In Beirut, beauty often carries the weight of memory. During We Design Beirut, designer and storyteller Salim Azzam turned that idea into something quiet and deeply moving. Inside the Abroyan Factory, he gathered forty women from his atelier and invited them to do what they know best: embroider, together. Their hands moved in rhythm, the sound of thread and scissors filling the room. It was not a show. It was an act of remembrance.
Azzam’s work has always been rooted in intimacy and truth. His brand tells stories of the women of Mount Lebanon, whose embroidery preserves their history one stitch at a time. For We Design Beirut, he transformed that practice into a live experience. The women sat in a circle as the voice of Lynn Adib drifted through the space, set to music produced by Wassim Bou Malham. The room felt still yet alive, a place where art and emotion met. When the singing stopped, a long white embroidered fabric rested across forty empty chairs. It stood as a quiet reminder of presence, of time, of the hands that made it.
We Design Beirut has grown into a platform that celebrates the country’s creative spirit. It brings together artists and designers who see heritage as a foundation for innovation. Azzam fit seamlessly within this dialogue. His presentation spoke to the resilience of craft and to the way tradition continues to shape Lebanon’s contemporary identity.
Alongside the performance, an exhibition showcased archival embroideries created by women from Mount Lebanon. Each piece carried a story, both personal and collective. They reflected moments of care, repetition, and continuity. They reminded visitors that craftsmanship is not simply a skill but a form of storytelling passed through generations.
Azzam’s presence at We Design Beirut captured something essential about Lebanon today. His work is not loud, yet it speaks volumes. It honours the strength of community, the dignity of labour, and the poetry of human touch. In a city that rebuilds itself with quiet determination, his installation felt like a gentle promise that creation will always find its way through.
ALSO READ: STELLA MCCARTNEY CLOSES RIYADH FASHION WEEK 2025 WITH A NEW LANGUAGE OF LUXURY.
