At home with Nada Debs

The renowned Lebanese designer Nada Debs stands out in her field for many reasons. Among the best known of these is the cross-cultural approach she adopts in her work, which has its roots in time spent living, studying and travelling abroad, combined with her Lebanese heritage.

But equally significant is Nada’s passion for seeing her designs brought to life through collaborative projects which spotlight the knowhow of regional artisans and celebrate the rich heritage of their craft.

“Some designers in the Arab world still don’t routinely attempt to work with craft. I think they view it as quite challenging,” she admitted. “But for me, taking traditional crafts and doing something contemporary with them has always held great appeal.”

This collaborative approach has been instrumental in defining key aspects of Nada’s practice, producing an impressive list of designs that artisans from Lebanon, Syria and beyond have then produced.

Long established in the Middle East and never one to stand still, Nada has also more recently extended her reach into Central and South Asia. Excitedly, she explains that her current ventures include contributing to the repurposing of Okhugazar Mosque - a restored historic mosque in Tashkent, Uzbekistan - into an exhibition space and craft salon.

In timely fashion, the milestone project, in addition to the new Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) - designed by Studio KO - is nearing completion just as the art world’s focus shifts to Uzbekistan for its biennale. The event this year takes place for the first time in the historic city of Bukhara.

“The idea was to recreate a salon visit in a beautiful location - a space that’s ideal for showcasing Uzbek crafts in a contemporary manner,” she said. “I’m delighted to say that there are already two shows scheduled for the venue, organised by Sara Reza, chief curator at the CCA. And we’re optimistic that art lovers attending the biennale may visit since it’s not that far from Bukhara.”

As part of the Art Residency, designed by Studio KO, Nada created a bespoke design for traditional benches, known as ‘tapchans’. These were then produced by regional artisans and today play a dual role so typical of her designs by offering both functionality and visual appeal in the venue’s garden.

Cultures and creativity have long come together with remarkable results in Nada’s collaborative projects. Earlier examples include a carpet design created for a project in Afghanistan which bore Nada’s hallmark approach of melding old and new, while again championing the expertise of local artisans.

“In the design, we introduced a stripe to the traditional carpet which added a contemporary twist,” she explained. “But what also made it really special was that the carpet-weaving for this project was undertaken by Afghan women.”

Adopting this strategy not only adds an extra layer of authenticity and storytelling to the pieces, but has also helped provide support to craftspeople, some of whom face significant challenges.

Nada explained that in a project undertaken with Studio Lél, the Pakistan-based art collective, to recreate her signature Gandhara Carapace Table design in Islamabad, for example, the workers included people displaced by conflict from neighbouring Afghanistan.

Showcasing a vibrant palette inspired by the ancient city of Peshawar and geometric shapes rooted in Arabic calligraphy, these designs reflect the unique balancing act that lies at the heart of her practice. Her focus, she explained, is about much more than combining old and new. More importantly, it involves balancing the decorative aspects and repetition so prevalent in traditional Arabic craftmanship with the Far Eastern philosophy of distilling elements down to their essence or their simplest and purest form.

Nada acknowledges that these two approaches appear to be diametrically opposed to one another, but insists there is common ground to be found.

“I remember noticing when I started out in design that companies in the US and Europe were using motifs from the Middle East - geometric patterns in logos, for example,” she admitted. “I wondered whether they knew where these ideas came from. And, at the same time, I found them exciting and inspiring. I became curious about exploring the rich layers of my heritage more deeply.”

This curiosity has its roots in Nada’s own personal backstory. Lebanese by birth, Nada spent her childhood in Japan, where she first encountered East Asian philosophical and aesthetic traditions, including minimalism. She then relocated to the US to study design at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design. Today she is based in Beirut, but has always travelled extensively, immersing herself in the cultures of the countries she visits and absorbing their influence into her practice. “My aim has been to celebrate Eastern craftsmanship through the concept I’ve created, bridging cultures, from East to East,” she said.

That concept has brought Nada huge success over the years, earning her recognition and respect across the industry and beyond, and bringing to mind parallels with the multimedia artist Yoko Ono for the way she pushes boundaries. Today, she leads a team of 20 designers at her studio in Gemmayze, who work across a diverse range of disciplines, from product and furniture designs for annual collections found in global retail stores, among others, to one-off commissions in craft, art, fashion, jewellery and interiors.

Given her impressive track record, it’s difficult to believe that Nada is someone who would much prefer to stay out of the limelight, given half a chance. “I’m an introvert by nature,” she confessed with a smile. “But I knew early on in my career that as a woman working in the Arab world, I’d be walked over or ignored if I stayed behind the scenes. It’s a fact that outgoing people are listened to and make more of an impact! I’m also really passionate about pushing craft in the region, so I’ve learned to open up over the years and actually change the way I am to achieve what I want to do.”

Nada’s passion for craft is not only evident in her atelier, but also in her home, where a diverse selection of decorative items, each with their own story to tell, light up the delightful space.

Animatedly, Nada picks out a pair of dainty slippers, lovingly crafted in felt, and a metal teapot, both from Japan, before pointing to an exquisite mother-of-pearl plate, hand-carved in lace and purchased at a flea market in Turkey. “I’m attracted to anything that’s clearly handcrafted,” she explained.

Her delightfully eclectic collectibles inevitably include plenty of Japanese and Korean ceramics and glass, while the walls of her home are lined with several pieces of Chinese and Japanese art. “I love the work of the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama - her use of repetition and pattern reveals such a level of talent,” she explained.

Following the work of creatives in related fields is also something that Nada loves to do. Books by the designer, professor and author Kenya Hara, who has designed for Muji, Xiaomi, Kenzo and Matsuya department stores, among others, are among those lining the shelves. “I’m also a fan of Taher Bakhtiari and his innovative carpet-weaving techniques which combine the best of tradition with contemporary aesthetics,” she noted.

Relocating to Lebanon unsurprisingly prompted newfound interest in art from the region. “I connected early on with the artist Nadim Karam through our shared interest in Japan, where he studied. I love the fact that he works with Korean paper - the stories behind the pieces are always a source of fascination for me,” she said.

As expected, Nada has successfully created a welcoming, homely ambience which guests immediately notice and appreciate when visiting, much to her satisfaction. “People tell me they feel a sense of calm when they come here, especially at night, when the lighting creates warmth and enhances the mood,” she said. “This makes me so happy. One of my favourite films is Wong Kar-wai’s acclaimed ‘In the Mood for Love’, which is set in early 1960s’ Hong Kong. I set out to recreate something of the movie’s atmosphere - vintage décor and uplifting colours. It’s lovely to see these efforts appreciated by visitors and the effect the space has on them when they walk through the door.”

Evidence, if it were needed, that Nada has the talent to elevate any space to a new level, whether personal or otherwise.