Zuhair Murad opened his spring couture show with a soft burst of pastels, setting the tone for a collection that leaned into optimism, opulence and meticulous craftsmanship.
Backstage, Murad acknowledged the global uncertainty shaping this couture season — a feeling that carries particular weight for the Beirut-based designer. His response was deliberate: gowns rooted in beauty, history and reassurance. The collection looked back to moments when art flourished after darkness, drawing inspiration from both the Renaissance and the postwar era.
“We are living in a world where there is a lot of darkness,” Murad said. “After the Middle Ages came the Renaissance to celebrate art, painting, music, the beauty of the woman.” That philosophy shaped silhouettes that placed the female body firmly at the center, echoed again in references to the New Look of the 1950s.
The hourglass form ran throughout the collection. Corsets cinched waists tightly, while hips were emphasized with structured skirts, draped overskirts and volumes that flirted with pannier-like proportions. Some looks leaned theatrical, but Murad stressed that his intention was about shape rather than costume.
“I wanted to celebrate her body, her beauty this is what makes a woman different,” he said.
Architectural fabrics such as duchesse satin and mikado gave structure, while chiffon softened the overall effect. Embroidery — always a Murad hallmark — shimmered across silk surfaces, inspired by Renaissance frescoes and gilded architecture, translated through metallic threads, chains and pearls.
The color story stayed light and luminous, with pale pinks, aqua, sage and champagne evoking the hazy sfumato of Renaissance painting. Gunmetal was the darkest note, while bows, florals and short capes added to the collection’s delicate femininity, as if the gowns were framed works of art.
The result was couture that felt lavish and almost surreal in its optimism a reminder of fashion’s symbolic power, even when practicality takes a back seat. As ever, Murad’s sculpted silhouettes and sensual elegance ensure his place as a red carpet favorite, with several of the more restrained, solid-color looks likely to appear during the upcoming awards season.
The designer also previewed pieces from his forthcoming jewelry line, set to launch soon, alongside plans for a new Paris flagship — further signals that, for Murad, beauty and ambition remain firmly intertwined.
