Perhaps the most polite and unpretencious designer we’ve met, LAYLA KOURIS is slowly building a niche, with her sexy yet elegant line of tops. Born in 1977, Kouris grew up in Lebanon before studying marketing in the UK. After a stint at jewelry emporium Mouwad in Beirut, she resolved to change track,  and attended night classes at London’s College of Fashion. “For me, breaking into fashion was a labour of love fueled by passion and dreams.”

Unlike many designers, you didn’t always think you would end up in fashion?

Actually I did.  Although I studied Marketing at university, I knew all along I was meant to be doing something else. I always had an eye for fashionable clothes and the colours surrounding me.

There are hundreds of people who want to become fashion designers, was it hard to break through?

I had my ups and downs, bringing my work to life and getting people to understand it. My journey into the fashion world started in 2005, when I designed my first line of tops that could be dressed up for the evenings and dressed down with jeans, just as I would like to wear them myself.

You also didn’t follow the trends and decided to create a collection, very much inspired by lingerie?

I don’t like to limit myself to the trends that come and go.  I am into more lasting designs. I always design with the idea of having sexy and comfortable pieces and that often translates into pieces that are close to lingerie. Invariably, lingerie brings out the feminine feel in every woman.

Who are the designers and brands you particularly like?

La Perla, Valentino, Fendi.

Can you tell us about your latest collection?

The collection is about glamour and sophistication. Lace clearly dominates, giving a delicate and feminine touch. The colour black is also an important element, to add to the mysteriousness.  The designs are accentuated by bows, and have a versatile magnetism to them as they can be dressed up with a skirt or dressed down with jeans.

Where do you see your line going in the next few years?

I want to expand internationally, and have a wider collection that will include dresses….

Aside from your Beirut showroom, where can people buy your clothes?

Cream in Saifi Village (Beirut) and Boutique Etoile in Dubai.

What other cities in the Middle East could you see yourself living in?

Abu Dhabi, UAE.

And finally, can you tell us what you carry in your handbag on a normal day?

Ouff – I’m quite organised, so I only carry the essentials. These include…Chanel sunglasses, Nuxe hand cream that you can buy in pharmacies, Vaseline lip therapy with aloe vera, Purrell hand sanitizer, a little mirror, spearmint Trident chewing gum. I’m a Louis Vuitton addict, so LV wallet and LV daily planner.  A Fendi key chain with my house, car and showroom keys, last but not least, my Nokia mobile phone.

Illustration by Gabriela Mot