About

My name is Pierre Hassan, and I was born in Damascus, Syria. I started working at the young age of nine, selling bread to support my family. When I was 11 years old, I moved to Lebanon to work and study. I started working at a tailor shop as a cleaner, and after a year, they taught me how to use the machines for buttons on jeans. That’s when my interest in fashion started to develop.

I continued to work in different jobs and gained more technical skills. In 2000, I became the chef atelier at a small company, but I knew that fashion was my true calling. I felt like I had to be more creative in my work, and when I spoke to designers around me, I knew that fashion was my dream.

I started helping a designer friend with making patterns on dresses, and eventually graduated as a fashion designer in 2000-2003. I started making small designs for three years and then worked for an international brand as a design manager. At this point, my dream was to work for Elie Saab.

I kept going to Elie Saab’s studio every day until one day, I was invited for an interview. I explained my story to them and was given one chance. After a month, I was hired at Elie Saab and worked there for five years. I was living my dream job and even worked on a dress for Julia Roberts, the actress.

However, after a while of living in Lebanon, I experienced cultural differences that drove me to Europe. I came to Europe through Turkey, and it was a very sad experience arriving on a small boat with ten other people. I walked through Serbia, Macedonia, and Hungary before finally being accepted as a refugee in Germany.

I ended up in the Netherlands after speaking with a friend, and after a year and a half of applying while living in an AZC, I finally got my papers. Now, I have started Small Couture to continue working in fashion and pursue my dreams once again. We don’t do magic, but we try to advise people in the correct way and include a touch of fashion in each repair. I am determined to keep pursuing my passion and inspire others to follow their dreams, no matter what challenges they may face.