Zuhair Murad Couture Spring/Summer 2026: After the Night, Comes the Light
- Nada Armanious
- Fashion
After enduring the longest of nights, beauty does not disappear — it waits. For Spring/Summer 2026, Zuhair Murad returns to couture with a collection that feels less like a seasonal offering and more like a quiet, resolute rebirth. Titled Chiaroscuro, the collection unfolds as a meditation on darkness and light, fragility and strength, and the enduring power of beauty as an act of resistance.
Photo provided by Zuhair Murad
Moving with deliberate grace, Murad’s silhouettes appear almost luminous, as if emerging from shadow into dawn. The women who inhabit this universe walk slowly, sovereign and contemplative, carrying within them the memory of collapse and the promise of renewal. There is a poetic stillness to the procession — one that recalls both the aftermath of darkness and the quiet courage required to step forward again.
Photo provided by Zuhair Murad
The collection draws inspiration from Renaissance humanism and the spirit of rebirth that reshaped art and society after periods of upheaval. Echoes of the 1950s — an era when fashion redefined the female form as a symbol of optimism — are reinterpreted through a contemporary couture lens. Sculpted corsets define the waist, while voluminous hips, full skirts, and fluid overskirts create silhouettes that feel powerful yet ethereal. Softly draped fabrics converse with the body, evoking the timeless sensuality of classical painting — strong, sensual, and eternal.
Photo provided by Zuhair Murad
Materials play a central role in this dialogue between shadow and light. Satin and mikado provide structure and armor, while chiffon, tulle, and jersey brush against the skin with whisper-light movement. Embroidery becomes an art of reverence: handcrafted silk threads are accented with delicate metallic strands, discreet cabochons, and precious chains that adorn the silhouettes like relics — symbols of protection and memory. The craftsmanship is meticulous, honoring patience, transmission, and time itself.
Photo provided by Zuhair Murad
The palette unfolds in chiaroscuro and sfumato, with diaphanous pastels emerging from deep shadows. Light appears filtered, as though each model is stepping out of night into morning. Colors feel softened, grounded, and hand-worn — a nod to the muted brilliance of Renaissance masters and the enduring beauty found in restraint.
With Couture Spring/Summer 2026, Zuhair Murad does not simply present garments; he offers a passage. It is a collection rooted in hope, shaped by resilience, and elevated by the belief that beauty — even after darkness — remains essential. After the night, comes the light.