Caravan Beirut a luxurious travelling marketplace founded by Mariana Wehbe & Nour Khoury Jallad. A handpicked selection of Lebanese designers will showcase their talent and collections each year in a different city around the world.
The first edition was held in Washington DC on April 8-12th with over 2,000 guests who gathered to celebrate the launch of Caravan Beirut, a four-day pop-up shopThirty Lebanese designers gathered in the US capital, setting up a luxurious marketplace in Washington’s upscale Georgetown neighbourhood Shoppers were invited to see the creative side of Beirut in a contemporary warehouse transformed by architect Rabih Geha, with homemade delicacies prepared on-site by Tawlet.
While the event’s organizers had high hopes for Caravan Beirut, they were astonished by the turnout. “We were prepared for a busy weekend, but it far exceeded our expectations,” said Nour Khoury, CEO of Bucolik. “There was an incredible local interest in designers from Lebanon, and our talented team did not disappoint with their collections.”
Mariana Wehbe, founder of Mariana Wehbe Public Relations, added, “Our sales figures were high because most guests found it impossible to leave empty-handed. It wasn’t uncommon for shoppers to spend over an hour browsing the curated selection of pieces.”
For the co-founders, Caravan Beirut signifies the start of a cultural exchange between the US and Lebanon. “Our priority is giving designers the opportunity to break into a new market. The added bonus was that they were able to share their stories and interact personally with future clients,” they said.
Washington, DC, mayor Muriel Bowser shared the organizers’ vision at an embassy welcome dinner for the designers and press, and said she hoped this would be the start of a long cultural relationship between the two countries.