There was nary a princess dress in sight, and no bride either. Zuhair Murad paid tribute to Phoenicia, the ancestor of modern-day Lebanon, and its seafaring heritage in a collection of powerful shoulders, straight lines, draped silhouettes and a shipwreck’s hull full of bling to rival the display on his front row.
Chain upon chain of gemstones and baubles in varying shapes and sizes dangled from his statement designs in silver and gold, several backed with nude tulle to appear like they were decorating the naked body. What looked to be rough-cut semiprecious stones were encrusted, jewelry-like, on sequin numbers, giving them an irregularity that detracted nothing from the glitzy message — testament, if needed, to Murad’s undeniable skill with embellishment.
Evoking the Greco-Roman Empire, bunches of grapes and vines formed a sinuous mesh pattern on white numbers, among the most creative looks, or formed adornments at the neck and hips on a draped dress in faded wine red. Designs with arabesque or mosaic-like geometric patterns in multiple metallic shades had a more contemporary vibe that could translate for modern-day pomp.
Move over princess dress, the goddess gown is in town.
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