Elie Saab is a name synonymous with glamour, luxury and any number of fashion firsts, and this season was no exception. The Lebanese maison debuted their FW 2022-23 couture collection in Paris, named “The Beginning of Twilight”, sultry silhouettes, glistening under the Parisian sun were accompanied by a young modern man, the Elie Saab man, a first for the Maison.
This couture season seems to be all about fantasies, for Saab, it was the enchanted moment of possibility where fantasies and mystery can manifest into reality. Inspired by the onset of twilight, when rays of warm light ripple across the horizon as we begin to bid farewell to a lingering day, the collection celebrates the light aura of a free spirited woman, she exudes a sense of mystery, but commands the room.
The collection’s majestic garments personify the power and grace of the ever changing, setting sun. From shimmering sequins, beaded fringes, embroidered tassels, crystals and appliqués of organza petals, each piece is complemented by extravagant textures and fabrics that brilliantly overlap with the intricacy of the embroidery, embracing and defining the beauty of the human body. The gemstones and beads which wrap the body and appear skin-like, are defined through chiffon cutouts which define the piece’s silhouette.
Mysterious and captivating
From overstated collars to exaggerated necklines, to feathers combined with velvet, to the mosaic-like braided silk threads and mirrored gem embroidery featured on voluminous jackets that sit above the shoulder as if a crown, all the variously shaped designs are equally glamorous.
The gender fluidity of the capes leaves room for the exploration of the Elie Saab man, a defiant being who stands out among a crowd thanks to the embellishments and intricate embroidery of his pieces — after all, these are signature elements and a hallmark of the Lebanese Maison.
Elie Saab’s latest couture collection is mysterious and captivating — while all is familiar, nothing is as it seems. From the darkness of the night to the lightness of the sun and the twilight in between, Saab’s sumptuous garments are a spectacular exhibition of brilliant possibilities.
