Zuhair Murad’s feminine allure

Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad showed a wardrobe’s worth of red-carpet worthy looks in his haute couture collection for fall/winter 2014. According to him, “It’s a journey between glamour and modernity, between the classic and futurism, it’s between couture, haute couture, modern architecture and futurism, geometric, asymmetric and involving all the haute couture techniques.”

Murad showed a collection built from geometrical artistry. The dresses were classic cocktail or gala silhouettes but with intriguing little touches of futurism such as the prism motifs rendered in hammered metallic sequins. Interesting necklines included high neck, halters, boat neck, to more plunging, sweetheart necklines while he emphasized the waistline (how great to have one at the proper spot or it’s just ‘wasted’ of course) with enhanced volume overskirt. So several of the mini dresses and more glamorous designs had enhanced pleats bunched up on the right or left with stylish flair, perfect for that red carpet walk in the season ahead.

There was a white, full sleeved jumpsuit with a ‘strapped’ neckline, a large diamond cut-out in the front and trellis-cut-outs over the shoulders, sleeves and the hips which could just prove irresistible for the likes of Sharon Stone (who knows, let’s see).

To his sleeveless, fairytale wedding gown Murad added a five-meter long, diaphanous veil. Architectural allure came to the fore in a shimmery, cream kaftan with Art-Deco flourishes cinched by a belt which was hailed by experts as being the most modern creation in the collection. It is almost ‘out-of-the-worldly’ in appeal and gazing at it for just a few moments can take you on an unplanned time travel of sorts…

To a question by a leading online publication as to what inspiration he got from his home country of Lebanon, the Beirut-based designer seems to have said “I’m inspired first and foremost by the beauty of Lebanon’s perfectly balanced four seasons, with our white winter, colorful spring, hot summer and elegant fall. We also can’t deny the fact that Lebanon is steeped in culture and rich civilizations, which can be seen in the archeological remains of all who passed through. But the people of Lebanon, the nightlife, truly inspire me in my day-to-day life”.

And while his designs are red carpet ‘constants’ which are flaunted by the bold and the beautiful across the world, the famed Middle East designer said that his dream was to see his favourite actress, the lissome and stunning, South African Oscar winner Charlize Theron, adorn his creation some day.