Skip to main content

Economic meltdown revives forgotten occupations in Lebanon

Occupations that disappeared over time, most notably that of cobbler and tailor, have been revived due to the decline in citizens’ purchasing power.
A Lebanese woman walks past closed stores in the northern city of Tripoli on Feb. 25, 2020.

Clothing stores, including some international businesses that withdrew from the market after losing confidence in Lebanon’s ability to get out of its crisis anytime soon, have been shutting down one after another since early 2020. Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Christmas Eve that “the country needs six or seven years” to recover.

A study by Lebanon’s Central Administration of Statistics on the impact of the economic crisis on prices, including clothes and shoes from December 2018 to November 2021, indicated that inflation hit 2146%.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.