On a packed red carpet in Jeddah, one of the brightest moments of the Red Sea International Film Festival Golden Globes Gala Dinner belonged not only to the star in front of the cameras, but also to the couturier behind her gown. As Indian actress Alia Bhatt accepted the Golden Globe Horizon Award, she did so wrapped in the vision of Lebanese designer Elie Saab — and once again, Beirut couture stole the spotlight.
Elie Saab: Beirut’s couturier on the world stage
For years, Elie Saab has been one of Lebanon’s strongest cultural ambassadors. From Hollywood premieres to Cannes, the Oscars and global film festivals, his designs have become shorthand for cinematic, red-carpet glamour. Saab is part of a generation of Lebanese designers who turned Beirut’s atelier culture into an international language, but his name in particular is now woven into some of the most iconic fashion moments of the last two decades.
What sets Saab apart is his ability to combine Middle Eastern opulence with modern, fluid silhouettes. His gowns often look like they are made entirely of light: layers of tulle, hand embroidery, sequins and crystals that move as one. On the red carpet, that aesthetic translates into looks that are immediately recognisable as “Elie Saab” even before you see the label.
The golden gown: Alia Bhatt as a moving Elie Saab canvas
At the Red Sea International Film Festival Golden Globes Gala Dinner, Alia Bhatt became the latest canvas for Saab’s world. She wore a butter-golden gown from Elie Saab’s Fall 2025 Haute Couture collection, a look that traded heavy sparkle for soft, painterly romance.
The dress featured a sand-washed golden base covered in a delicate, floral print, with shades of rose, marigold, sage and lilac flowing into each other like watercolours. Rather than relying on loud shine, Saab used colour, cut and movement to create impact. The fabric skimmed and floated around Alia, giving her a statuesque, almost Grecian presence as she walked the carpet.
On Alia’s skin tone, the golden hue read as warm and luminous, highlighting exactly why Saab’s couture is so sought after by stars from different regions: his eye for colour is global, not limited to one type of beauty.
Styling that trusts the dress
The overall styling underscored a lesson many actresses have learned with Elie Saab: when the dress is this strong, you let it lead. Alia’s glam stayed soft and radiant — bronzed skin, subtly defined eyes and neutral lips that echoed the gown’s gentle palette instead of competing with it.
Her hair, worn in loose, beachy waves, added to the gown’s dreamy, romantic mood. Importantly, she skipped the matching shrug seen on the runway, a choice that allowed Saab’s neckline and print work to stay clean and visible. Minimal jewellery meant the eye remained on the craftsmanship: the drape of the fabric, the print placement, the way the dress moved under the lights.
Why this moment matters for Lebanese fashion
For Lebanese readers and the broader Arab world, seeing Elie Saab highlighted at a major regional festival is more than a style note. It is a reminder that Beirut’s couture houses are still central to the global red-carpet conversation, even amid the country’s economic and political pressures.
In Jeddah, a rising international festival welcomed a leading Bollywood star; the Golden Globe Horizon Award celebrated cross-border talent; and a Lebanese designer tied the story together. Saab’s gown on Alia Bhatt turned the evening into a quiet masterclass in how regional creatives can shape global images without losing their identity.
Alia Bhatt, the Horizon Award and Saab’s ongoing legacy
The Golden Globe Horizon Award is designed to honour artists whose careers are expanding beyond their home industries. Alia Bhatt, already a major force in Indian cinema and increasingly visible in international projects, fits that description perfectly — and her collaboration with Elie Saab at this event reinforces that trajectory.
At the same time, the image of a young, global star choosing a Lebanese couturier for such a milestone signals something about Saab’s own legacy. He is no longer just the favourite of established Hollywood names; he continues to dress the next wave of talent who are redefining what a “global actress” looks like.
Elie Saab’s golden chapter continues
In a festival week filled with big gowns and bold statements, the Alia–Saab pairing stood out because it felt effortless. No gimmicks, no costume drama — just a perfectly judged couture moment built on decades of Lebanese craftsmanship.
For Elie Saab, it is another chapter in a long story of dressing women for the world’s brightest stages. For Lebanese fashion, it is a reminder that even when the headlines are difficult, the country’s designers continue to send beauty, precision and imagination down the red carpet — this time, in the form of a golden gown that lit up Jeddah and carried Beirut’s name with it.
Reference: Red Carpet Fashion Awards – coverage of Alia Bhatt in Elie Saab Haute Couture at the Red Sea International Film Festival Golden Globes Gala Dinner (11-12-2025).
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