The artisans of PALESTYLE are unlike any other: They're refugee women whose intricate handmade embroidery has journeyed from impoverished camps in the Middle East to Italian workshops where the brand’s luxury handbags are crafted. From there, the bags travel to high-end department stores like House of Fraser and Bloomingdales as well as the closets of celebrities including Eva Longoria. Its genuin
e leather handbags are adorned with embroidery and gold-plated Arabic calligraphy containing messages of femininity and strength. Founded in 2009 by Zeina Abou Chaaban after her inspirational visit to refugee camps in Lebanon, PALESTYLE is a Dubai-based luxury brand with a social edge. To add to this journey of success, PALESTYLE is expanding its collection this year with a Home line, and a vision of launching a shoe line in 2018 followed by a men’s in 2019. Our social mission is simple: By purchasing a PALESTYLE product, you empower refugee women with jobs and their families with social projects. Since it was founded, PALESTYLE has helped over 100 refugee women by outsourcing embroidery jobs, whilst its social development projects have touched 4,000 refugees by devoting 2.5 percent of sales to such initiatives. Examples include Olive Tree Plantation and Providing Clean Drinking Water. PALESTYLE, holds the prestigious ‘Social Return on Investment’ certificate, received an award from MIT for the Best Women-Led Business in 2014, in addition to the Emirates Women Humanitarian Award in 2013.
