Meeting in Dubai with haute couture star Michael Cinco<

Fashion creators explore new ways to highlight their collections and promote their creativity in these troubled pandemic times of Cavid 19.Inspire Middle East met the famous creator Michael Cinco based in the United Arab Emirates to understand how he manages his Haute Couture house in this difficult period.

Daleen Hassan: It is not a secret to say that fashion has been harshly struck by Corona Virus.Can you tell us what difficulties you have to face during this particularly troubled period?And how did you have to adapt?

Michael Cinco: Fashion is one of the most fragile sectors in the face of disturbances and it depends heavily on purchases.It is also very strange for us because we no longer have fashion weekends.We must therefore find new ways to present our collections to the media and the world.I think the virtual parades and the marketing of our collections on Instagram and Facebook are essential.

DH: At the start of the pandemic, your workshop swapped red carpet dresses against medical blouses.What prompted you to join the "A Thread for Cause" initiative and to help workers who were on the front line?

MC: It's like it's time for me to think about my life and everything I was going to do in the future.And at the same time I said to myself, what can I do to give the United Arab Emirates who were very generous with me by supporting me and giving me the chance to open my business almost 23 years ago now in Dubai?So, I said "yes" right away when I was approached by the Arab fashion council to produce equipment for the nursing staff in partnership with the Dubai health authority.I think I produced 3.000 medical blouses.

"The Michael Cinco key"

DH: Michael, despite these difficult times, you have once again amazed us with your new collection "of unpachable dreams of hope".Can you explain to us what your inspiration is and tell us why you decided to release this more practical collection?

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MC: During confinement, I wanted to create a collection that invites people to dream and have faith in the future.It was then that people were fighting to survive.So I created a more practical collection.Most parts are recycled.I went to my warehouse and I saw lots of very beautiful fabrics that had not been used for many years.I took them, I drew patterns and created a very fresh, new and adaptable collections to the new world.

DH: With countries that impose restrictions on the size of weddings or other events, how are your customers's needs change?And how do you have to modify your creation process to adapt?

MC: First of all I think we have to adjust our prices because in these time of global recession no one really wants to spend or buy too expensive clothes.Before I had six -digit wedding dresses.I must now adapt the line of the bride's dress, I have to create something that adapts to the new normality, which means less volume.The dress must be simpler or less bulky but there is always the Michael Cinco touch.

DH: We are seeing more and more designers of East Asia or the Middle East presenting their collections in the middle of the signatures of haute couture.Do you think it's the golden age for creators of this part of the world?

MC: I think that stylists from the Middle East and in Asia in particular have a very sharp experience in sewing.We all come from the same place where women appreciate the creativity of haute couture pieces.Embroidery, crystal.In Europe we don't really count on this kind of details.I believe that fashion is flourishing here in the Middle East or Asia because there is a common feeling of belonging, that creators, customers and consumers understand each other.

DH: In your opinion, what will fashion look like when we are out of the pandemic?

MC: I am very optimistic about the fact that people will realize that it is time to be responsible when spending money, that women can do what it is to buy a haute couture garment or adear room that she can keep for life.It's an investment.The future for me is not dark.It is very important that people are positive and that they see rising half full rather than half empty.

"United for Lebanese creatives"

The fashion world, which has seen the birth and prosper stars like Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad and Reem Acra, is going through a triple crisis in Lebanon.Economic crisis, crisis related to the pandemic of Covid 19 and crisis linked to the explosion in the port of Beirut in August.

The “UNIS for Lebanese creative” campaign aims to help them.This is a crowdfunding initiative that has identified more than 30 Lebanese artists and designers, so losses amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.One of the beneficiaries of this aid is the creator Roni Helou.He created his brand in Beirut in 2017 on the principle of sustainable fashion.His workshop was devastated in August and the young 28 -year -old creator had no insurance."Because of the explosion we have a lot of material damage, in the workshop, the equipment, the machines, the patterns, the fabrics and the collection.We also had to cancel many orders.We estimate the damage at 15.000 dollars.We will use the collection money to rebuild the workshop, support the brand and continue to pay wages, "explains Roni Helou.

Roni lost an entire collection for men who was to be released in September in the United Arab Emirates.It was made up of environmentally friendly fabrics and materials from so-called "Dead Stocks".Like Roni, ready-to-wear or haute couture creators George Azzi and Assaad Osta are also concerned about the fashion approach.Installed in 2010, they dressed personalities like Sharon Stone and Queen Rania by Jordan.They are also beneficiaries of the "United Creatives" Fund "after the destruction of their new headquarters and their collection two months ago."We had damage at all levels.10 staff were injured.We lost the collections, embroidery, books and archives.There are at least 100.000 dollars and that will of course take no less than a year to rebuild everything, "says George Azzi, creative director of Azzi and Osta.

Lebanese creators have all the support of the fashion environment at the moment special.It was seen in September at Milan Fashion Week where six creators presented their collection in the middle of the industry giants."It was an extraordinary opportunity to be in Milan Fashion Week.This allowed us to rob the spotlight on our brand.We went just before the Valentino parade which gave us more visibility, hope and even the strength to continue, "says Assaad Osta, the creative director of Azzi and Osta.

Azzi and Osta, but also Roni, were proud to represent the creativity of their suffering country.And even more proud to present their brands to a world audience who had probably never been so attentive.