Beirut's Beyt Ahlam is Where Daring Streetwear Dreams Come to Life

“We’re not the misfits that keep quiet, we cause a ruckus and we’re proud of it.”

Starting a fashion house in the ever-changing landscape of the Middle East is no small feat. It takes vision, resilience and the courage to disrupt conventional notions of what's possible. For cousins Nour Ameen Hoden and Nadim Abou Alwan, co-founders of the Beirut-based fashion house Beyt Ahlam, creating meant following their artistic dreams and bringing a fresh point of view to the region's stylescape. 

Born of the desire to promote community, sustainability and self-expression through clothing, Beyt Ahlam was launched in the summer of 2022 in Beirut. "Fashion has always drawn me in. I would make designs as a child using my aunts' scarves. Beyt Ahlam was something we both felt we needed to create," Beyt Ahlam co-founder Nadim Abou Alwan shares in an exclusive interview with SceneStyled. Growing up, the cousins nurtured a passion for the arts from a young age. While Nour explored his creativity in California, Nadim embraced Beirut's thriving underground scene.

Despite pursuing different paths globally, they shared a dedication to using fashion to promote self-expression. When they met for the first time as adults in 2018, the cousins realised their visions aligned. “Even though we’re cousins - double cousins, actually, Arab family tingz - we met for the first time in person in 2018. And ever since then, we’ve just really been bonded. When I first came to Beirut, Nadim just took me on a tour of everything in the city; it was truly inspiring and heartwarming seeing the community of designers and creative talent that was in Beirut.” Co-founder Nour Ameen Hoden tells SceneStyled.

Nour had previously worked in corporate fashion in the United States, where he designed clothing in California under the name 'Beyt.' During this period, Nadim played a pivotal role as his virtual design consultant. The duo had long contemplated establishing their own studio in Beirut. Motivated by the uncertainty of life, they decided to take the plunge, recognizing the importance of seizing opportunities when they arise. 

“When I first came to Beirut, Nadim just took me on a tour of everything in the city; it was truly inspiring and heartwarming seeing the community of designers and creative talent that was in Beirut,” co-founder Nour Ameen Hoden reflects. “Coming from an American fashion background, there was a big learning curve I had to experience to understand the micro aspects of fashion within the region,” he adds. 

With a studio now established in Beirut, the duo combined Nour's experience with Nadim's local expertise to establish Beyt Ahlam's foundations. A long journey lay ahead, but the duo remained resilient, taking each challenge as it came…

“It’s been easy, we just connect. We’ve been learning how to work together, we didn’t have that familiarity at first, but our family is tight knit. We were practically raised by the same women, albeit in different countries.” co-founder Nadim Abou Alwan shares with SceneStyled 

In Arabic, ‘Beyt Ahlam’ means ‘House of Dreams.’ The label aims to honour both everyday and extraordinary dreams through distinctive designs. For their inaugural 'Invitation' collection, colour blocking and unexpected silhouettes turned heads with pieces like the disruptive "trashy swimsuit". As Nour reflects, "It let us explore freely, but our voice strengthened over time." Their latest 'Arab Cocktail Party' collection weaves a narrative of self-discovery against societal constraints, a story close to the founders' hearts.

“You see, the story behind the name ‘Beyt Ahlam’ started in Oakland during 2019. A friend of mine - who is also Lebanese - used to make set designs, and when she was moving out she gave me this massive sign that said ‘Beyt Ahlam.’ I said ‘Hey, Beyt Ahlam, I wanted to start a fashion house, bingo. We purposely removed the introductory article - Al Ta’rif - from Beyt Ahlam because we did not want to define dreams,” Nour Ameen Hoden shares.

Central to Beyt Ahlam's vision is sourcing and producing domestically. As Nour explains, "We want to celebrate local talent." In ‘Arab Cocktail Party,’ the signature 'Hijra' print was developed in collaboration with New York-based artist Shireen Hashemi, depicting migration and resilience through strikingly coloured motifs. Statement pieces from the collection, like the 'Kasr al Moharamat Halal' T-shirt honouring revolutionary women, blend bold aesthetics with meaningful causes. 

“We’re the misfit brand - we come from personal lives spent in underground spaces; ones where you can express yourself freely, where there’s no pressure nor conformity. Starting Beyt Ahlam in Beirut is important, it’s personal. There’s nothing that challenges the status quo of identity politics quite like fashion.” the duo reflect in unison.

For the future, Nour and Nadim envision expanding Beyt Ahlam's reach while maintaining their focus on community and sustainability. "We dream of doing interior design, furniture, really becoming a full creative universe under the Beyt Ahlam name, and building an actual Beyt," Nour shares. Through disruptive storytelling, Beyt Ahlam is redefining conventions from within the region. Led by the vision and partnership of cousins Nour and Nadim, their House of Dreams empowers self-expression and pushes creativity forward from the Middle East.

“Beyt Ahlam was something we both felt the need to make come true.”