- Title: LEBANON-FASHION EVENT Vintage fashion show held in Beirut
- Date: 14th September 2015
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE STYLIST AND ACTOR, LARY BOU SAFI, SAYING: "I think this is a very positive thing for Beirut because it removes all barriers between the male society, manhood and the idea of feminism which was unexpected."
- Embargoed: 29th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Lebanon
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA3T1E92QIBOASF503YN1GAMELC
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: As fashion capitals around the world unveil their latest collections, the Lebanese capital Beirut is hosting an alternative fashion event featuring vintage clothes and highlighting domestic violence.
The event, entitled "What Happened to the Beirut Fashion Week Anyway?" is a far cry from the fashion weeks taking place this month in New York, London, Milan and Paris.
Organiser Bshara Atallah, who is also a wardrobe stylist and actor, said the show was not only about clothes but also vintage fabrics, furniture, cinema posters, chandeliers and other designer art pieces.
"I invited a lot of people I know - friends and others with whom I did not work before - to participate in order to transform the space of this exhibition, that is usually very white and where people sees static items and paintings, to an organic place where everything is moving all the time. I decided to have four seasons during the exhibition on-going for a month with a week for each season," he said on Thursday (September 10) at the show's opening night.
Vintage products and artworks were also available for purchase.
Actress Diamand Bou Abboud visited the gallery for the opening ceremony and said she was impressed with what was on offer.
"This is great, the collection is amazing. You can't find it anywhere, every piece is in itself an 'oeuvre d'art' (art piece)," she said.
The event opened with a fashion show with a twist - male models dressed in vintage women's clothes, and make up that made them looked like they'd been attacked.
Atallah said he wanted the show to raise awareness about violence towards women in Lebanon.
"I decided to do the fashion show in a very different and strange frame to express something the people and audience are not very used to: seeing the torturer in the victim's clothes," he said.
The idea drew praise from members of the 200 strong audience, including from art professor Mona Asmar.
"I think Bshara (the organiser) did something very new and very beautiful for the country, because we have never seen a show like this especially dedicated for violated women," she said.
Another audience member, actor and stylist Lary Bou Safi, said the show broke barriers.
"I think this is a very positive thing for Beirut because it removes all barriers between the male society, manhood and the idea of feminism which was unexpected," added Lary Bou Safi.
'What Happened To The Beirut Fashion Week Anyway?' will run until October 10. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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