Elie Saab's Magical Empire

At his distinctive Parisian residence, the Lebanese designer reveals the secret of his eponymous brand.

- Eléonore Marchand

When we meet in his Paris residence, in the coveted residential neighbourhood of the 16th arrondissement, Elie Saab, casually dressed in black jeans and a black top, exudes warmth and kindness paired with endearing shyness and dignity. With a polite welcome, Monsieur Saab, as his entourage calls him, immediately scans his surroundings with an observant gaze and adjusts the flowers on the dining room table.

The Parisian apartment seems to reflect the Saab aesthetics: classic luxury with a modern twist, all of it meticulously composed. High ceilings with 19th-century crown mouldings and parquet floors are juxtaposed throughout with elements of modern design in a dominant colour palette of black and gold. In the entrance, oversize custom-made floor lamps, created in collaboration with Lebanese architect Chakib Richani, light up the room. Marble tables with steel legs, also designed by Richani, set a modern tone.

In the majestic living room, an antique crystal and gilded bronze chandelier hangs over a pair of black custom-made Italian cubic coffee tables and Italian black woven-leather sofas. The elegance and grandeur of the room are whimsically offset with an aluminium chair and decorative circular sculptures discovered in a flea market artfully positioned by the beautifully draped French windows.

“I like the mix and match of this apartment,” says Saab. “Classic French and modern at the same time with ’70s influences. I like how the sunlight comes in the apartment. I feel very comfortable when I’m here.”

Saab, along with Claudine, his wife of 27 years, and their three sons, Elie Jr., Selim, and Michel, divide their time between France and Lebanon, their country of origin. And while they consider Paris their home in many ways and certainly an important hub of the Elie Saab brand, Beirut seems to be where the heart of Saab belongs.