(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Lebanese American University Business School during their commencement ceremony over the weekend.
“When I started my career 33 years ago I had a burst of energy and determination to succeed,” Saab said during the ceremony, according to Beirut-based newspaper The Daily Star.
Saab, 50, was born in Beirut, where he launched his fashion label at age 18. Saab credits a “result of work and effort,” but admits that times have changed.
Saab said his interest in fashion started when he was 9-years-old, when he began making clothes for his sisters.
“Nowadays your future lies in education, which will help you fulfill your dreams,” Saab said. “Your degree is your key to the real world.”
In 2013, LAU teamed up with Saab to launch the university’s first English-language bachelor’s degree in fashion design. The program continues in collaboration with Saab’s brand and the London College of Fashion.
“This honorary degree has increased my responsibility,” Saab added, “I thank (LAU President Joseph) Jabra for the trust he put in me and I wish students all the luck and success.”
Saab is originally from Damour, a southern coastal Beirut suburb, but currently owns homes in Gemmayze, Rabieh, and Faqra. He also owns properties in France and Switzerland.
Saab has dressed over 150 international celebrities for key global events over the past year.
His creations can be found all over the world, with boutiques located in Beirut, Dubai, Doha, Paris, London, Geneva, Hong Kong, and Mexico. Saab has 100 retail outlets all over the world.