Lebanese Fashion Labels Take Over the Red Carpet at the 2023 Oscars
By Salma Heram / Arab America Contributing Writer
This past Sunday, March 12, 2023, Lebanese fashion labels Zuhair Murad and Elie Saab graced Hollywood’s biggest red carpet, with several celebrities wearing their designs. These stunning designs were featured at both the Academy Award’s red carpet as well as the Vanity Fair Oscar party, leaving a captivating mark on the evening. Follow along as we recount each piece from the glamorous night.
Zuhair Murad
Hailing from Ras Baalbek, Lebanon, Zuhair Murad became interested in fashion as a child, using it to “evade into a world of fantasy.” At the age of ten, he was already sketching dresses while his friends played with toy cars and planes. After high school, he moved to Paris to obtain a fashion degree, then moved back to Beirut, Lebanon in 1997. There, he opened his first atelier and grew his private clientele. Four years later, he made his debut in 2001 on the global stage at Haute Couture Week in Paris. Now in 2023, his designs decorate red carpets across the world.
Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen, American model and wife of singer-songwriter John Legend, wore a piece from Zuhair Murad’s Spring-Summer 2023 Couture Collection at the Vanity Fair afterparty. Teigan stood out on the red carpet in a dazzling green and yellow beaded caftan gown, with feathered cuffs and gorgeous beaded patterns throughout.
Eva Longoria
Actress Eva Longoria attended the Oscars Awards Ceremony in a full-length beaded tulle gown, with a plunging neckline and bishop sleeves. This piece was from Zuhair Murad’s Spring-Summer 2023 Couture Collection.
It seems that Longoria couldn’t get enough of Zuhair Murad’s stunning pieces as she wore not one, but two of his gowns in the same evening. At the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Longoria wore a piece from Zuhair Murad’s Ready To Wear Pre-Fall 2023 Collection. The gown was made of black chiffon, with a velvet bodice and heart-shaped neckline.
Heidi Klum
German-American model Heidi Klum stood out on the Vanity Fair Oscar Party red carpet in a gorgeous blue tulle gown with beaded patterns throughout. The Spring-Summer 2023 Couture piece was complete with a dramatic blue taffeta ruffled opera coat.
Shay Mitchell
Actress Shay Mitchell attended the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in a black gown from Zuhair Murad’s Ready To Wear Pre-Fall 2023 Collection. The gown featured a black bustier corset with a sheer ball skirt complete with rosette appliques.
Tiffany Haddish
American comedian and actress, Tiffany Haddish, stepped into Vanity Fair’s 2023 Oscar Party donning a multi-colored metallic lamé chevron gown with a v-neckline. This piece was from Zuhair Murad’s Ready To Wear Fall-Winter 2022 Collection and featured Zuhair Murad’s signature pleating in its skirt and bodice.
Patricia Clarkson
Patricia Clarkson kept it classic by attending the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in a piece from Zuhair Murad’s Ready To Wear Fall-Winter 2022 Collection. The American actress donned a black cady gown with a gladiator-style fringe skirt, complete with embellished stud detailing throughout.
Elie Saab
Elie Saab was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and began his career in fashion at the age of eight, when he would have his sisters model his pieces made from newspapers and fabric from his mother’s closet. After dropping out after a year of fashion school in Paris, he returned to Lebanon in 1982 to open his first atelier at the age of 18, specializing at first in bridal couture. In 2003, he became the first Lebanese to be admitted to the fashion industry’s governing body, the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. A few months later, he showed his first haute couture collection in Paris. Now, in 2023, several of his pieces made it onto the 95th Academy Awards Red Carpet and Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
Cara Delevigne
English model and actress Cara Delevigne stood out on the Oscars red carpet in a stunning deep red floor-length ballgown with a large slit and attention-drawing ribbon design on her right shoulder that mirrored the roses decorating the venue. The Haute Couture piece from Elie Saab’s 2021 Autumn-Winter Collection trailed behind the star with its long train and featured pockets that allowed Delevigne to rest her hands in, adding to her signature carefree, effortless look. Delevigne’s look left a memorable mark on viewers, making several Oscars best-dressed lists.
Monica Barbaro
Actress Monica Barbaro attended the Oscars awards ceremony in a light blue pleated tulle gown with a deep v-neckline, complete with a mauve satin overskirt with a simple bow in the middle. This two-toned look was from Elie Saab’s Haute Couture Autumn-Winter 2021 Collection.
Miranda Kerr
Miranda Kerr, an Australian model and businesswoman, attended the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in a piece from Elie Saab’s Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2023 Collection. Kerr looked beautiful in her sea foam green full-length pleated tulle gown, featuring a deep v-neckline, side cutouts, and a criss-cross bodice tied at the top of her back, with the fabric flowing behind her.
Suki Waterhouse
English model, actress, and singer Suki Waterhouse attended the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in a sequined metallic floor-length gown, complete with an oversized rose-shaped decal at the chest. This piece was from Elie Saab’s Haute Couture Autumn-Winter 2022 Collection.
Arab Representation on the Red Carpet
Seeing these stunning designs by Lebanese designers gracing the red carpet of Hollywood’s biggest night is truly a source of pride for Arabs and Arab Americans. What’s more, many of these designs feature Arab-inspired motifs, carrying our culture to the global stage.
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