Lebanese designer Rabih Kayrouz suffered brain haemorrhage following Beirut explosion

The haute couture master says he is recovering slowly and is still trying to absorb what happened in the city

Lebanese designer Rabih Kayrouz suffered a small brain haemorrhage and two clots in the Beirut explosion and needed 22 stitches. Instagram / maisonrabihkayrouz

Lebanese designer Rabih Kayrouz has spoken about the injuries he suffered in the Beirut explosion. In a post on Instagram, the founder of fashion house Maison Rabih Kayrouz told followers that he suffered a small brain haemorrhage and two clots as a result of the blast, as well as needing 22 stitches.

"Dearest friends, as with you all, I am still trying to absorb the shock of this horrid calamity," Kayrouz wrote. "I hope that you and your families are in good health.

"Your thousand messages and prayers warmed my heart ... gave me strength to go on. I am recovering slowly but surely from a small brain haemorrhage, two clots and 22 stitches."

Kayrouz's atelier is less than 900 metres from the site of the blast. He assured fans he was in "great care yet unable to answer any calls or messages at the moment".

Ending the message on a reflective but hopeful note, he wrote: "Words are not enough. We will not forget. We will judge. We will rebuild ... And we will dance!"

The designer shared images of the destruction inside his atelier on Instagram, along with messages of support sent to him by fans and colleagues in the fashion world.

"Lebanese designers were left picking up the pieces of what remained from their ateliers and boutiques after a massive explosion in the port of Beirut," said a post on the Instagram page of fashion festival JamaloukiCon, which included an image of the inside of Kayrouz's atelier.

A photo inside the workshop was shared by artist Nasri Sayegh on Instagram.

In January last year, Maison Rabih Kayrouz was given haute couture status, 11 years after it was founded in Paris. It is a label favoured by several household names, including Celine Dion, Ciara and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Many of Beirut's fashion houses were gravely affected by the explosion on Tuesday, August 4.

Fashion designer and couturier Zuhair Murad's office and atelier on Charles Helou Avenue were left in ruins. "My heart is broken. Can't stop crying. The efforts of years went in a moment," the designer said on social media.

Built over several floors, the designer's headquarters faced the sea and had little protection against the force of the explosion.

Nearby, on one of Gemmayzeh's main streets, Rue Gouraud, there was Aaliya's Books, which took "quite a beating", its owner said on social media.

"As much as I love the shop, it is only bricks, mortar and [now twisted] metal and [shattered]) glass. Aaliya's true essence is none of those material things; it is you, who came to us as customers."