As the sweltering summer heatwaves crash into the boulevards lined with Haussmannian apartment buildings, the soaring temperatures and humidity levels in Paris aren’t particularly ideal for dressing up in tailored suits or layers of tule, but hey it’s Fashion Week of course. We definitely can’t show up at the runway show of Zuhair Murad’s 2018/2019 Fall-Winter collection in tank tops and shorts, that would be quite an abomination at such an insanely glamorous presentation and quite damaging to our reputation. All jokes aside, we consider our invites to this show as a promise to a reverie of sparkling dresses, sublime craftsmanship and intricate design. A promise for which his body of work is a declaration of proof.
Waiting patiently after being seated in the gorgeous room where the runway show took place, we immediately noticed the abundance of glitter and glamour among the attendees, spotting celebrities and famous bloggers among them. It’s clear that Zuhair has a distinct customer, due to his very unmistakable aesthetic and philosophy. This is not a place for wallflowers. A dream-like depiction of imperial Russia served as inspiration for this collection, commemorating the aristocratic opulence of the grand balls held by tsars in Saint Petersburg. We recognize the grandeur of this time period in all of the pieces, that are flawlessly tailored to fit like a glove and thoroughly embellished to blind the most reluctant magpie.
Alessandra Ambrosio opens the show in a long black cape dress with a floral embroidery in gold and burgundy, setting the tone for the 55 looks that live and breathe a very mature sexiness and refined elegance due to the rich colors and heavier fabrics such as velvet and brocade. The silhouettes are nothing short from majestic, adding capes, veils and long caftan-like sleeves to the figure-hugging designs. We saw some lovely jumpsuits that have the same elegant aptitude as a dress because of the long sweeping cape or long train in the back. Our favorite was the burgundy jumpsuit with fitted legs and sheer silk appendices flowing from the shoulders like a cape, and the short long-sleeved cocktail dress with patterned embroideries. All of the dresses are the ultimate compliment to the female form, and even the Russian uniform inspired looks that would tend to feel more masculine exude a very alluring gentleness.
In Zuhair’s words, the bridging of the two usually opposed worlds of ornamentation and functionality, of the masculine and feminine, reflects today’s modern woman. We wholeheartedly agree with this statement, recognizing the way Zuhair Murad truly elevates the modern woman with these stunning creations.
