Zuhair Murad loosened up for spring, taking the couture codes of his red-carpet glamour into lighter, more relaxed ready-to-wear.
The Lebanese designer looked to the beaches of the Mediterranean this season for a collection that traded some of his usual body-conscious formality for fluid dresses, flowing fabrics and plenty of fringe.
Draping, asymmetrical skirts and high-necked trapeze silhouettes gave the clothes more room to move, offsetting his fondness for the cinched waist and giving the collection more range across both day and eveningwear.
He added casual jumpsuits as well as cocktail suits in black satin with frog button blazers, aiming for greater accessibility while keeping his eye on detail and finishing.
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He also experimented with new techniques, including reworking his signature embroidery to create the appearance of crochet, finished with beads and tassels. It added to the collection’s slightly bohemian mood and the effect was of shimmying all night on a beach somewhere in Ibiza.
Floral motifs carried over from the couture collection appeared here as brooches and fluffy lapel accessories, while corsetry was reworked through layered fabrics. One top used sheer layering superpositioned over structure to create draping and ruching, softening the snatched-waist silhouette.
Then he wrapped it all up in bows — particularly a bubblegum-pink column gown with large loops at the back that felt a little bit Marilyn Monroe-esque — that is sure to find its place on the red carpet come awards season.
The brand continues to expand its accessories, launching pouch and envelope clutches this season, as well as big 1980s-style statement earrings and an enameled charm necklace that can double as a belt. The ZM monogram was also reinterpreted on straps and clasps, adding a glint of gold on simple jersey dresses.
The collection comes as Murad continues work on his Paris flagship, now slated to open in the first quarter of next year.
