For Sarah Hermez, the perfect restaurant is not necessarily a Michelin-starred establishment, her favourite book might be found on social media, and the music she dislikes most comes from someone very close to her.
The Lebanese fashion designer and educator has a knack for turning even the simplest questions into unexpected punchlines. In a candid round of One Last Thing, Hermez offers a glimpse into her personality, revealing a sharp sense of humour and a refreshingly unconventional approach to life.
But behind the witty answers is a woman whose work has helped transform access to fashion education in Lebanon.
From Parsons to Creative Space Beirut
Sarah Hermez has spent more than a decade demonstrating that fashion can be about far more than aesthetics. A graduate of Parsons School of Design, she returned to Lebanon and, in 2011, co-founded Creative Space Beirut.
The tuition-free fashion school was established to give talented young people the opportunity to pursue professional fashion education, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Its mission has remained steadfast despite the challenges facing Lebanon. Hermez has continued to support the institution through the country’s economic collapse, the Covid-19 pandemic, the devastating Beirut port explosion in 2020 and regional conflicts.
The school’s graduates have gone on to launch their own fashion labels and receive recognition from the industry, including awards from Fashion Trust Arabia.
Hermez’s contribution has also earned international recognition. She was named to The Business of Fashion’s BoF 500, a list celebrating influential figures shaping the global fashion industry.
Yet, when it comes to the lighter side of life, Hermez is anything but conventional.
Sarah Hermez’s One Last Thing
Asked about her favourite restaurant anywhere in the world, Hermez does not hesitate.
“Room service.”
Her favourite book? “Facebook.”
And the music she cannot stand? “My husband’s.”
The answers are short, sharp and delivered with a sense of humour that makes the questionnaire feel less like an interview and more like a conversation with someone who refuses to take life too seriously.
When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, her response is equally revealing.
“Free.”
Hermez also describes herself as very smart, although she adds that the talent is “very hidden”.
Her favourite time of day is when she is asleep — simply because she is asleep.
It is a collection of answers that captures her personality: playful, candid and unapologetically herself.
Childhood Memories, Paris and a Musician Husband
Some of Hermez’s responses offer a more personal glimpse into her life.
The smell of cigars takes her straight back to childhood, while escalope is the food that reminds her of growing up.
Paris is a city she loves but would hate to live in, while her answer to whether she can play a musical instrument is a particularly amusing one.
“No. I married a musician instead.”
When asked about the first time she realised her parents were human, she replies that she is “still convinced they’re not”.
Her humour continues when she is asked about her dream dinner guests.
“I can’t cook.”
And when the choice is between sitting on the sofa or going out with friends, she opts for something entirely unexpected.
“Out with the sofa.”
The Art of Not Taking Life Too Seriously
Hermez’s dislike of questionnaires becomes a running joke throughout the interview.
Asked what puts her in a bad mood, she answers “Questionnaires”. When asked about her biggest pet peeve, she gives the same response.
It is an amusing contradiction, especially considering the number of questions she has agreed to answer.
She also reveals that she cannot live without ice cubes, believes in aliens and prefers Instagram over TikTok.
Her favourite Arabic word?
“Merci.”
When asked how she takes her tea, she responds simply: “Teacup.”
Her answers are deliberately unexpected, offering a refreshing alternative to the carefully curated responses often associated with public figures.
A Few Things You Might Not Know About Sarah Hermez
Hermez’s questionnaire also reveals some surprising details about her personal life and interests.
She says the most niche content she watches on YouTube is something she prefers to keep private.
“That’s between me and YouTube.”
Her social media algorithms, meanwhile, appear to have a wide-ranging understanding of her interests, from design, babies and dogs to unhinged AI-generated short films and random videos of people falling over.
She also shares a detail about her heritage that may surprise some readers.
“I’m originally Assyrian, from Iraq and Armenia.”
And when asked about the last thing she did for the first time, Hermez offers a deeply personal answer.
“Became pregnant.”
Trust the Process
For someone who has spent years building an institution dedicated to supporting emerging designers, Hermez’s words to live by feel particularly appropriate.
“Trust the process.”
The phrase reflects the journey of Creative Space Beirut, an initiative that has continued to create opportunities for young designers despite the many challenges facing Lebanon.
Hermez’s story demonstrates how creativity, education and determination can come together to create meaningful change.
Her interview, meanwhile, reveals another side of the designer — one that is witty, candid and refreshingly human.
From room service to bad music, from childhood memories to her dislike of questionnaires, Sarah Hermez reminds us that even those shaping the future of an industry can find joy in life’s simplest, most unexpected moments.
And perhaps the most fitting final thought comes from the woman herself:
Trust the process.
Just don’t ask her to fill out another questionnaire.
