Love is Fashion, Fashion is Love. Our February issue is here!
Alist Nation Magazine Jan / Feb 2022
Cover Story Designer Ziad Nakad
Paris Fashion Week
Ziad Nakad the Designer … Born to Create
Born of a Lebanese descent, Ziad Nakad knew from his very early teens that he was to work in fashion. Since his young years, he was attracted by eccentric fabrics, sheer embroideries and unconventional beading which married his designs back then especially sketched for his family to wear. Encouraged by this genuine success, the talented young man decided to explore more his passion for fashion and embrace the dressmaking art with studies in the field. In parallel, he mastered the art of haute couture by working with many famous fashion designers in Beirut. In 1997, he turned his dream into a career when he was invited to take part to the Beirut International Fashion Show for Haute Couture in Beirut and dressed renowned super models like Karen Mudler, Nadja Urman and Jennifer Driver. His first fashion shows garnered much praise from critics and opened the doors to a whirling series of defiles sparking international interest for the designer. Such exposure led to another milestone to his career with his first international defile in Milano in 2001 followed suite by another one in Cannes in 2003... and that was only the beginning … Celebrated for his ability to reveal the feminine side of every woman, Ziad Nakad is now a design reference in fashion shows in Lebanon, the Middle East, the Gulf, Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the world.
The Woman by Ziad Nakad, a Celebration of Femininity Ziad Nakad launched his fashion house / atelier in 1997 reaching out to women who like clothes with a dramatic flair and timeless femininity. His designs epitomize glamour and simplicity which appeal to a discerning clientele, including international personalities and stars. Women dressed by Ziad Nakad are offered aesthetic cuts coupled with a great attention to details revealing their potent character. The designer’s strong enthusiasm for fashion and his ability to highlight women's beauty and silhouette have been at the core of his business attracting a discerning clientele who value unique designs and materials. His collections reveal elegance and style through several lines of clothing designed to meet the various needs of modern ladies: from the casual to a more sophisticated prêt-a-porter, to couture, haute couture and bridal, Ziad Nakad’s lines of clothing tailor to every woman looking for originality and class.
What makes a Ziad Nakad’s woman is a timeless quest for beauty and elegance where class is the master of sophistication and style. The Collection 2014-2015, Season’s Harmony The 2014-2015 collection celebrates the “woman” in all its beauty and femininity: It is all about the colors used and the luxurious fabrics hand beaded at the designer’s atelier. The dresses bear the designer’s sophisticated lines and exquisite attention to details while accentuating the female virtuous grace. Lush fabrics, taffeta, lace, tulle, delicate embroideries, guipure lace, sequins, and handmade beading interlace in luxury to create one masterpiece exquisitely worked at ZiadNakad atelier. The designs are distinctly unique and evanescent marked by a rich palette of colors and flowing shades of volcanic tonalities; distinctive cuts come together with a creative mix of materials and colors to bring to life designs that truly appeal to the eyes of his clientele’s personalities. Inspired from the core of the earth, the collection calls for timeless ethereal beauty and sensuality.
At the forefront of fashion, “Season’s Harmony” boasts a signature approach to style coupled with a creative touch of class. As for the bridal collection, romance is accentuated with every move of the fabric. Victorian by nature, the flowing cuts wrap the bride in dreamy tulle and lace. Presented on the runways under “The White Realm”, the creamy white gowns come to life in an inspirational movement of grace relieving style and glamour at its best to the applause of the audience. The bride by Ziad Nakad knows she signed for endless sensual love.
Since his beginnings, the Lebanese designer Ziad Nakad has always wanted to sublimate women, weaving around the female body a precious and timeless creation. For this Spring-Summer 2022 collection, the designer invites us to discover a collection of muses, all different, cosmopolitan, having in common an assumed femininity. The choice of models, like muses, was decisive. France, Australia, Georgia, United States, Germany, Netherlands Korea, the designer wanted a panel of women from around the world to emphasize the fact that beauty is universal. The opening dress of the collection is a symbol of light, which is born from darkness. An invitation to make a wish. Throughout the collection we find the signature of Ziad Nakad : oversized shoulders, marked waists, and underlined by jeweled belts and embroidery. The signature dresses are created like mosaics, sewn square by square in the atelier in Beirut. A work of 6 months, and an incalculable number of hours per dress, in order to create this perfect architecture which molds the body of the woman. Tulle, taffeta and lace highlight here and there a slender silhouette. A line of accessories, Swarovski belts and oversized earrings complete the silhouette.
Interview with Designer Ziad Nakad
Tell us a little about yourself.
Since my early teen, I was attracted to fashion, eccentric fabrics, sheer embroidery and unconventional materials.
When did you begin designing? I began designing in 1997.
What inspires you?
I’m inspired from culture, civilization and fairy tales.
Which designers did you look up to?
I look up to creative innovative designers
They could be a beginner but crazy in creation.
Your gowns are incredible how long does one take to make?
Each dress takes around 3 months of delicate work as I work from scratch and prepare my fabric meticulously.
What are your favorite textiles to work with?
My favorite textiles are everything light, transparent
because each fabric has a character.
