EMERGING TALENT
WINNER
A 100% Made in Lebanon initiative, Exil Collective was founded in early 2021 by designers Youssef Bassil and Tatiana Akl as a means to protect and nurture the Levantine nation’s creative ecosystem that was, and continues to, suffer from a talent drain due to the issues plaguing its urban fabric.
Exil Collective offers designers based in Lebanon – both established and emerging – a framework meant not only to optimise research, production and distribution of design objects, but also to attune them to the logistics involved in the process, from benchmarking ethical material sourcing and manufacturing, to shipping.
The platform also serves as a sounding board for local talent looking to collaborate and cocreate. Making its debut during Dubai Design Week in November 2021, Exil Collective presented work by 25 Lebanon-based designers at the Beirut Concept Store, a not-for-profit popup retail destination offering visibility and engagement for a new generation of Levantine creatives, helping them access the next stage of their careers. exilcollective.com