General Information
Creative Space Beirut is a free school for fashion design that provides quality education to talented youth from low socio-economic backgrounds. We believe that there is so much talent in Lebanon that is being wasted merely because education is so expensive. It is our mission to find these talented gems and provide them with the education they need to be able to pursue their dreams. In operation for eight years, the school has grown from a three-month project in the basement of a hostel, to a three-year program with two adjacent, bright, and spacious rent-free studios in Downtown Beirut Souks! We offer a comprehensive, quality program built on a holistic curriculum that utilizes alternative methods of education where technical skills are embedded in the creative process, empowering our students from the get go. Our program is entirely free of charge, covering supplies and transportation as well.
Our students come from different backgrounds across Lebanon, including Palestinian and Syrian refugees. The school provides a space of radical tolerance and acceptance for its diverse students. Our system of free education and subsequent support disrupts current creative industry infrastructures that make it difficult for those without financial means to penetrate the design world. Our aim is to promote equal opportunity into the industry, making it more accessible to those with vision and dedication, regardless of social or economic barriers. Our graduates have gone off to start their own brands, gain positions at exciting labels, teach at universities, and pursue their masters.
Creative Space Beirut is funded predominantly through student-based scholarships sponsored by generous individuals who believe in the importance of free creative education. Sources of funding firstly include donors. We received a generous contribution from Drosos Foundation that will help fund our project for four years. We also receive funding from individual donors who sponsor our students. We organize evening fashion workshops that take place in our space and the proceeds generated are donated to the school. However, the school also raises funds through the following:
Events: Creative Space Beirut collaborates with an array of venues and partners to emphasize the significance of free education every year. Notably, the organization partners with AHM (a sought-after nightlife destination in Beirut) each year to co-host a fundraiser party. This event is advertised through social media, and a percentage of the profits made at the fundraiser is donated to Creative Space Beirut.
Exhibitions: Every year, the Creative Space Beirut students are provided with the opportunity to showcase and sell their pieces at a post-fashion show exhibition. The profits are donated to Creative Space Beirut.
Social Enterprise:
In order to achieve Creative Space Beirut’s vision of building an ecosystem and expanding the educational program, the team has developed a social enterprise with the aim of self-sustainability. The social enterprise currently consists of three in-house brands and an online shop that will be launched in 2019. A percentage of the profits from the social enterprise is donated to the school each year.
csb ready-to-wear is a brand designed by head mentor and co-founder Caroline Simonelli, and produced by the Creative Space Beirut team.
SECOND ST is a brand with a playful take on the classic shirt. The brand is designed and managed by Tracy Moussi, Sarah Hermez and George Rouhana.
Roni Helou is the namesake brand of Creative Space Beirut graduate, Roni Helou. The brand is managed by Creative Space Beirut’s team.
Our team has expertise in fashion design production, website development, eCommerce development, photography, videography and content management. The team is composed of three co-founders, five head designers, art department head, graphic designers, a pattern-maker, a production manager, a content manager and an eCommerce manager.
In business for three years, Tracy Moussi (Director and Co-founder) is the Director of the social enterprise and co-founder of the brand “Second St”, a socially conscious brand with a progressive take on the classic shirt, and stands as one of the head designers. Sarah Hermez (Co-founder) is also the co-founder of the brand “Second St.” and also head designer. She is a Lebanese fashion designer who pursued dual degrees in fashion design at Parsons the New School for Design and media/cultural studies at Eugene Lang the New School for Liberal Arts in New York. She moved to Beirut in 2010 and launched Creative Space Beirut, merging the two worlds she is passionate about and bridging the social and the creative industries. She continues to direct the program and act as mentor to the students.
George Rouhana (Co-founder and Head of Art Department) is also the third head designer of Second St brand, in addition to handling all activities related to production and developing content for the website, online shop, and social media platforms. Caroline Simonelli (Designer of csb-ready-to-wear brand) is a Lebanese/American designer who teaches fashion design at Parsons the New School for Design in New York. Caroline travels from New York to Beirut twice a year to teach at Creative Space Beirut. Caroline is also the designer of csb-ready-to-wear brand, a “one size fits most” concept of nomadic clothing. Roni Helou (Fashion designer) is a designer who graduated from Creative Space Beirut in December 2016. He creates modern pieces that strive for originality while building an ecosystem that preserves the brand's values of sustainability, eco-friendliness and ethical practices. Furthermore, the brand strives to be socially-conscious, not only in its production methods, which are entirely local and promote fair practices, but also through collaboration with local artists and artisans. The brand also gives back to its community by donating 30% of its profits to Creative Space Beirut.
The Development Manager, Jennifer Jahjah, is responsible for the school, supervising the funding budget, applying to donors and grants, organizing workshops, and managing the overall project. Our content manager, Yasmin Harake, is responsible for creating content for print, digital and social media. Graphic designer Yaman Tomeh ensures the quality of print and digital images. We are currently in the process of expanding our art department and marketing team. The production manager of CSB ready-to-wear and alumna, Aline Seukunian, ensures designs are produced as meticulously as possible. The eCommerce manager, Leen Akkad, attended a digital marketing bootcamp to provide her with the skills and knowledge needed to boost our online shop. Each team member will be responsible for certain tasks in visual identity, social media and marketing.
