Power duo George Azzi and Assaad Osta are not ones to shy away from the red carpet. In fact, their designs have been worn by numerous stars and celebrities alike, from Beyonce to Eva Longoria and Léa Seydoux – amongst many others – and they’ve always had this undisputable way of taking their fans into an enchanting world of their own.
And this time around, it was during Paris Haute Couture Week, and more specifically at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris that the Lebanese designers unveiled their Spring-Summer 2019 Couture collection. Named “Memoirs from the Silk Road”, the collection was inspired by the ancient trade network connecting East and West – where everything ranging from silk, goods and cultures were exchanged. Roughly translated, each and every gown from the collection was an homage to a city, a monument or even a memorable landmark.
“It was always very fascinating to us how silk as a luxury had to travel from one side of the earth to another to get to the royal courts of Europe .The idea of how secretive and protected was the provenance and art of silk making, is very similar to Couture, the savoir-faire, the well-kept secret of the couture house, and the journey that undertake every piece”, commented the designers.
That said, the beating heart of the collection throbbed ever-so loudly amidst a series of exquisite fabrics, from silk satin, organza, double satin duchesse, and gazar – all of which reflected the minimalism and purity of the desert dunes and sea horizons. The duo was armed with one too many techniques and looks featured a bit of pleating on dresses from here, flowy fabrics from there and a whole lot of antique embroideries and sculptured structures from everywhere. And with colors skewing from powdery tones to vibrant monochrome hues, the pieces were truly remarkable, revealing a series of sheer-dresses, form-fitting gowns with high-slits and delicate embellishments. The collection ended with not just one, but two bridal looks – one of which was upholstered with a detailed embroidered cape, requiring the handy work of twenty craftsmen and over 120 hours of marvelous savoir-faire.
Article Written by Cindy Menassa
