When it comes to female entrepreneurial icons in the GCC, fashion powerhouse Ingie Chalhoub is bound to be the top of most people’s list. Deemed the Middle East’s ‘first lady of luxury’, she has 36 years of experience in the sector which has led her to her current position as President and Managing Director of Etoile Group. The retail business has 80 stores worldwide, representing brands such as Chanel, Valentino, Ralph Lauren and Dior, amongst countless of others. In addition, she is Chief Creative Officer or the Arab Fashion Council. In 2018, alongside husband Patrick Chalhoub, Ingie was knighted by the honourable Jean-Yves Le Drian (France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs). This accolade was to reward their commitments to French luxury in the Middle East.
And she has been named one of the top 100 Most Powerful Women in the Arab World by both Forbes and CEO Middle East. And she won the title of ‘Woman of the Year’ by L’Officiel. And she regularly works with UNICEF… We could go on! With no end to her titles, achievements and accolades just how did Ingie build this astounding empire?
Born to Lebanese parents in Cairo, Chalhoub was raised in France where she started her career at Chanel who she credits for teaching her everything she knows about fashion and luxury brands. Following this, she moved to Kuwait (taking the brand with her) in 1983. Sadly the 1988 crisis and the war that followed, affected trading in the city. So much so, that she was forced to leave. This sparked the move to Dubai, where she had to restructure and rebuild everything she had left behind and the brands to a new territory. Building a portfolio representing 80 of the world’s most luxurious fashion brands, Etoile group now has over 500 employees. More recently, the flagship ‘La Boutique’ store opened in Mall of the Emirates, there is now presence in Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Riyadh, Kuwait and Qatar. Ingie now splits her time between Paris and Dubai.
Wanting to utilise her expertise whilst taking more control of creativity, in 2009 she launched the eponymous Ingie Paris brand. Describing the Ingie Paris woman as ‘effortlessly chic and feminine yet also strong and unique’ it is no surprise that the brand perfectly encompasses Chalhoub’s style. The label is a favourite of the stars, and she has dressed the likes of Kendall Jenner, Candice Swanepoel and Ellie Goulding.
Last Autumns ‘Cleopatra’ collection was a head-turner for all the right reasons. Inspired by the Queen of Egypt who was also the Queen of Rome (sound familiar?), Ingie found inspiration from a documentary she watched on Cleopatra. She was then invited to Egypt by the country’s First Lady and the ideas just ‘clicked’. A perfect blend of East-meets-West, the collection was nothing short of decadent, with gold tailoring, opulent fabrics and dramatic silhouettes. Continuing to take inspiration from strong women throughout history, more recently her AW20 collection has been inspired by the iconic 1970s. The era was ‘fuelled with female icons that left their mark throughout their uninhibited beauty and allure, personifying the glamorous femininity of the decade’ she told Vogue Arabia. Any chance to recreate Studio 54 disco-luxe is gets instant approval from us. We’ll see you on the dance floor…
