Marc Keyrouz and Elie Khoury represent Lebanon on the regional stage, taking their creative interpretations of local heritage and craftsmanship to the grand finale in Dubai
Beirut, Lebanon, 09 November 2026: IQOS, in collaboration with Vogue Arabia and with the participation of Italian design house SELETTI, has announced the five finalists of its prestigious Creators of Craft Design Challenge. Highlighting the depth of creative talent in the country, two Lebanese designers—calligraphy artist and art director Marc Keyrouz and Beirut-based architectural practice Elie Khoury—have advanced to the final stage alongside top emerging designers from the UAE and Egypt.
The finalists will travel to Dubai in November 2026 to present their physical prototypes, with the winner announced at the inaugural Vogue Arabia Ball: Art Edition. The winner will receive a commissioned collaboration opportunity with IQOS, a paid trip to Milan, a Vogue Arabia print feature and access to exclusive masterclasses curated by the judges.
Launched in December 2025, the Creators of Craft Design Challenge invited designers from Lebanon, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Egypt to create a unique accessory for the IQOS device. Spanning fashion, product design, jewellery, and architecture, the initiative celebrates the intersection of art, technology, and heritage, challenging participants to reimagine traditional craftsmanship through a modern lens.
Out of submissions from across the Middle East, the Lebanese finalists distinguished themselves with original concepts rooted in ancient scripts and local material heritage:
- Marc Keyrouz: Artist and the creator of 55. His work extends beyond art to encompass a movement, a philosophy, and a psychological bridge between the past, present, and future. Through 55, he seeks to redefine how we perceive language, art, and culture, merging abstraction, mathematics, and human connection into a cohesive vision. His concept embeds script into a collectible object, from intricate marquetry to a sculptural sphere engraved designed to hold the IQOS device.
- Elie El Khoury: An architect and designer based in Beirut. His design borrows from the region’s long-standing tradition in stonework and metalwork. The final product is an artisanal piece that blends itself seamlessly with home decor while functioning as a receptacle, concealing the consumables.
Underscoring the regional scale of the competition, the two Lebanese finalists are joined in the final stage by three fellow designers from across the Middle East: Fabi Faisal and Razan Basim from the United Arab Emirates, and Youssef Mohammed Karam Hussein from Egypt.
The finalists’ work will be evaluated by a judging panel comprised of a range of experts in their fields, including: Manuel Arnaut, Head of Editorial Content at Vogue Arabia; Yan Marois, Vice-President Global Brands at Philip Morris International; Stefano Seletti, Founder and Creative Director of SELETTI; Nadine Kanso, Founder and Creative Director of Bil Arabi, and Natasha Carella, Director of Dubai Design Week.
Amr Taha, General Manager, Philip Morris Lebanon, commented: “Lebanon has long been a vibrant hub for design and innovation, and seeing two Lebanese talents advance to the final stage of Creators of Craft is a true testament to the exceptional calibre of our creative community. Providing platforms like this is essential to giving local artists the space to put their ideas into practice, hone their craft, and shine on both regional and international stages. This challenge is part of our ongoing journey and long-term commitment to championing local creators—offering them the visibility, mentorship, and opportunities needed to elevate Lebanese heritage and design to a global audience.”
Creators of Craft aims to support the regional design community by creating opportunities for emerging talent to gain international visibility and connect with established figures in the creative industry. Through its collaboration with Vogue Arabia and with the participation of SELETTI, IQOS seeks to encourage cultural exchange and provide a platform for designers from the Middle East to showcase their creativity on a global stage.
Philip Morris International: A Global Smoke-Free Champion
Philip Morris International is a leading international consumer goods company, actively delivering a smoke-free future and evolving its portfolio for the long term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company’s current product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smokefree products, including heat-not-burn, nicotine pouch and e-vapor products. Our smoke-free products are available for sale in 109 markets as of June 30, 2026. As of December 31, 2025 PMI estimates they were used by over 43 million legal-age consumers around the world, many of whom have moved away from cigarettes or significantly reduced their consumption. The smoke-free business accounted for approximately 42% of PMI’s second-quarter 2026 total net revenues.
Since 2008, PMI has invested over $16 billion to develop, scientifically substantiate and commercialize innovative smoke-free products for legal age adults who would otherwise smoke or use other nicotine-containing consumer products, with the goal of completely ending the sale of cigarettes. This includes the building of world-class scientific assessment capabilities, notably in the areas of pre-clinical systems toxicology, clinical and behavioral research, as well as post-market studies. Following a robust science-based review, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the marketing of Swedish Match’s General snus and ZYN nicotine pouches and versions of PMI’s IQOS devices and consumables -the first-ever such authorizations in their respective categories. Versions of IQOS devices and consumables, General snus and 20 ZYN nicotine pouch variants also obtained the first-ever Modified Risk Tobacco Product authorizations from the FDA. With a strong foundation and significant expertise in life sciences, PMI has a long-term ambition to expand into wellness areas.
References to “PMI”, “we”, “our” and “us” mean Philip Morris International Inc., and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com