Saiid Kobeisy on designing for Queen Rania of Jordan and fashion as the most powerful art – The National

Saiid Kobeisy on designing for Queen Rania of Jordan and fashion as the most powerful art – The National

Lebanese designer Saiid Kobeisy is a trusted go-to for many women across the region, having spent more than two decades hand-crafting feminine occasionwear and gowns that have a fairy-tale aesthetic. With light-as-air tulle something of a signature for the house, in Kobeisy’s hands, it arrives tapered to skim the body, or gathered into cloudlike skirts spun from metres of fabric. Surfaces, meanwhile, are decorated with a discreet patina of embroidery.From dresses, gowns and one-of-a-kind couture creations to wedding looks, Kobeisy has done it all. With the ability to create looks that are both modern yet deeply feminine – often featuring sculptural folds, pleats and silhouettes paired with cinched waists and full skirts – the designer has won over legions of fans across the globe and established himself as a go-to for brides in search of the perfect, dainty story book-inspired dress.Kobeisy, the son of a Beiruti boutique owner, spent his childhood among the gowns at his father’s shop. Captivated by the store’s glamour and romance, he soon developed his own sense of taste, and before long, he was offering advice to the customers around him. As he got older, this eye for design solidified, and by 2000, he was designing