Glimmers, stars in alignment, symbols, a virtuous serpent. Couture is a conspirator of the cosmos and its lucky stars. At times all that’s needed is a gown to attract love, fortune and fame. All the legends assert this as truth, and reality at Zuhair Murad stands as testament to that mythos.
For his fall-winter 2023 collection, Zuhair Murad has drawn on all the mystical arts, from Tarot and astrology to horoscopes and palmistry, to dispel the concerns of an unsettled age through the allure of their symbols.
The collection narrates ten chapters, ten successive tales woven with feathers, sumptuous fabrics, embroidery in cosmic shapes, and celestial creatures that herald good tidings.
High-cut wrap skirts accompanied by thigh-high boots, Karakou jackets, daring bodysuits, short dresses with removable trains, long sheath gowns with explicit shoulders, ball gowns or draped jumpsuits, bare midriff, accompanied by capes, all of these are the artful foundations on which astonishing motifs are applied, or tattoos embroidered on transparent tulle, the signature look of House Zuhair Murad.
Inspired by the ethereal art of Daria Hlazatova, Zuhair Murad engenders a collection in which cryptic and complex symbols prevail. Here immeasurable stars abound; elsewhere, myriad eyes, windows to the soul, draw benevolence and purity. A prominent place is reserved for the eye in a part of the collection, whether allowing moonlight to filter through silver embroidery, or centered on the fabrics, gathering its folds with absolute tenderness.
The signs of the Zodiac bestow an expansive astral theme onto long gowns, with Cancer, the astrological sign of the designer, manifesting on the front of a gown as a seal. The snake, symbolizing health and vigor, boldly weaves its way to complete this monumental assortment which represents the sigil of protection.
And while the Tarot cards with all their mysteries and enigmas appear lost in geometric adornments, it is the Queen Sun that predominates all cosmic and astrological symbols and elements, illuminating in her grandeur the celestial gowns embellished with golden threads.