At Dubai Airshow, a Canadian aerospace giant and a Lebanese couture house announced a partnership that could reset expectations for luxury in the sky.
Two Masters, One Flagship Jet
Bombardier and Elie Saab have confirmed an exclusive collaboration to design a bespoke passenger cabin for the Global 8000, the manufacturer’s new long-range flagship. The project, announced via a joint statement out of Dubai, promises an interior that combines Saab’s haute couture aesthetic with Bombardier’s engineering capabilities, targeting clients who want their aircraft to feel as curated as a high-end residence.
Performance Meets Couture
The Global 8000 sits at the top of Bombardier’s portfolio with a maximum speed of Mach 0.95, range of 8,000 nautical miles and class-leading low cabin altitude, designed to minimise fatigue on very long flights. The aircraft is built to reach demanding airports with short runways and challenging conditions, making it a tool for heads of state, corporations, and private individuals who need reach as much as comfort.
Within that technical framework, the Elie Saab cabin will focus on atmosphere and detail: seamless transitions between lounge, dining, and rest zones; sophisticated materials and textures; and lighting designed to make the cabin feel less like a tube and more like an apartment in the sky.
First Fashion–Aircraft Design Partnership for Bombardier
The collaboration is Bombardier’s first formal design partnership with a luxury fashion house, underscoring a strategy to differentiate its flagship beyond performance metrics. Executives describe the project as a way to offer “a statement of elegance and refinement” to clients who want an aircraft that looks and feels different the moment they step on board.
For Elie Saab Group, the deal marks a further push into lifestyle territories that already include furniture, branded residences, and interior design. By entering the business aviation space, the Beirut-born brand positions itself directly in front of ultra-high-net-worth travellers whose daily lives are already steeped in luxury experiences.
What It Means for Lebanese Design
The partnership also has symbolic weight for Lebanon’s creative economy. A Lebanese maison now has its name attached to the cabin of a jet that will criss-cross the world’s major financial centres, from New York and London to Riyadh and Singapore. Every Global 8000 outfitted in the Elie Saab scheme effectively becomes a moving gallery for Lebanese design sensibilities.
With the official unveiling scheduled for 2026 and first customer deliveries to follow, the collaboration signals a future in which the phrase “Made in Lebanon” can apply just as easily to sky suites as to gowns and perfumes.
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