Elie Saab Spring 2017 Couture. Photo by Indigital
Legendary singer Umm Kulthum’s song Alf Leila wa Leila (One Thousand and One Nights) set the tone on the runway for the Egyptian cinema-inspired Elie Saab Spring 2017 Haute Couture collection. In conversation with US Vogue, Saab reflected on Egypt’s influence as the pioneer of cinema in the region during the 1950s: “People were able to express themselves and their creative talents in theater, art, journalism, music, and cinema, transforming Egypt into a hub for progress and allowing Arabic culture to flourish.”
Ladylike fluid dresses in powder blue and dusty pink opened the show, followed by a myriad of tulle gowns featuring rich embroidery and crystal embellishments. Evil eye and geometric Arabesque motifs were splashed across satin tea-length dresses and floor-sweeping numbers, while a scenery of palm trees and sailboats drifting down the Nile was imagined on a sheer tulle gown. In addition to the dresses that will soon be making the rounds on the red carpet, marabou trimmings, gilded sunglasses, and high-octane jewelry evoked retro charm. Reminiscent of Egyptian silver screen starlets such as Soad Hosny and Faten Hamama, hair adornments in the form of silk head-wraps, nude lips, and feline flicks further drove home the glamour of the golden era.
Click here to see the full Elie Saab Spring 2017 Couture collection.
