Creative Space Beirut

the FACILITATORS

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 from Parsons the New School of Design and Eugene Lang the New School for Liberal Arts, respectively. The experience satisfied her longing to merge the two worlds she is passionate about, providing a balance between the academic and the creative, and offering a space of expression. After graduating in 2010, she made the move to Beirut, a place she believed could benefit from the fusion of creative and social involvement, and launched The Creative Space.

Caroline Shlala-Simonelli is a Lebanese/American designer who teaches fashion design and technique classes, including Advanced Creative Draping, the Masters Series-Atelier at Fashion Institute of Technology and the Senior Thesis Fashion Design at Parsons the New School of Design in New York. Before teaching, Caroline had a long career as a fashion designer in women’s dress apparel. Along with her own line of volume and couture collection, Large Sizes for Q V C , Bloomingdales and Saks fifth avenue, she was also Head Dress Designer at Liz Claiborne and Head Collection Designer at Mollie Parnis New York. Caroline travels from New York to Beirut twice a year to lend her expertise and experience to the Creative Space.

Rania Dalloul acts as a co-director and manager, helping to establish prerequisites in writing, technical and design details. With a background in Political and Philosophical Studies, and work experience as a Researcher and Social Worker, she tied together her interests to help develop the program as an educational project.

Sarah Hunaidi  joined the Creative Space administration in the summer of 2012. With a masters degree in Comparative Literature and experience in the publishing industry, Sarah lends her efforts to the coordination and organisation of the Creative Space as well as her language and communication skills and grasp of the creative sector to help promote and maintain the program.

Imad Gebrayel is a graphic designing, ad-junkie. He approaches design from all angles and has a keen eye for it too. He contributes to the Creative Space in multiple ways, including graphic design, social media and art direction.

the STUDENTS 

Baraa Al Abdullah is Palestinian and was born in Saida, Lebanon in 1991. She is passionate about fashion, drawing, and design, which pushed her to pursue a career in fashion design. She attended the UNRWA Sibleen training center in 2008, and worked in the industry for one year with the Lebanese designer Bassam Al-Shireef. She joined The Creative Space hoping to turn her passion into a work opportunity; enriching her experience and helping others.

Nourhan Abdelatiffis 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.

Eman Aswad is Palestinian and was born in Beirut in 1992. She chose to study fashion design because she is passionate about everything artistic and creative. She grew up making dresses for her dolls, and when the time came decided to study fashion design at MDM Technical College.  She also worked briefly with designers Tarek Zeineddine, Rami Salamoun, and Said Kobeissi. She joined The Creative Space to further her experience and find her own creative voice.

Talal Saab  is 24 years old and lives in the Chouf. He spends much of his timedrawing and engaging in creative work. He hopes to construct diverse personas for modern women through his designs, helping them to fulfill individual aspirations and encourage their freedom through choice and comfort.