MAISON RABIH KAYROUZ FASHION HOUSE COLLECTION - '12A10' - WAS EXCLUSIVELY PRESENTED IN THE HARVEY NICHOLS DUBAI GALLERY. THE DESIGNER OFFERED FANS OF FASHION THE ORIGINAL CLASSIC INTERPRETATION, AT THE SAME TIME LEAVING A HINT FOR MODERN POETRY REFLECTED IN SPECIAL WORK TECHNOLOGY FROM MATERIAL. WE CONVERSED WITH SLAUGHTER KAYRUZ IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PRESENTATION TO BE ABLE TO POST THE WORLD OF THIS YOUNG BUT A PERSPECTIVE DESIGNER.
Rabbi, tell me how your hobby for fashion began and how did it become a profession?
I was born and raised in Lebanon, and from a very young age I liked to experiment with fabrics and create some kind of new design. At the age of 16 I moved to Paris, where I was educated at the couturier courses 'l'Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne'.
In 1997, I opened my own atelier, where I sewed products to order, on 81 Lebanon Street, in one of the most cosmopolitan neighborhoods of the city. Then he returned to Paris, where I was lucky to hone the acquired skills in the workshops of Dior and Chanel. For the last twelve years I have been creating my own haute couture collections, and two years ago I decided that my creations should become more accessible.
I wanted to see people dressed by Maison Rabih Kayrouz at parties and presentations. Thus was born the collection '12A10', which I presented in Dubai.
Where did you first show the ready-to-wear collection?
In July 2009, of course, in Paris, where else? From this moment you can count down the history of the fashion house Maison Rabih Kayrouz, which I registered in Paris, and all the brand’s products are also produced in the best factories in France. It’s important for me to create beautiful things.
What does the phrase “haute couture” mean to you?
I am a professional couturier, so for me "haute couture" is not only a lifestyle, but also the highest quality. My grandmother taught me to feel the quality of food, the quality of life, and how good, quality clothes differ from bad ones. It comes from childhood, quality for me is perhaps the most important indicator in life.
Is that why elusive chic is traced in your even massive collections of clothes?
Probably. In my ready-made clothing collections, I make extensive use of the know-how inherent in haute couture. I try to combine the style and spirit of haute couture with the trends and rhythms of everyday, street wear. Using long lines and sensual silhouettes, sharp edges and large volumes, I combine the most luxurious fabrics that can emphasize the real fragility and expressiveness of every woman.
What personality trait helps you in your work?
Curiosity. I am very curious, and this is inherent in me since childhood. I believe that it is precisely curiosity, the desire to find and learn something new, that allows me to find new ideas for creativity. It’s impossible in the fashion world. I love architecture, theater and cinema, good food, painting ... In a word, everything in the world!
Who is your best teacher and most severe critic?
My clients. Only a woman can say whether she likes the dress or not, whether she is comfortable in what I offer her, or not. For many years of study and work, I realized that only She can determine what is good and what is bad. Women who are inherent in elegance and grace do not particularly like the abundance of decor in my dresses. All women in the world want to feel, first of all, comfortable, and only then, to be sure that they are irresistible and desirable. Moreover, the feeling of comfort is very intimate, it is something between a woman and a dress. There can be no mediators here. Therefore, the dress should have a perfect silhouette and be sewn from soft and luxurious fabric. A woman should not feel that she is wearing a dress.
The right dress should “hug” a woman! And the woman, in turn, should feel like an unearthly, airy creature, weak and in need of protection.
Do you like to create only dresses or trousers are also welcomed by you in the women's wardrobe?
Of course, I am for trousers and their combinations with jackets. Modern women need to do so much! We are a couturier, we are simply obligated to create comfortable and beautiful things for you, including trousers. I was born in the East and lived in France, so I keep both eastern and western cultures in me, this helps me in my work.
What shades would you call the most fashionable this winter?
I am impressed with dark blue and indigo, bright scarlet and snow-white, as well as light hints of green and gray in clothes and accessories.
Thanks for the conversation, Rabi. We look forward to your new collections in Dubai.
