Arab fashion is usually read through Beirut, and Coveti’s assortment reflects that: six of the eight Arab houses here are Lebanese. The region is not one industry though. Beirut built an export couture trade on hand embroidery, staffed by workrooms that count their careers in decades. Egypt and the Gulf are younger markets on different economics, and the designers working there are building at a different scale.
Coveti carries eight Arab houses. From Lebanon: Elie Saab, who opened his Beirut atelier in 1982; Zuhair Murad, beading eveningwear in Beirut since the 1990s; Tony Ward, working from an atelier founded in 1952; Gemy Maalouf, who founded her house in 1996; Saiid Kobeisy in eveningwear; and Alexandra Hakim, the jeweller of the group. From Egypt: Jayda Hany, and Marmar Halim, who works between Egypt and the UAE.
The weight of it is eveningwear and bridal. Sizes run on the UK ladder, and country of origin is stated on every product page, which matters here because it genuinely varies from one style to the next.
Coveti stocks 9 Arab houses and 2,158 styles, priced in USD with express delivery worldwide.
The Arab designers at Coveti
- Saiid Kobeisy is a Lebanese evening couture house founded in Beirut by the couturier of the same name, who began with private clients in 2000, opened his atelier in 2002. 678 styles in stock at Coveti.
- Gemy Maalouf 557 styles in stock at Coveti.
- Elie Saab 295 styles in stock at Coveti.
- Marmar Halim is a The Coveti guide to Marmar Halim Marmar Halim is the Dubai couture house for hand-pleated evening gowns and capes, founded in 2012 by the Egyptian designer of the same. 240 styles in stock at Coveti.
- Zuhair Murad is a Fashion Designer. 216 styles in stock at Coveti.
- Alexandra Hakim is a British-Lebanese jewellery designer who builds her collections out of things other people throw away. 74 styles in stock at Coveti.
- SemSem 56 styles in stock at Coveti.
- Tony Ward is the Beirut couture house that builds eveningwear the way an architect builds a facade. 39 styles in stock at Coveti.
- Jayda Hany 3 styles in stock at Coveti.
In stock now
Wool Bow Blouse in Italian Plum$1,420
V-neckline With Cape-like Back Dress$3,530
Velvet Pants$2,460
Zulema, Strapless Laser-Cut Crepe Gown With Corset And Cape$6,190
Lace & Satin Coat$6,500
Golden Horseshoe Brooch$410
Velvet Long Fitted Dress in Jet Black$620
V-Neck Dress with Embroidered Cape$2,930
Tweed Pants$1,800
Yuliet, Off-Shoulder Pleated Taffeta Fish-Cut Gown$7,130
Jersey Long Dress$6,530
Large Golden Horseshoe Earrings$570
Frequently asked questions
Which Arab designers does Coveti carry?
The list on this page is live: every house shown is stocked at Coveti today, and the count and the styles update with the catalogue. The largest ranges are Gemy Maalouf, Saiid Kobeisy and Elie Saab; the Egyptian and Gulf names are Marmar Halim, Jayda Hany and SemSem. Eveningwear leads, with ready to wear from the same ateliers alongside.
Are all Arab designers Lebanese?
No, though Beirut dominates the export trade and six of the eight houses here are Lebanese. That is a fact about the industry rather than the region. Lebanon built a couture business that sells abroad, so its names travel furthest. Egypt and the Gulf have their own designers working at a different scale, and Coveti carries Jayda Hany and Marmar Halim from that side.
What is Arab couture known for?
Hand embroidery and beadwork applied to eveningwear and bridal. The surface of the garment is built by hand rather than printed, which is why the work is slow and why the ateliers keep their embroiderers for decades. Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad and Tony Ward all built their names on that technique, and Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad both show on the Paris couture calendar.