Cordelia: a Story of Survival

When war came to my doorstep, I packed my sewing machine and serger, leaving behind my studio, my village, and the life I had built. What I carried with me wasn’t just tools, it was a promise to myself: I would create again.

My name is Sara Rammal, and I am a twenty-two year old content creator and artist. I grew up in Odaisseh, a small village in South Lebanon, on the border of occupied Palestine. Everything I created was inspired by the environment around me, my village, my culture, and my history.

THE PAST

Growing up, I spent my days capturing the beauty of life in the South through photographs. I liked taking photos of myself between flowers, experimenting with props and scenery, but fashion was far from my mind. I didn’t care much about clothes until I turned seventeen.

At the time, I worked at a small phone shop. It wasn’t much, but for my teenage self, it was a good way to save money. One day, I decided to transform my wardrobe to something that matched my personality. I didn’t like the fast fashion pieces that were around; I craved timeless pieces, earthy tones, and things that felt like me.

While searching the Beiruti shops, I stumbled upon a fabric store. Without hesitation, I spent my entire savings on five large bags of fabric. I had no sewing machine, no skills, and no plan— just the determination to create something of my own. I borrowed my grandmother’s sewing machine and began teaching myself how to sew through YouTube tutorials. Piece by piece, I built my wardrobe, experimenting with patterns and learning the art of design. It took me two years to master my craft. During that time, I discovered a love for fashion design that I never knew existed.

I started sharing my creations on Instagram and to my surprise, people loved my designs and some even asked to buy them. I didn’t have the resources to take that step yet— I didn’t feel ready and I lacked the budget for better machines and fabrics.

CORDELIA

At ninteen, I attended an arts and crafts class offered by an NGO in Nabatiyeh, Lebanon. At first, I thought it was just another class, but as I listened to the stories of others turning their passions into businesses, something clicked. I realized I already had the skills, the creativity, and even the clients. All I needed was the confidence and resources to start.

When I told the class that I had made the outfit I was wearing—a sage green corset over an angelic white shirt— they were stunned. I began developing a brand inspired by my love for the “cottage core” aesthetic.

I named my brand Cordelia, after a fictional character from my favorite series, Anne with an E. Anne used to dress up and pretend to be Princess Cordelia to escape her struggles, finding solace in the power of imagination. For me, fashion served the same purpose; it allowed me to escape, to dream, to feel free.

I won that class’ competition in first place. And after getting the funding I needed, Cordelia was born. I created made-to-order dresses and shirts—each piece carrying a part of my soul. People were willing to wait months for my creations, and I poured my heart into every stitch.

THE WAR ON SOUTH

Just as I began to see my dreams take flight, life in Lebanon reminded me of how quickly it can unravel. In October 2023, things changed.

War started, and I was watching and hearing missiles pass by above my home. The life I had carefully built started tearing apart. For my safety and education, I moved to Beirut, leaving behind my home, my studio, and most of my supplies. I could bring only one sewing machine, a serger, and some fabrics. I was preparing for a tote bag collection but I had to leave everything behind.

Instead of sharing aesthetic posts on Instagram, my page became a platform to document the war. I posted in English, hoping to raise awareness about what was happening in both my country and in Gaza as well.

In December, bombs struck near the place my parents were seeking shelter. For the first time since the beginning of the war, they left our village and joined me in Beirut.

I stopped sewing entirely. I couldn’t bring myself to create when everything felt so uncertain. I didn’t have the space nor my equipment. I shifted my focus to media work, learning new skills and surviving day by day. My wardrobe of skirts and dresses was replaced with survival mode clothing: anything that I could evacuate in should something happen. It was a bonus if it was something I could both sleep and go out in.

THE WAR ON LEBANON

For 66 days, Israel bombed every part of this country. During the full scale war on Lebanon, I was living in survival mode. We escaped the southern suburbs of Beirut and went to a house in Mount Lebanon with all my extended family. During that time, I filmed, volunteered, and interviewed people, documenting the human impact of war. I even reached out to people for jobs to keep myself busy and avoid the reality of things. When a ceasefire was announced, we went back to Beirut. We couldn’t go back to my village, 80% of the houses in Odaisseh were bombed, trees were burned, and Israeli forces are still on my land.

THE PRESENT

If war taught me anything it’s that I don’t have to wait for things to be perfect. Life doesn’t pause for anyone, and it’s important to choose your dreams despite the uncertainty.

I found a small apartment in Beirut, a space that I’m renovating to become both my own home and a studio for Cordelia. It will be a place to sew, to dream, and to create. I don’t have all the funds or resources I need yet, but I’m determined to make it work.

Like Anne, I created Cordelia as a way to dream beyond my struggles. Today, it’s not just an escape— it’s my resistance— a stitch of hope in a fractured world. Through my brand, I want to bring beauty into the world, not just for myself, but for others who need it too. I’m designing again, planning collections, and imagining a future where Cordelia reaches people across the globe.

THE FUTURE

The scars of war will always remain, but so will my passion. I’ve lost loved ones, friends, and places that meant the world to me. My village may never be the same, but I carry its strength within me.

Cordelia is more than a brand, it has become a symbol of survival, of creativity in the face of destruction, and the belief that beauty can bloom even in the harshest conditions.

This is not just my story. It’s the story of countless artists who refuse to let war define them. And as I sew the first stitch in my new studio, I know this is only the beginning.