Reading the show notes for Zuhair Murad’s latest couture collection, he talked of a heroine that has refused to surrender.
“In a world that is falling apart, she remains standing, powerful, unbroken, protective, and magnificent,” they read, and the text spoke of being influenced by a world of fairy tales, secret gardens and enchanted castles, all while remaining strong and steadfast.
That played out across a collection that moved between shadow and light with dramatic black velvet gowns and sweeping capes giving way to delicate bloom-covered ball skirts, shimmering embroidery and butterflies bursting from the bodices of gowns.
“We still have roses growing during dark times…so I translated the patterns in the embroidery,” Murad said backstage, explaining key themes of the collection.
Still, you get the feeling the designer is talking about himself. Running his maison between Beirut and Paris as the region remains on tenterhooks, the designer admitted that “it’s a tough period,” but he insists on remaining with his team in Lebanon rather than relocating production elsewhere.
“We are trying to keep life positive, optimistic for a bright future, hopefully for our country and our maison,” he said, in the spirit of carrying on. “We are surviving and vibing.”
With that perspective, the collection’s contrast of darkness and light felt less like an effort in storytelling than about building something in the real world. The thick velvets and cocooning capes became symbols of protection as much as glamour, while floral embroidery and the sparkle of his intricate beading felt more like a glimmer of hope in uncertain times.
Murad has long mastered the language of red carpet dressing, and this collection did little to alter his signature look. Instead, he refined it with sleek velvet trousers, and experimented with pieces that took the duality literally, such as looks with butterflies on one side of the body complemented by dramatic obsidian black draping on the other.
That enduring celebrity appeal was reflected in the front row, where Jennifer Lopez attended her first Zuhair Murad runway show after more than 15 years of collaboration. “Whenever you put on one of his dresses, you feel like the most beautiful girl in the world,” she said.
For Murad, he is currently completing the interiors of his upcoming Paris flagship, due to open early next year, which will house his couture, ready-to-wear and the growing accessories categories of his own dream world.
