Creative Space Beirut
Creative Space Beirut is a Lebanon-based nonprofit founded in 2011 that provides tuition-free, three-year fashion design education to youth from refugee camps and underserved SWANA communities, covering all costs including housing and materials. It supplements donations with an e-commerce shop, space rentals, and bespoke production services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersBeirut, Lebanon
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Creative Space Beirut does
Creative Space Beirut (CSB) is a Lebanon-registered nonprofit founded in 2011 by Sarah Hermez and Caroline Shlala-Simonelli, operating the country's first tuition-free fashion design school. The organization delivers a three-year program covering technical skills, conceptual development, and hands-on training to youth recruited from refugee camps, orphanages, and underserved communities across the SWANA region. CSB covers the full cost of participation, including tuition, materials, housing, transportation, and supplies, selecting students based on talent and determination rather than financial means. The core curriculum is anchored by the proprietary 'Caroline Method' draping technique developed by the late co-founder, and instruction is delivered largely by CSB alumni, creating a self-reinforcing teaching pipeline.
The organization's product surface extends beyond education into a diversified portfolio of revenue-generating services: a Shopify-based e-commerce shop (CSB World) selling upcycled puffer bags, Caroline T-shirts, student thesis collections, and alumni brands; studio and photography rental services; bespoke design and full production services; clothing rental under the Sukkar Mamas brand; and consulting/advisory offerings. All commercial revenue is reinvested into the free education mission.
CSB's business model is a hybrid nonprofit model: primary inflows come from individual donations and recurring monthly contributions (minimum USD 20 via fiscal sponsor Slow Factory), periodic crowdfunding campaigns, and the operational service portfolio described above. Distribution combines community-led student recruitment, application-based admission, global e-commerce, and earned media coverage (Vogue Arabia, British Vogue, Business of Fashion, Dazed). The stated annual operational budget is approximately USD 500,000, supported by a 2024 crowdfunding campaign that raised USD 82,785 from 150 backers and a target donor base of 5,000 recurring contributors at USD 10/month.
Creative Space Beirut firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Creative Space Beirut
- Legal name
- Creative Space Beirut
- Website
- https://creativespacebeirut.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Creative Space Beirut is a Lebanon-based nonprofit founded in 2011 that provides tuition-free, three-year fashion design education to youth from refugee camps and underserved SWANA communities, covering all costs including housing and materials. It supplements donations with an e-commerce shop, space rentals, and bespoke production services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Creative Space Beirut industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fashion Design Education
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary (EDAGABAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Arts, Music & Performance Equipment (Instruments, Art Supplies, Stage/Lighting Basics) (EDAEAIAH), Tech & Digital Skills Classes (Coding Basics, Design Tools, AI/No-Code) (THAJAKAL)
Keywords
Where Creative Space Beirut is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Beirut
- HQ country
- Lebanon
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
Creative Space Beirut business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Primary revenue stream through individual donations, recurring monthly contributions (minimum USD20 through Slow Factory), and one-time donations. CSB also accepts bank transfers for donations exceeding USD5,000.
- Crowdfunding Campaigns: Periodic crowdfunding campaigns for specific operational needs. The 2024 campaign raised USD 82,785 from 150 backers.
- Online Shop Sales: E-commerce revenue through shop.creativespacebeirut.com selling student designs, alumni brands, limited edition items like puffer bags and Caroline T-shirts, and one-of-a-kind pieces from final collections.
- Space Rental Services: Affordable studio and space rental services to external clients, generating operational income while maximizing utilization of facilities.
- Photography Services: Professional photography services offered to external clients, contributing to operational revenue.
- Bespoke and Production Services: Custom design and production services including bespoke design work and clothing rental through Sukkar Mamas brand.
- Fiscal Sponsorship Administration: Partnership with Slow Factory as registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit enabling US donors to make tax-deductible contributions, expanding donor base internationally.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free Education Program |
| Subscription | Monthly | Recurring Donation (Minimum) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Creative Space Beirut product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Creative Space Beirut delivers a three-year, tuition-free fashion design education program covering technical training (draping, patternmaking, construction, textiles, photography) and conceptual development for talented youth from refugee camps, orphanages, and underserved communities across Lebanon and the SWANA region. The school covers the full cost of tuition, materials, housing, transportation, and supplies, and supports graduates through an Alumni Support Program offering mentorship, job placement, and brand development. Operational revenue is generated through paid services including studio space rental, professional photography, bespoke design and production, consulting and advisory work, clothing rental under the Sukkar Mamas brand, and an online shop (CSB World) selling student creations, alumni brands, and limited-edition pieces such as puffer bags and Caroline T-shirts.
Product overview
Creative Space Beirut offers a portfolio of educational programs and revenue-generating services centered on free fashion design education. The core offering is a three-year tuition-free fashion design program for youth from vulnerable backgrounds. The organization generates operational income through multiple channels: an online Shopify shop selling upcycled fashion (puffer bags, Caroline T shirts, student creations), space and photography rental services, bespoke design and production work, clothing rental, and consulting services. Additional offerings include workshops, the Alumni Support Program, and crowdfunding campaigns. All revenue directly supports the free education mission and student resources including housing and transportation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sukkar Mamas: Clothing rental service offered by Creative Space Beirut
- CSB World
Products and services
- Free Fashion Design Education Program A three-year tuition-free fashion design program covering draping, patternmaking, construction, textiles, photography, and conceptual development, with all costs (tuition, materials, housing, transportation) covered by CSB; targeted at talented youth from refugee camps and underserved communities in Lebanon.
- Space Rental Services Affordable studio and workspace rental for photoshoots, events, and creative projects, offered to external clients in Lebanon and contributing to operational revenue.
- Photography Services Professional fashion photography services offered to external clients, generating revenue that supports CSB's free education operations.
- Bespoke Design Services Custom design and production services for clients seeking bespoke fashion pieces, integrating student involvement in production processes.
- Design and Production Full-service fashion design and manufacturing for external clients, integrating CSB students in the production process to deliver real-world training and revenue.
- Clothing Rental (Sukkar Mamas) Rental service for traditional and occasion wear operated under the Sukkar Mamas sub-brand, part of CSB's sustainable fashion initiatives.
- Consulting and Advisory Professional consulting and advisory services in fashion design, production, and creative business development for external clients.
- CSB World Online Shop Curated online shop (Shopify) selling upcycled puffer bags, Caroline T-shirts, student creations, one-of-a-kind thesis collection pieces, and alumni brands; every purchase directly supports free fashion education.
- Alumni Support Program Ongoing post-graduation support for CSB alumni covering mentorship, job placement, brand development, and access to professional networks in the design industry.
- Workshops Professional development workshops led by industry experts for CSB students and the broader creative community, covering both technical and conceptual topics.
Quantifiable outcome
- 94% job placement rate in the creative industry for graduates
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Creative Space Beirut
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Creative Space Beirut technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Creative Space Beirut partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Business of FashionminorFeatured coverage in Business of Fashion highlighting CSB's fight to keep education alive during crisis and partnership with Slow Factory.
- TerraPodscoreLiving biolab and agroecology farm in Baskinta, Lebanon. Seven-day residency program for CSB graduates focusing on bio-material experimentation, natural dyes, bioplastics, and sustainable design practices. Led by bio-designer Alve Lagercrantz.
- Mukhi SistersminorCelebrated jewelry brand collaborated with CSB students on 'Better Than Yesterday' collection, designing 20-50 one-of-a-kind bag charms integrating upcycled fabric, beaded gemstones, and embroidery.
- Archive Studios/Piaff BoutiqueminorSustainable fashion outlet collaborated on upcycling workshop led by alumnus Amir Al Kasm. Students selected discarded garments, then deconstructed and reconstructed them into contemporary pieces.
- Baalbeck International FestivalcorePrestigious international cultural festival. CSB students designed costumes for Carmen opera production, providing real-world professional experience and public exhibition opportunity.
- Vogue ArabiaminorPress coverage including documentary premiere at London's Shubbak Festival about CSB's free fashion school model.
- L'artisan Du LibanminorArtisanal boutique collaborated with CSB students on heritage craft projects. Students visited boutique, learned traditional techniques from craftspeople, and designed products for the brand.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Creative Space Beirut competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ESMOD: International French fashion school network with locations across multiple continents. Comparable fashion design methodology and curriculum structure (technical pattern-making plus creative development), representing the established global standard CSB positions itself against.
- Istituto Marangoni: Global private fashion school network with campuses across Europe and Asia. Delivers tuition-based fashion design education similar in structure to CSB's three-year program, serving as a direct commercial competitor for aspiring designers in the MENA region.
- Parsons School of Design: Prestigious US fashion and design school where CSB founder Sarah Hermez studied. Offers fashion design higher education with tuition-based model, serving as a global benchmark for CSB's curriculum ambitions despite its paid, selective model.
- Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT): Public NYC fashion school where CSB co-founder Caroline Shlala-Simonelli taught. Comparable fashion design curriculum and faculty lineage, with a similar applied technical-and-conceptual approach but operating at vastly larger scale as a tuition-funded institution.
- Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts: Belgian institution renowned for fashion design and the Antwerp Six. Comparable conceptual-and-technical fashion training producing internationally recognized designers, mirroring CSB's outcome ambition but with conventional tuition-based admission.
- Central Saint Martins: Leading UK fashion school (part of UAL) producing globally recognized designers. Comparable fashion design higher education with rigorous conceptual and technical training, setting the international standard CSB alumni compete against in prizes like Fashion Trust Arabia.
- Royal College of Art: UK postgraduate art and design university offering fashion programs comparable in rigor and conceptual depth to CSB's curriculum. Sets a benchmark for design research-led fashion education that CSB aspires to through its biomaterials and heritage craft work.
- Bunka Fashion College: Japan's leading specialized fashion college offering comprehensive design and technical training. Comparable in delivering a focused, immersive fashion design curriculum, though at commercial scale and on the opposite end of the geographic and pricing spectrum from CSB.
Regional players
- Lebanese American University (LAU): Lebanese university with design programs, identified in CSB data as an institution where CSB alumni teach. Closest regional competitor for design students in Lebanon, but operates as a tuition-funded university rather than a free, mission-driven program.
- Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA): Lebanon's leading fine arts university, mentioned in CSB data as an institution where CSB alumni have taught. Comparable regional peer offering applied arts education in Lebanon, with tuition-based model versus CSB's free tuition model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Creative Space Beirut social profiles
Digital presenceCreative Space Beirut financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Creative Space Beirut leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Creative Space Beirut funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Creative Space Beirut M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Creative Space Beirut
What does Creative Space Beirut do?
Creative Space Beirut delivers a three-year, tuition-free fashion design education program covering technical training (draping, patternmaking, construction, textiles, photography) and conceptual development for talented youth from refugee camps, orphanages, and underserved communities across Lebanon and the SWANA region. The school covers the full cost of tuition, materials, housing, transportation, and supplies, and supports graduates through an Alumni Support Program offering mentorship, job placement, and brand development. Operational revenue is generated through paid services including studio space rental, professional photography, bespoke design and production, consulting and advisory work, clothing rental under the Sukkar Mamas brand, and an online shop (CSB World) selling student creations, alumni brands, and limited-edition pieces such as puffer bags and Caroline T-shirts.
Is Creative Space Beirut a public or private company?
Creative Space Beirut is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Creative Space Beirut founded?
Creative Space Beirut was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Creative Space Beirut based?
Creative Space Beirut is headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, in the Middle East region.
How does Creative Space Beirut make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are crowdfunding Campaigns, online Shop Sales, space Rental Services, photography Services, bespoke and Production Services and fiscal Sponsorship Administration.
Who are Creative Space Beirut's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ESMOD, Istituto Marangoni, Parsons School of Design, Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Central Saint Martins, Royal College of Art and Bunka Fashion College. Regional players are Lebanese American University (LAU) and Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA).
Does Creative Space Beirut have an API?
No public API is recorded for Creative Space Beirut.
What industry is Creative Space Beirut in?
Creative Space Beirut's product category is Fashion Design Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGABAM, Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary, with a secondary code of EDAEAIAH, Arts, Music & Performance Equipment (Instruments, Art Supplies, Stage/Lighting Basics). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 8200.