Madiyah Al Sharqi x Karen Wazen SS22. Photo: Courtesy
Karen Wazen and Madiyah Al Sharqi have joined forces once again on a ready-to-wear collection for the summer season. After unveiling their debut collaboration, a 28-piece capsule, to great reception, the Lebanese entrepreneur and Emirati designer’s latest offering sees a natural evolution of their individual aesthetics. “I’m super proud that this is my second collection with Madiyah Al Sharqi,” Wazen shared with Vogue Arabia. “There were some things that were different—a little bit easier—because the first time, it was my first-ever collaboration of this scale and I didn’t know what people would like. I only knew what I would like. Based on the first collection we figured out what people like more, what fabrics they like more, and this made the process for the second collection easier.”
Wazen looked to the archives of Al Sharqi’s namesake brand, finding her favorite pieces to build off of while injecting her own playful yet modern woman-on-the-go style. The result is a 16-piece, ’70s-inspired collection of fun and flirty numbers made sophisticated with a palette of soft pinks and neutrals. This time around, Madiyah Al Sharqi’s signature asymmetrical silhouettes find new life in the Millie and Mayla dresses. One, a romantic floor-grazing gown with a one-shouldered flute sleeve and mock neck rendered in beige and white silk, and the other, a shorter version of the same silhouette.
Madiyah Al Sharqi x Karen Wazen SS22. Photo: Courtesy
Mood-boosting designs come in the form of a bias-cut midi dress with a cowl neck that will look just as good on Instagram as it does in person, and a mini frock with puff sleeves and a tiered skirt which is the duo’s answer to the staple summer dress. There are also newer shapes, owing to Wazen’s penchant for “adventurous dressing”. The aesthetic manifests in a backless dress with flattering cutouts on the shoulders and bodice going into a floor-length skirt with a bold slit, also seen in a new maxi skirt paired with a halter neck top with a V-shaped hem. The digital influencer’s 7.1 million followers would agree that these pieces are not unlike the ones Wazen could be seen out on a date night in, or the on the streets of Paris or Dubai.
Madiyah Al Sharqi x Karen Wazen SS22. Photo: Courtesy
The breezy pieces are balanced with tailored separates proposing versatility, in that, they can be mixed and matched. Think cropped button-downs with lapel collars in short or long sleeves that can be worn with either high-waist bermuda shorts, mini skirts, or wide-leg trousers. Done well in the first collection, these monochromatic sets are elevated this season with chain details and fresher ikat-style and tie-dye printed silks, while wrinkled fabrics make a reappearance.
The Madiyah Al Sharqi x Karen Wazen Spring/Summer 2022 collection is now available at Bloomingdale’s Dubai and Kuwait, Harvey Nichols, Ounass, Rubaiyat, Farfetch, and on Madiyahalsharqi.com
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