Zuhair Murad Spring Summer 2026 Haute Couture Fashion Show

Zuhair Murad returned to unapologetic glamour for Spring Summer 2026, drawing deeply from Hollywood’s Golden Age and the powerful screen archetypes embodied by figures such as Katharine Hepburn. After several more restrained resort and ready-to-wear outings, the couturier reasserted his mastery of spectacle, presenting a collection that celebrated strength, femininity, and cinematic allure with renewed conviction.

Broad-shouldered silhouettes formed the structural backbone of the collection, anchoring sheer gowns and fluid capes with assertive geometry. While the resurgence of big shoulders is often linked to 1980s nostalgia, Murad looked further back, to the 1940s films that originally established that powerful outline. In his hands, the silhouette became less about retro revival and more about character: women shaped by resolve, independence, and presence. The interplay between sculptural structure and soft, diaphanous fabrics created a constant tension between authority and grace.

Color and surface amplified this narrative. Murad took the “golden” in Golden Age literally, flooding the runway with yellows, warm metallics, and relentless sparkle. Sequined columns shimmered with the intensity of freshly polished trophies, while beading and lamé caught the light in waves, designed for maximum impact under flashbulbs and chandeliers alike. These were gowns conceived for the red carpet, unapologetically commanding attention and celebrating the drama of being seen.

Despite the collection’s gloss, it was underpinned by a quieter message of resilience. Murad acknowledged that ongoing tensions in the Middle East complicated the production process, particularly the sourcing of fabrics from Italy and France. Yet the atelier persevered, and this sense of endurance subtly informed the work, infusing its glamour with a note of defiance and optimism rather than mere escapism.

A notable addition was the introduction of opulent faux furs, appearing in stoles, wraps, and oversized cocoon coats. Often embellished with beads and cabochons, these pieces added a new layer of theatricality while aligning with a more ethical approach to luxury. Their plush volumes contrasted strikingly with the sleek, body-skimming gowns beneath, reinforcing the collection’s play between softness and power.

Critically, Spring Summer 2026 did not seek to reinvent Murad’s couture language so much as to refine and intensify it. At times the emphasis on sparkle and scale bordered on excess, but that excess is central to his appeal. By channeling Hollywood’s golden mythology through a modern lens of female strength and perseverance, Murad delivered a collection that felt both nostalgically opulent and emotionally resonant—a confident reaffirmation of glamour as a form of empowerment.