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Zuhair Murad: Murad's Arabian Night
By: Karl Treacy
Photos by Javier Mateo
Paris, Jul 12, 2002/ FWD/ --- What is it with Lebanese designers? All of a sudden they
seem to be everywhere!
Heading the list is the slick Elie Saab, followed by a slightly more decorative Georges Chakra.
And then, there's Zuhair Murad.
You know straight away what the collection was going to be like as a blonde client wafted to her
front-row seat wearing a long pink beaded chiffon evening gown -- at 2PM!
When the light went up as the show started, she and her obvious love affair with the scalpel, was
visible for all to see, causing one audience member to gasp loudly and drolly, "Oh my god,
she's 85!"
Murad does glitz, Arabian Night-style.
Think shine, think sheen, think unabashed and obvious money. These clothes don't suggest wealth
through discreetly impeccable cut, they scream it through lashings and lashings of beads and
diamonds.
If you're the kind of gal who doesn't like to bear her midriff, then you're instanlty out of
the running for at least the outfits, even two of the four wedding dresses - one of which
paired what looked like a beaded swimsuit with white go-go boots.
If some of the decortaion could be toned down slightly -- maybe matte instead of blinding --
there were some pretty cool pieces.
A handkerchief hem, halter-neck, A-line dress in fuchsia lace was great, as was a long flaring
gown in peach chiffon encrusted with beaded flowers.
For daytime, trousers were cut long and tight; and sexy jackets molded the torso.
Pieced trousers in cream shantung under and embroidered lace top with flared sleeves and luxurious
fur collar could stop traffic.
But, the 29-year old designer let himself down with an over-reliance on cheap decoration such
as fabric flowers that can be bought in any trim shop.
Likewise, a whole fox -- head and all -- wrapped around the shoulders of a model was
unsettling rather than glamorous.
Murad has a receptive and enthusiastic domestic cliente in Paris. But if he's hoping to
attract new clients in Western Europe, he probably should rethink some of the designs.
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