The sea is becoming one of the main currents of spring. In the hands of Zuhair Murad, it transforms women into the handmaidens of Venus, served on the half shell.
Part human and part anemone, these demigoddesses are dressed in flowing jersey, cady or English eyelet. Elements from the depths appear in embroidery of starfish or inserts of shells and baroque pearls, for example on an easy black top with flexible trousers. There was a piece of white handkerchief halter in an eyelet, while a range of poplin bralettes and voluminous dresses featured a beautiful Italian print. A black dress with rococo embroidery looked like a keeper; elsewhere, the precious-looking beads and sequin embellishments suggested a sailor’s rope attached to them, and hammered satin was worked to resemble the movement and sheen of water. Geometric sequins swirled across a gray halter dress, a slitted cutout dress, or a youthful white two-piece ensemble with a crop top and long skirt. Lace cord embroidery, anchored by stylized initials, captured the graceful flow of algae. Some of the more understated ideas here will likely prove timeless.
The designer has also turned to sharp tailoring lately, and here he showed admirable restraint by keeping the embellishments in negative space, as on a blush suit or a series in black. But if his ladies are looking for transparency, he also has them covered in black or white lace, sometimes with corsetry details, or (more modestly) strategically placed strips in airy silk satin numbers.
Murad’s ladies always dress to shine, but especially at night, on the red carpet, at weddings and wherever they end up. Here he offered draped, pleated and lamé goddess dresses in a lush and universally flattering palette from champagne to caviar, with plenty of sunrise and sunset shades such as apricot, coral, russet, silver and bronze.