Bali, Sep 2017
SARI KASSOUF
Sari Kassouf: Architect of Intention and Founder of The Slow
“The Slow was never meant to be just a café or a store. It’s an invitation to pause, to reconnect—with yourself, with others, with your environment.” — Sari Kassouf
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It took an afternoon in Bali for the world of Sari Kassouf to come slowing down.
The heat was thick, the air sticky. Dressed in polished, high-end labels, Kassouf—an architect and avid traveler—found himself uncomfortable and restless. Stepping into a small yoga wear boutique, he swapped his designer clothes for something simple, breathable, and beautifully made. He walked out of the shop lighter, freer—and changed.
That moment sparked a shift: from image to essence, from fast to slow.
A Journey Toward Purpose
Kassouf’s architectural background gave him the tools to shape space, but Bali gave him the vision to shape intention. His search for ethically made, sustainable, and purposeful brands took him across the globe, until that path ultimately led him back to Beirut.
In November 2019, just weeks after Lebanon’s October revolution, he opened The Slow in Mar Mikhael—a concept boutique and café rooted in mindfulness, sustainability, and conscious design.
“I was looking for good brands with a good purpose,” Kassouf says. “Eventually, I realized I had to build the space I couldn’t find.”
The Space: A Living Gallery
Designed by Kassouf in collaboration with Frama CPH, The Slow was conceived as a gallery-like environment—modular, tactile, and immersive. The furniture, shelving, even the stools and tables are all available for purchase. Every object tells a story. The handmade plates hail from Portugal. The knives and cutlery are crafted in Japan. The clothing racks feature pieces Kassouf discovered on his travels—organic, ethical, intentional. “Everything in the space has been lived with, tested, felt. That’s how I curate—through experience.” The café offers a menu based on fresh produce, with influences from Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine. Meals are meant to be savored, not rushed. Phones are put away. Conversations take center stage.
The Slow Life
At its heart, The Slow promotes more than beautiful design or good food—it promotes a way of living. Kassouf encourages slowing down not as a luxury, but as a daily practice: consuming less but better, being more present, and honoring quality over quantity. Even amid Lebanon’s political and economic turmoil, The Slow has quietly thrived, becoming a haven for those seeking calm in a city known for chaos.
What’s Next: Growth with Intention
Now, Kassouf is preparing to expand. The Slow will soon move into a larger space with a garden, adding wellness studios in partnership with Namat Beirut. Yoga, mindful movement, and outdoor gatherings will complement the lifestyle philosophy that drives the brand.
“We’re not just building more—we’re deepening the experience,” Kassouf says. “The Slow is evolving into a full ecosystem of conscious living.”
A Quiet Revolution
With The Slow, Sari Kassouf has created more than a destination—he’s crafted a philosophy. In a world that celebrates speed and distraction, he offers something quietly radical: presence, purpose, and beauty in simplicity.
Whether it’s through a well-made linen shirt, a handmade cup, or a single moment of stillness, Kassouf invites us to live with more care—and far less rush.
Bali, Sep 2017