Was this Venus or are we dreaming?

Zuhair Murad’s Fall 2020 Couture Show sets the scene with an single voice-over that speaks to the many waxing moods of womanhood, gifting them dreams draped in feathers, dreamy chiffon and sparkling iconography. 

Horoscopes, astrology and biblical references are embellished onto rich plum velvet, as fabric drips it’s way down heavenly bodies, sending the audience into a state of awe. 

“ That’s right, I am interchangeable…”  says a female voice-over, opening the show, as a heavenly string quartet begins it’s rapid bowing…

Murad’s opening look is an exquisitely embellished two-piece, showing fierce femininity in every shade.

Shouting colour and complexity, the look details a biblical narrative embroidered in multicolour from the neck to the knee. 

A juxtaposition of playfulness and sexiness is offered on opposite ends of the set, with a dash of feathers on the collar, and a daring leg slip, that nods to further explorations of desire and seduction to come. 

The colour palette then suddenly expands, as a high-pitched synthesiser joins the quartet.

Suddenly we see popping purples, extravagant greens, impeccable tailoring and fabric that comes alive. 

Splatters of silver ink and strands of beaded gold dance mid-air, with embellished turbans wrapping women’s minds in fantasy.

Violent purples with embellished snakes coil around waistlines and throats, as long endless legs plunge out of metres of billowing sheer fabric. 

What Did Work 

It’s hard not to appreciate Zuhair Murad’s boldness to be experimental and creative, in this particular collection. 

A standout look was the white gown depicted in the middle of the collection. The bondage-like straps exude sexiness which add a delightful contrast to cultural references related to white gowns.  

The organic print which showcases splatters of paint and digitally printed scribbles reference astrology, and offer a unique take on creativity, atypical to Haute Couture.

Murad’s fearlessness choice and wide range of colour palette was utterly breathtaking, and some would say made the collection. 

A sense of editing and refinement was unmissable, with most designs presenting clear negotiations between balance, colour, texture and volume. This is a compliment to the high skill and craftsmanship that of Murad and his team exhibit.

The chiffons, organzas, tulle and feathers were especially captivating and not to mention etherial in their usage.

The flirtation of feathers and tailoring was equally sublime, alongside the choice of iconography. This motif explored ideas relating to spirituality and expansiveness, which added depth to the collection.

 

What Didn’t Work

The experimental nature of the collection was one of elevation however some designs did fall short.

These included the red tulle gown with the high-low mullet skirt, and the cut-out bodysuits.

 These designs came across more costume than exciting and seemed to take the collection down a confusing detour.

Murad placed the designs that were heavily embellished with iconography between colour-blocked chiffons, etherial fabrics and feathers. This acted as a palette cleanse and made the iconography more impressive when spaced out. Black velvets also helped to create balance throughout the collection. 

However towards the end of the show, the iconography grew less impressive the more prevalent it became. 

The final look was a ballgown, embellished in stars with a matching veil and gold cosmic headpiece.
The gown was perfect for the wedding of a celebrity medium or an ex-Texas showgirl, however it left me feeling a little disappointed, with the show closing on just another white wedding dress. 

The collection overall was incredibly strong, spiritual and divine to say the least.

 Murad’s designs showcase the excellent of Haute Couture at it’s finest and it’s ability to sculpt fabric it in a way that sends people to a planet, we just don’t want to leave.