in which the clothes will be finished precisely to their liking and measurements.

The money made from the pieces sold will be divided between the designers, while a fraction returns to the program in order to ensure its continuity into the next term.

creative space beirut is a free school in fashion design providing quality creative design education to talented individuals who lack the resources to pursue a degree at increasingly costly institutions of higher learning.

Creative Space Beirut was founded in June 2011 by parsons graduate, Sarah Hermez, and her former parsons professor, Caroline Simonelli.

THE TEAM

Sarah Hermez is a Lebanese-Armenian fashion designer who was born and raised in Kuwait. In 2004, she moved to New York to attend The New School, where she received dual degrees in Fashion Design and Media/Cultural studies. After graduating in 2010, she made the move to Beirut, a place she believed could benefit from the fusion of fashion and social involvement, and launched The Creative Space.

Caroline Shlala-Simonelli is a Lebanese/American designer who teaches fashion design and technique classes at The Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons the New School of Design n New York.

Rania Dalloul is both Palestinian and Lebanese, born in Kuwait. With a background in Political Philosophy,She works as co-director and manager in establishing conceptual ideas within the program involving writing, technical and design details.

Denise Maroney, Irish-Lebanese and raised between Japan and New York, is a costume designer, textile aficionado & embroidery extraordinaire. She also founded The (B)IM Project, a free, site specific, traveling theatre company based in Lebanon. www.denisemaroney.com Imad Gebrayel is a Lebanese aspiring graphic designer leading a busy line of activities and interests from blogging to graphic design, fashion design and advertising.

THE DESIGNERS

Baraa Al Abdullah is Palestinian and was born in Saida, Lebanon in 1991. She joined The Creative Space hoping to turn her passion into a work opportunity; enriching her experience and helping others.

Carmen Havatian is Lebanese-Armenian and was born in Bourj Hammoud, Lebanon 1989. She joined The Creative Space hoping to create her own haute couture line.

Eman Aswad is Palestinian and was born in Beirut in 1992. She joined The Creative Space to further her experience and find her own creative voice.

Matilda Aswad, 22 years old from Broumana, is devoted to Fashion and so she was eager to be involved in and join The Creative Space because she felt that there, her dreams and ambitions could be realized.

Nourhan Abdelatiff is Palestinian and was born in Shatila, Lebanon in 1994. She started drawing as a child, and drew her first fashion sketch at the age of twelve. Her dream since then has been to see one of her drawings translated into an actual garment. She joined The Creative Space hoping to realize this dream.

Sophie Youssef was born in Jezzine, Lebanon in 1991. She joined The Creative Space excited to finally have the opportunity to explore and study fashion.

Talal Saab is 24 years old and lives in the Chouf. He hopes to create a diversity of personas for modern women helping them in fulfilling what they as women aspire to be and encourage their freedom through their choices and comfort. This is the type of designer he hopes to be.