Meet Mariane Bechara, The Lebanese Designer Who Fuses Luxury with Modernity.

Nowadays, it’s all about young and emerging talents and Lebanese fashion designer Mariane Bechara is a great testament to that.

Bechara, who graduated with a BA in Advertising and Marketing in Beirut, pursued a Fashion design degree in Milan, and made her dream come true by starting a propsperous career in fashion design and launching her own label. Through her haute couture and ready-to-wear namesake brand, Mariane made sure to make her glamorous and unique pieces speak to the confident and contemporary woman.

Special Madame Arabia’s team caught up with the young and talented designer who has made a name for herself in both the regional and International fashion scene, as she opens up about her career, her life and much more.

What is your favorite part about being a designer?

Being a designer enables me to take part in every customer’s joyful moments and that’s perhaps my favorite thing about my job. And it comes without saying as well that I really revel in all the aspects of designing wedding and evening gowns and ready to wear pieces, from the creative parts to the artistic and technical ones. If it’s contributing in making the experience better, then it’s high on top of my list.

What was the first piece you ever designed?

The first piece I have ever designed was a black, princess-cut dress. It was a thin-striped dress, hand-embroidered from the top and matched with a billowing bottom. I remember very well the first few moments I came up with the design, all the way to the creation and execution. To be honest, this particular design holds a very dear place in my heart, so much so that I call it our “Lucky” piece. It is actually still in demand till this very day and we make sure to still produce it with the same drive as we did the very first time. In fact, the last time we did so was only 2 months ago… a truly unforgettable gown.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs and what influences them?

From everywhere and anywhere! It’s a long process but with the help of my amazing team, we’ve succeeded in giving life to our abstract thoughts!

Who was the first celebrity to wear your brand and who would like to work with in the future?

The first celebrity to ever wear our brand was Singer Abeer Nehme, styled by Cedric Haddad several months after our launching in 2017. At the time, she had three consecutive concerts and wanted pieces that truly reflected her personality. With that being said, we designed three gowns to complement her events.

As to who I would like to work with in the future, I can’t really say I have someone in mind. The only thing I can say is that I would really like to work with anyone who identifies with the brand and truly represents it.

How do you want women to feel when wearing your clothes?

Three words come to mind: remembered, confident and unique. I like women to always be engraved in people’s minds and hearts when wearing our dresses, and I work with my customers with the tiniest details in order to make that happen. But my job doesn’t end here, as I make sure to help them style the piece they chose with the appropriate complementary designs in order to top off the look.

How to deal with a difficult bride?

In my opinion there is no such thing as a difficult bride. I mean, brides are more often than not a little bit stressed about their big day – and who can blame them really, it is completely normal. Our job is to try as much as we can, as a team, to make them feel at ease in the process in order for them to make the right decision and more importantly, for us to turn their ideas into reality. Every woman dreams of her wedding day, and when that day comes, we want to make sure she looks perfect in her gown. Also, most of our brides have become really good friends of mine!

Are you passionate about something apart from fashion?

I always used to say that if hadn’t become a designer, I would have definitely majored in a law.

Describe a typical day in your life.

My typical working day consists of me arriving to the showroom, checking on my team and the atelier’s work, preparing the fittings of the day, designing new custom-made gowns for customers and last but not least, preparing the collections to come. I usually make sure to make the most out of a working day as it usually starts very early in the morning, and finishes late at night. In fact, I am always the last person to leave the showroom – happily so, might I add.

What role do you think social media plays in fashion today?

Just like every other industry in the world, social media has become very crucial to the success of any business. Things have become way easier for business owners nowadays, as they are now able to push their products with just one click of a bottom and of course, the right strategy. So when I think about fashion and as I scroll through my Instagram feed, I am amazed by how far we’ve gotten with social media, and believe me, it makes all the difference! I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say that we’ve reached the four corners of the world thanks to social media.

What’s next for your brand?

A whole lot of development for sure! I won’t give away a spoiler, but I’m definitely aiming at elaborating our ready-to-wear line, and of course at expanding the brand more and more internationally.