Elie Saab set his sights on New York this season, reimagining the duality of uptown and downtown style in the 1990s. Mist swirled through the rear of the runway as the silhouette of a model appeared as though transported from a film noir. Her cherry red leather bustier dress, however, was definitely not from some bygone era, nor were the black croc-stamped pencil skirt and trousers that followed.
With their extra-smoky eyes, sleek hairstyles, and spiked heels or booties, the women had an overall uniform look; yet the lineup played out like a push and pull between elegance and edge. Whereas some gowns were embellished with beads and elaborate floral embroideries, others featured bursts of artistic pink flowers—in one instance hand-painted directly onto leather.
There were some subtler stunners, as when Maggie Maurer appeared in all black with a long tuxedo coat lined with sequins, or else the velvet bustier and pencil skirt fashioned like denim, only it was oxblood velvet. Sculpted tulip shapes were counterbalanced by diaphanous silhouettes, while velvet puffers and fine-gauge knits introduced a sense of the every day, not just special occasion. Toward the end, drama heightened with a naked dress shimmering with silver stones; a draped gown that recalled the sculpted garment of the Victoire de Samothrace at the Louvre; and an enchanting 1950s-era dress in champagne lace and allover embroidery. The final look was comparatively restrained: a chic black organza number that breezed around the body to reveal the legs.
Backstage, Saab could be found making adjustments to one of the tailored ensembles; he stepped aside to express his longtime fondness for New York. “I love the rhythm of life there. And since this collection is ready-to-wear, I felt that it had a good vibe,” he said. “My generation was very attached to that period in New York, seeing things differently, and I wanted to bring those ideas to life in this collection.”
Understandably, the Lebanese couturier preferred to keep the mood upbeat rather than focus on the air strikes happening back home. He admitted the situation is difficult and, with a steely smile, offered, “We Lebanese survive.”
There was another, far lighter subject to discuss: the overlap of his theme and Love Story, which also takes place in 1990s New York. Saab was pleased with the coincidence: “We started this over a year ago, but the timing is perfect.”
His collection, titled Midnight in Manhattan, offered myriad ideas for today’s swans whose social diaries are full of evening events. Upon exiting the venue, two couples could be overheard exchanging impressions, with one of the men joking, “This made me want to spend a lot of money.” Saab, meanwhile, said no matter the theme, the intention remains the same: “Our work will always be about enhancing a woman’s beauty.”