I totally missed the boat on Oscar 2009 fashion commentary and this despite the Lebanese coming out with a very solid showing this year - really great for such a teeny tiny little country in a pocket of the planet not exactly renowned for its aesthetic sensibilities (not in this particular century, anyway). 

I might have forgone commentary entirely this year had it not been for my mother (hi, mom!). Unrelenting in her efforts to broker a peace agreement between me and the Arabic-language-only satellite broadcasting television set in the kitchen, together we watched a lot of SCOOP! (Arabic version of ET, Access Hollywood, etc…) over my recent trip home, and I saw too much to let it go unacknowledged.

Disclaimer: I did poke a bit of innocent fun at the Lebanese tendency to go overboard on paillettes, gold lamé, and glitter makeup in my first novel, Fashionably Late, but you’ve got to admit - it makes for good showmanship. These stars agree - here’s a sampling of gowns designed by Lebanese at the Academy Awards:

Miley Cyrus in Zuhair Murad

Viola Davis (gold) in Reem Acra

Queen Latifah in Georges ChakraAnd Ms. Jolie in ( heavily altered) Elie Saab

(Hmm.. might Angie have gotten better reviews had she not taken an hatchet to Mr. Saab’s original design?…)

The Money Shot - what I would wear, should I one day be up there for Best Adapted Screenplay for Fashionably Late:

Elie Saab - Summer 2009

And kudos to a fantabulous blog I unearthed in my search for Lebanese fashion online - Baba Gannouj and La Zaytouni, a male/female duo of hip, hilarious, and seriously opinionated Lebanese bloggers. For more Lebanese fashion (and political commentary, if you are so inclined), check out La Zaytouni’s posts. 

When I saw Jill Biden’s gorgeous red strapless frock, I thought it might be a Ralph Lauren. Jill - whom I’d read about in Vogue a few months back - seems like the poster girl for East Coast, summering-in-the-Cape American glitteratti. So imagine my surprise when I find out Jill is wearing none other than Reema Acra, Lebanese designer to high society ladies. Is the shift from tired, old political and economic ideas going to run parallel to a shift away from established designers, towards a more glodal, inclusive vision where America is no longer in a class by itself but part of the mosaic of world cultures?

We shall see.

In the meantime, here’s Reem’s bio (I am totally digging that she and my dad attended the same University… the AUB was the first University campus I’d ever seen and its gorgeous, sprawling green spaces would become the benchmark by which I judged campuses when it was my turn to go to college. The AUB is probably responsible for my hated for Concordia’s bleak, grey “urban campus” ).

From Reem’s website:

Influenced by her mother’s impeccable style and love of fashion, Reem was always fascinated by design. As a little girl, she accompanied her mother to fabric stores to learn about the finest fabrics, textures and design details such as hand-embroidery that would later become signature elements of her iconic style. As Reem grew up, her passion for design continued to evolve and she began designing dresses for herself, which were brought to life by her personal couturier.
After graduating high school, Reem studied business at the American University of Beirut, where she was discovered at a party by a fashion editor who was captivated by Reem’s dress - an ornate gown of silk organza and museum quality embroidery that was made from her mother’s dining room tablecloth. The woman instantly offered to host a fashion show of Reem’s designs which took place ten days following the chance encounter, and weeks later Reem was off to study in New York at the Fashion Institute of Technology and later its Paris counterpart at Esmond.

Following her studies, Reem traveled the world, drawing inspiration from the diverse countries she visited. After working as an interior designer for a few years, Reem continued to develop her craft in Hong Kong and New York where she returned to her fashion roots. In less than 10 years her atelier gained international recognition, sparked by a high society friend wearing Reem’s first bridal design, a simple yet embellished creation, to her society wedding. Soon after, Reem launched her first collection, Reem Acra Bridal, which elevated classic bridal designs through the use of the finest silks and intricate beading and embroidery