THE HANDS ARE THE WORKING ORGANS OF THE HEART.
THE HANDS ARE THE WORKING ORGANS OF THE HEART.
Creative Space Beirut is a social enterprise (CSB-SE) that provides structures and resources for the development of progressive design practices in the region. Through its school of design, fashion label, and online retail platform, the enterprise intertwines technical and creative education with various businesses and socio-cultural initiatives. This has yielded a holistic and critical approach to design, education and production.
CSB-SE is committed to conscious, critical growth. It works to galvanize its revenue-generating branches in order to develop a fully independent ‘circular’ financial model, which safeguards the entreprise's commitment to inclusivity and progress. This model also allows the entreprise to diversify and empower educational branches by expanding programs and enhancing curriculums while generating healthy livelihoods, equal opportunity, and ethical practices in the creative industry.
CSB-SE nurtures a space of resistance and adaptation in an environment facing great socio-political, economic, and ecological challenges. This context is precisely what warrants the most innovation and the greatest leaps in design practices.
The enterprise advocates an emancipated future, where the gaps of prejudice and inequality are closed through education and conscious labor by way of design.
CSB-SE was launched in 2011 with the pilot version of Creative Space Beirut School of Design (CSB-SD). Since then, 45 students have been educated under 42 instructors and 320 individuals have participated in workshops, fashion shows, exhibitions and other activities within the ecosystem. With the resources, training ,and support provided by CSB-SD, students have gone on to pursue master's programs and apprenticeships abroad, teach at various local institutions, enjoy illustrious careers in the fashion industry, and launch internationally recognized and awarded brands.
In-house brands and production projects support tailors from vulnerable backgrounds and maintain a healthy ecological footprint by relying primarily on materials donated from excess within the fashion industry.
At the heart of the social enterprise is CSB-SD, a tuition-free school for fashion design that offers an intensive 3 year program. The versatile environment supports the development of design thinking and design practice through a robust, tightly knitted network of students, teachers, and residents.
Through critical, dialogical, and experiential approaches to design learning, and an extensive alumni support system, the CSB-SD community tasks itself in engineering designer/citizens with the ability to maneuver complex socio-political conditions while building meaningful, and enduring practices.
CSB-SD STUDENTS
CSB-SD is radically committed to diversity and inclusivity within its programs. Each year, a small pool of students are admitted on the sole basis of talent and determination, and are financially supported throughout their journey.
Students are aged between 16 and 25, and hail from all over Lebanon, as well as from Palestinian and Syrian refugee communities.
CSB-SD ADMISSIONS
CSB-SD selects students that possess talent, drive and a positive work ethic through an intimate application process with a competitive acceptance rate.
On average, 50% of 150 applicants are selected per year for interviews based on their portfolios, and talent. The process privileges students from strained economic and social backgrounds.
15 applicants are then chosen to participate in a rigorous workshop program in order to assess their creative potential and character.
Lastly, between 5 and 7 students are selected to join the program.
CSB-SD EDUCATION
CSB-SD encourages peer-to-peer learning and creates individualized paths of study where students produce their own work under the mentorship of local and international artists and designers.
The curriculum combines advanced technical training with courses involving creative research and development, the humanities and critical theory. This gives students ample means to develop systemic and transdisciplinary practices, all the while providing a more holistic understanding of design.
CSB-SD shares its campus and is positively integrated with the various businesses and initiatives of the CSB SOCIAL ENTERPRISE (CSB-SE).
Students quickly become integral to its operating structure and workflows as a form of diversified technical training. This ensures an intimate exposure and a dynamic cross-pollination between liberal arts education and real-world practices.
Students are also given thorough industry experience. Throughout their enrollment, they collaborate with boutiques, private clients and other industry players, and engage in various forms of production, from photoshoots and fashion shows, to producing collections in volume. They are also required to perform at least three termed internships.
CSB-SD ALUMNI SUPPORT PROGRAM
Graduating Students are offered admission to the optional Alumni Support Program, which provides a customized structure of support to students following graduation.
The program assists alumni in networking and career opportunities, acting as a foot up into the competitive fashion world. This also includes in-depth consultancy, continued training, media support, and access to resources from various branches of the Social Enterprise. In exceptional cases
CSB-SD provides seed funding for student start-ups.
CSB-SD has been able to guarantee an 80% success rate of job placement within the industry for its graduates. Alumni have gone on to work as designers, others as patternmakers and stylists. Some launched their own brands such as GOODKILL by Hazem Kais, RONI HELOU, and AHMED AMER. Others teach at renowned universities such as Académie Libanaise Des Beaux-Arts (ALBA), Lebanese American University (LAU), as well as CSB-SD. Alumni also partook in international exhibitions and fashion shows and work or collaborated with designers and boutiques locally
and internationally.
CSB-SD FASHION SHOWS AND EXHIBITIONS
CSB-SD intimately engages it’s local community and the international fashion scene. The collaborations, exhibitions and fashion shows expose emerging talent in the region to themselves and to the world.
At the conclusion of each year, all students produce a collection which competes for a slot at the final year fashion show. The momentous event engages the community through musical collaborations, model training, and an extensive volunteer program. Student designs are sold to help sustain the school.
To date, our student work has been exhibited in the following venues:
FASHION FORWARD (DUBAI, OCTOBER 2019)
Alumni Hazem Kais and Roni Helou participated in Fashion Forward Dubai - FFD19, a fashion platform for the Gulf and Middle East where Hazem unveiled his debut collection “Expression 1” for GOODKILL and Roni showed his Fall/Winter 2019 collection for his eponymous brand.
SANTIAGO (BEIRUT, MAY 2018)
A collection of dresses was designed exclusively for Santiago by CSB-SD alumni and students in collaboration with the buyer and launched at the Santiago boutique in a choreographed dance sequence
VILLA AUDI (BEIRUT, NOVEMBER 2015)
Weaving the Sea is an exhibition that brought together craftsmen and designers from the different shores of the Mediterranean. Students worked with Spanish textile artist Carlos Salvador to create an elaborate patchwork coat that was displayed at Villa Audi.
LA GRANDE BRASSERIE DU LEVANT (BEIRUT, JULY 2014)
CSB-SD took part in a group exhibition titled Creativity and Regeneration which displayed various design and art initiatives that were born and bred in Mar Mikhael in an effort to promote local work.
6:05 AT DEPECHEMODE (BEIRUT, AUGUST 2012)
Creative Space Beirut displayed its items in an exhibition at concept store 6:05 Depeche Mode to experiment with working in a retail environment. The exhibition showcased and sold the collaborative student work.
EGYPT FASHION WEEK (CAIRO, MAY 2023)
Egypt’s first fashion week included exhibitions, fashion shows and panel discussions with influential figures from the international fashion industry. CSB exhibited the work of selected alumni and students, and co-founder Sarah Hermez took part in a panel discussion.
SANTIAGO (BEIRUT, MAY 2019)
A collection of dresses was designed and produced exclusively for Santiago Boutique by CSB-SD’s third year students Amir Al Kasm and Ahmad Abdellatif. The students worked with the boutique buyer to customize dresses for their clientele.
YARED WAREHOUSE (BEIRUT, NOVEMBER 2018)
An exhibition showcasing collections by students, graduates and alumni, as well as the school’s in-house brands (Second ST and csb ready-to-wear). The highly-anticipated event saw over 500 attendees and concluded the 2018 edition of CSB-SD’s annual fashion show.
FOCH SQUARE (BEIRUT, NOVEMBER 2017)
A live fashion show was curated displaying the thesis collections of the graduating class, as well as selected pieces from 1st and 2nd year student collections. The show was followed by a one week static exhibition at the CSB-SD studios downtown as part of Khan El Joukh’s launch.
DAR EL-NIMER FOR ARTS AND CULTURE (BEIRUT, DECEMBER 2016)
CSB-SD displayed the work of its first five graduating students in a live fashion show. The private show was followed by a two day static exhibition open and sold to the public.
4 CONCEPT STORE (KUWAIT, OCTOBER 2015)
CSB-SD collaborated with the concept store 4, based in Kuwait, in which each student created individual collections working closely with the buyer. After exhibiting their collections, 4 provided one student with a grant to create an exclusive winter collection for its prestigious store.
CONTEMPORARY ART PLATFORM (KUWAIT, OCTOBER 2014)
The school’s first regional exhibition outside Lebanon where student designs and CB brands were displayed and sold in a fundraising collaboration with local PR company Pretty Little Thangs. A wall installation showcased the origin story of Creative Space Beirut.
BSOUS SILK MUSEUM (BEIRUT, JULY 2013)
CSB-SD received a grant to bring artist Denise Maroney from New York to teach a silk workshop at the school. The results of the workshop, including a collaborative silk embroidery piece and silk painted scarves, were exhibited at the Silk Museum in Bsous.
BOKJA DESIGN STUDIO (BEIRUT, JUNE 2013)
Creative Space Beirut exhibited and sold their 2013 collaborative collection at Bokja Design Studio. The exhibition, which saw over 200 attendees, was the final show during Beirut Design Week.
BEIRUT ART CENTER (BEIRUT, MARCH 2012)
This week-long exhibition was the first CSB-SD show in a gallery space. The exhibition showcased and sold collaborative student work. The exhibition brought upwards of 300 attendees.
SAIFI URBAN GARDENS (BEIRUT, AUGUST 2011)
The CSB-SD pilot project took place over three months in an underground studio in Saifi Urban Gardens, and included five preliminary students. A collaborative collection was created and displayed in an exhibition. All thirty pieces were sold by auction.
COLLABORATIONS
Collaborations are an essential means of outreach and growth for the CSB Social Enterprise. In-house labels frequently partner with members of the design community, as well as alumni and students of CSB-SD, to create special edition items and capsule collections.
Throughout their enrollment, CSB-SD students collaborate with boutiques, private clients and other industry players, to engage in various forms of production - from photoshoots and fashion shows, to producing collections in volume.
KILOMETRE X CSB - 2022
Creative Space Beirut School of Design hackers were provided with items from Kilometre Paris collections, each marked with embroidered or printed details from settings across the globe, and tasked with breathing new life into them.
STUDIO COLLEKTIF X CSB - 2020
In December 2020 CSB launched a collaboration with the online shop Studio Collectif to design detachable collars. The teams worked closely together from fabric choice to design to come up with products that showcased their commonalities.
CSB-SD X SANTIAGO - 2019
A collection of dresses was designed exclusively for Santiago by CSB-SD alumni and students and launched at the Santiago boutique with the dresses displayed in motion in a curated dance sequence.
CSB-SD X FASHION TRUST ARABIA - 2020
Fashion Trust Arabia (FTA) is an NGO that provides financial and business support and exposure to fashion designers in the MENA region. CSB-SD collaborated with FTA to produce a line of WHO approved, limited-edition, high-end face masks which were sold online.
CSB X INAASH - 2018 - ONGOING
Inaash is a Lebanese NGO that generates employment for Palestinian refugee women through the preservation and promotion of Palestinian embroidery. CSB frequently collaborates with them to create embroidered wearables.
CSB-SD X BOKJA DESIGN STUDIO - 2023
CSB-SD students received five intensive workshops at Bokja Design ‘s inspiring atelier. Abu Yusif, Bokja’s deeply knowledgeable head embroiderer, taught the students how to navigate the embroidery machine and introduced them to its various intricate possibilities and techniques.
CSB X L’ ARTISAN DU LIBAN - 2018
Creative Space Beirut ready-to-wear created a collection incorporating their signature styles with special edition L’artisan du Liban fabrics. The collection was sold at the L’artisan du Liban’s boutique.
WEAVING THE SEA - 2015
The exhibition (Weaving the Sea) displayed the results of collaborations that brought together craftsmen and designers from the different shores of the Mediterranean. Students worked with Spanish textile artist Carlos Salvador to create an elaborate patchwork coat.
4 CONCEPT STORE (KUWAIT, OCTOBER 2015)
CSB-SD collaborated with the concept store 4, based in Kuwait, in which each student created individual collections. After exhibiting their collections, 4 provided one student with a grant to create an exclusive winter collection for its prestigious store.
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS
We offer a wide range of clothing manufacturing services for corporate projects, costumes for companies, gowns for hospitals, silkscreen and embroidery. We can help you create custom uniforms, branded apparel, and promotional products that will help you achieve your marketing goals. We have a team of experienced designers and manufacturers who can create the perfect clothing solution for your needs. We offer a variety of fabrics, colors, and styles to choose from, and we can also customize your clothing with your branding, or other artwork.
We understand that every project is different, so we offer a personalized approach to clothing manufacturing. We are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality clothing manufacturing services. We use only the finest materials and workmanship, and we are dedicated to meeting your expectations.
SOUL KITCHEN - 2023
CSB designed and produced detachable collars for the staff uniforms of the Dubai-based restaurant/bar Soul Kitchen. The in-house teams worked together to design the collars, implementing a silk screen motif.
SKIN CARE NATION - 2023
CSB designed and produced uniforms for Skin Care Nation by Faces Middle East - pop-ups in the Gulf Countries that offer educational recommendations for personalized skincare routines.
KINTSUGI - 2023
CSB designed and produced custom t-shirts for staff uniforms for Kintsugi, a boutique hotel, restaurant and bar in Beirut.
BOOMERANG - 2021
CSB designed and produced custom hoodies for staff gifting for Beirut Based content creation company, Boomerang Studios.
BALLROOM BLITZ
CSB designed and produced shirts for the staff of Ballroom Blitz, one of Beirut's leading nightlife venues.
CSB X UNICEF Lebanon - 2020
In response to the rise of COVID-19, CSB converted its facilities into a 100% safe working space to produce and distribute 4,500 free PPE items to hospitals in a project supported by UNICEF, offering income to 17 people from the CSB community during a time of crisis.
PwC X CSB - 2020
CSB collaborated with PwC to produce 17,550 WHO approved, custom-made, non-medical masks to be distributed across PwC’s global offices. The production process engaged CSB’s team, students and alumni, as well as tailors from marginalized communities.
HEISCO - 2020
CSB designed and produced 120,000 protective face masks for the staff of Heisco, an engineering company based in Kuwait.
THE LABEL
CSB is the flagship label of the Creative Space Beirut Social Enterprise. It is at the core of the enterprise's circular financial sustainability model, while providing the grounds for experimentation and evolution in industry practices.
The label operates as a dynamic design collaboration between the students, alumni, teachers and affiliates of CSB-SD. It deploys a living collection of wearables, accessories and functional surfaces reflecting a process of trend-transcendent design thinking, conscious collaboration, and sustainable local manufacturing.
CSB-WORLD
csb-world
CSB-WORLD is the online retail platform of the label csb and a portal to visual and artistic explorations that take place on and beyond the csb-sd campus.
The website provides products from the csb-sd community. these include alumni collaborations, selected student work, treasures from our workshops, and more.
A portion of all sales is diverted to the school, and consumers are also given the option to donate directly.
CSB WORKSHOPS
CSB-SD invites the public to take part in an array of evening workshops held by industry professionals, including some of the school’s instructors and alumni. These take place at our space in Beirut.
The school is currently working on developing an online subscription-based education platform, CSB-WORKSHOPS.
The website will provide on-going specialized coursework through the critical and holistic learning approaches of the CSB School of Design, which provide a healthy balance of Theory, Practice, Creativity and Critical Self-Reflection.
PRESS AND MEDIA
CSB-SE has been featured extensively in both Lebanese and international media outlets, including Vogue, Marie Claire, Al Jazeera News, Le Monde, Brownbook, PopSugar, Al-Jadeed, L’Officiel, Suitcase, Elle, and more..
CSB STUDIO
Creative Space Beirut Social Enterprise is currently located on Monot Street, Beirut. It comprises the school campus, enterprise offices, and the CSB store and showroom. The street-level space invites public interaction while still providing an intimate setting for production and collaboration across the various branches.
SUPPORT
The Social Enterprise’s growth is made possible through the support of the Drosos Foundation.
Throughout the years the Social enterprise has also received support from generous individual sponsors and international partnerships. Fabric stores and fashion designers such as Urban Zen, Arje, Derek Lam and Diane von Furstenberg have donated textiles for students to use.
DONATE
CSB-SE aims to achieve a fully circular financial model through it’s in-house brand, CSB.
The enterprise is still operating through generous donations from institutions and individuals and is always seeking to diversify its sources of funding.
Please reach out if you are interested in supporting free, inclusive, design education.
CREATIVE SPACE BEIRUT
+ 961 81 32 67 73 / + 961 1 20 10 88
GROUND FLOOR, MONOT RESIDENCE BUILDING.
MONOT STREET, BEIRUT, LEBANON.