Style
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Cu Co t M u s a t , n u g r o e ... .
From a budding designer in Beirut to a well-known name at the red carpets, Zuhair Murad has come a long way.
The Mango collection Speaking about his collection for Mango, in which the inspiration from the 70s is quite apparent. “The look is inspired by the 70s, but the design is created in a modern way with new fabrics, embellishment, details and accessories,” claims Zuhair who simply loves the silhouette of that period especially the fabrics like chiffon which exude sensuality.
shows for many years now, has been collaborating with Mango since 2005, designing the collection Mango by Zuhair Murad, which has had international success. Born in Beirut, Zuhair pursued studies in art and design after which he launched his own store where he presented to the masses his unique blend of Eastern and European cuts. His sense of style and calibre as a designer soon caught the attention of the media and the high-society of his hometown which led to his foray into the world of fashion.
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ne look at his collection and you will be wondering how sensuality, glamour, elegance, and femininity could be embedded together to churn out an enviable set of apparels. This is no easy game, as it takes days of toil – drawing, sketching, fitting, and cutting fabrics along with a heavy dose of talent and imagination to set a mark as stunning as the Lebanese designer, Zuhair Murad. Woman Today caught up with the designer when the brand presented its new womenswear and menswear collections for Autumn/Winter 2010 at the Ciragan Palace Kempinski in Istanbul. The designer, who has been showing his collections during the Paris Haute Couture
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when did the association with Mango begin? It all started with a phone call, says the designer. “Mango called my office in Paris for a meeting and they asked me to design for them a limited and exclusive collection for one year and I accepted right away,” he says. Mango’s project was like a challenge for the designer which made him shift from his genre of couture, red carpet work to a more massappealing production. With this, Zuhair earned an opportunity to study the market and work with pret-a-porter evening as well as casual wear. Moreover, Zuhair became a long lasting name for the brand.
Influences from the region Despite coming from an Arab region, his designs have never been completely influenced by tradition, but are approved from women coming from his side of the world. “In the end these women are modern, educated, travel a lot, and are good clients even to European designers. It gives me pleasure to see them happy when wearing my clothes,” says Zuhair who understands the needs of Arab women, keeping in mind the tradition and culture aspect while designing. The future and more.. Keeping Zuhair busy these days are his future projects. The designer is preparing for the next pret-a-porter summer 2011 in Paris. He also plans to open a store in Dubai at the Dubai Mall Fashion Avenue and a showroom in New York. While his boutiques have fared excellently in Paris and Beirut, the new ones at Dubai and New York too seem promising. While his collections are eyed and analysed by the media and the high-end audience at fashion shows, one might wonder what goes on in the Zuhair’s mind, when he sees his collection on the runway. “It’s a nice feeling. I feel proud. I am a critic myself, so I check if there is something else that I can do with them. It makes me happy.”