BEIRUT — The gowns are cut low in the front, slashing down to the navel, or low in the back, swooping below the waist, inset with delicate see-through fabric. They couldn’t be further from the modest dress generally worn by women in the Muslim Arab world.
Yet these fashions come from Lebanon, a tiny Arab country of 4 million on the Mediterranean. A nation better known for military conflicts has produced an impressive crop of designers, such as Reem Acra and Elie Saab, whose work is showcased at celebrity events such as the Oscars and the Golden Globes.
“Lebanon’s name has always been synonymous with war, but when it comes to fashion . . . these designers really make us proud,” said Laura Seikaly, 39, who was among bikini-clad sunbathers on a beach north of Beirut.
