THE DESIGNER
Born and raised in Lebanon, Gianni Maanaki is a self-taught designer who has been forging his passion since a very young age.
THE DESIGNER
Born and raised in Lebanon, Gianni Maanaki is a self-taught designer who has been forging his passion since a very young age.
This excitement for design and fashion was initially met with opposition from his father who believed men in the Middle East should pursue the more traditional career paths of medicine, engineering or law. Despite this, he left Beirut for the North of Lebanon and opened a shop with just two employees. Word of his presence spread quickly and in no time at all, the attractive and distinct designs he was producing became increasingly popular.
His career kicked off properly right after he opened his first haute couture store in the Northern region of Lebanon. Demand for his work, saw his staffing quickly increase to 20 and he began exhibiting at prestigious fashion shows in Beirut, Qatar and Dubai. His business began to boom as did his reputation as a distinguished designer and he soon counted renowned celebrities and Royal families among his client portfolio.
This excitement for design and fashion was initially met with opposition from his father who believed men in the Middle East should pursue the more traditional career paths of medicine, engineering or law. Despite this, he left Beirut for the North of Lebanon and opened a shop with just two employees. Word of his presence spread quickly and in no time at all, the attractive and distinct designs he was producing became increasingly popular.
His career kicked off properly right after he opened his first haute couture store in the Northern region of Lebanon. Demand for his work, saw his staffing quickly increase to 20 and he began exhibiting at prestigious fashion shows in Beirut, Qatar and Dubai. His business began to boom as did his reputation as a distinguished designer and he soon counted renowned celebrities and Royal families among his client portfolio.
Some 36 years later, with fashion shows extending from the Middle East to Canada behind him, his reputation as a world-class designer in the fashion scene has been cemented, and today he looks to focus on Pret a porter garments as well as the haute couture lines for which he is so known and respected. His Avant-Garde vision helps him create outfits that make women’s dreams come true and portray their femininity in an elegant and charming way, and his many high profile clients serve to further boost his popularity and credibility within the fashion industry.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t always plain sailing for Gianni, and some unfortunate and unforeseeable events in his personal life, would see his physical ability to draw seriously restricted and his career put on hold for 5 years. Still, his love for fashion never stopped and with the support of his family he re-visited his passion for design in 2013 with even more enthusiasm and ardor.
Some 36 years later, with fashion shows extending from the Middle East to Canada behind him, his reputation as a world-class designer in the fashion scene has been cemented, and today he looks to focus on Pret a porter garments as well as the haute couture lines for which he is so known and respected. His Avant-Garde vision helps him create outfits that make women’s dreams come true and portray their femininity in an elegant and charming way, and his many high profile clients serve to further boost his popularity and credibility within the fashion industry.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t always plain sailing for Gianni, and some unfortunate and unforeseeable events in his personal life, would see his physical ability to draw seriously restricted and his career put on hold for 5 years. Still, his love for fashion never stopped and with the support of his family he re-visited his passion for design in 2013 with even more enthusiasm and ardor.
