Elie Saab’s gowns look as though they’ve floated in from a parallel universe, one where splendor reigns, opulence is a given, and women are ethereal goddesses draped in celestial couture. In this world, no one is rushing to drop the kids off at school or juggling grocery bags. And yet, these dreamlike creations are very much part of the real world—just not the kind found in a supermarket aisle. Saab’s clients are women who flourish in the glow of life’s grandest occasions: weddings, state banquets, black-tie galas, red-carpet premieres. It’s a rarefied reality but a reality nonetheless—one that Elie Saab has been dressing in fabulosity ever since he opened his atelier in Beirut in the early 1980s.
Saab always frames his collections in fantastical narratives. This season, the setting was a French château, where flirtation played like a courtly sport in an era that felt vaguely Marie Antoinette–adjacent. But before ruffles, romance, and macarons took over, the show opened with a bold twist: Lara Stone, Sasha Pivovarova, and Isabeli Fontana looked divine in sculpted, clingy, corseted black velvet showstoppers. With barely-there makeup, no flashy bijoux, and tousled hair, the look had a seductive edge, with presence and no distractions. The sensually pared-down styling acted as a counterpoint to the overall opulence of the garments, reining in even the most lavish creations. Taking cues from 18th-century pastels, the collection unfolded in a soft palette of pearl pink, water blue, and mint. Breezy mousselines became flirty confections, exquisitely embroidered with glistening bows. Organza was adorned with pastoral ramages, while moiré flowed into sweeping trains. Capes swept over sheer chiffon gowns, amplifying the sense of movement and airy seduction. This was no Versailles costume drama though—it was a bold proposition for today’s would-be chatelaines, who like making an entrance and favor allure with the right amount of excess.
