ZUHAIR MURAD SPRING 2015 COUTURE

PARIS, FRANCE [JANUARY 29, 2015] – Zuhair Murad’s Spring Couture collection was an evocation of water, which played out as a spectacle of gowns that dripped with beading and frothed along the runway. Indeed, he seemed to play up every possible design metaphor: rippling embroidery, pleating in waves around the waist, Watteau backs mimicking waterfalls, whirlpools of tulle at the shoulders, plunging necklines, a swimsuit bodice with a crystal-encrusted mermaid overlay, and, as if that weren’t enough, embellished boatnecks. By the show’s midpoint, those in attendance had gotten the drift.

Yet to Murad’s credit, no two creations were entirely alike. And two outliers were particularly pretty in the way they combined pale blue printed and embroidered flowers atop a peach silk organza base and bore little relation to the theme. Another dress stood out because its bobbing back ruffle did not float with the lightness on display elsewhere. The penultimate look, a jumpsuit with a cascading skirt, could be a compelling red-carpet contender.

Murad’s audience consists heavily of regular clients—many flying in from Beirut, where he is based—and they often signal their approval with applause. This season, they singled out a cocktail dress with delicately embellished and scalloped batwing sleeves. The clapping also swelled for the fairy-tale wedding gown inspired by One Thousand and One Nights. The enormous train measured 5-by-5 meters and followed the model like a tide retreating from the shore. Thankfully, she was not required to steer herself around upon reaching the end of the runway.