Following three showings at Fashion Forward (Season 2, 4, and now 5) the Fujairah-based Madiyah Al Sharqi has solidified her Marie-Antoinette signature: flowy fabrics, intricate embroideries, luxurious lace (all from France), and a macaron palette. Each season she presents a variation of this theme, and for this Fall 2015 collection she worked with warmer, sturdier fabrics and created a sort of geometric Aurora Borealis effect with her embellishments.
While we applaud Al Sharqi’s desire to evolve her feminine signature, not all of these looks worked: the elongated triangular inserts were too sharp on such soft silhouettes, and while her mix of fabrics was, for the most part, on-point, the layered peplum skirts felt forced. Meanwhile, the deep pistachio green looked washed out. The rest of the pastel colors—sky blue, mustard yellow, and base ivory—were a delight, and the lace, both up-close and from afar, revealed beautiful technique and an exclusive pattern. Taking this old-world craft and featuring it on zip jackets with sporty cinched sleeves produced strong, wearable separates for many an occasion and across geographies.
Missed the show? Watch all of the shows from Fashion Forward Season 5 here.
