Lebanese Designer’s Dress for J.Lo Awes Fashion World at Met Gala

While most New Yorkers spend Monday cursing the long work-week ahead, a gaggle of Hollywood A-listers gathered at the city’s Metropolitan Museum of Art this week for its swanky annual Costume Institute Gala Benefit. The evening was filled with high fashion glitz and glamour as stars and designers gathered to show off the best in this season’s couture.

One of the evening’s shiniest, blingiest dresses was worn (no surprise) by the regularly-glam Jennifer Lopez, and was designed (surprise!) by a Beirut-based Lebanese designer, Zuhair Murad.

Now, the glittering gown is topping best-dressed lists across the globe, from blogs to newspapers to TV – which is no easy feat considering the night was all about high fashion. The Sun exclaimed, “From Anne Hathaway to Sarah Jessica Parker to Kate Hudson, the battle to shine on the night was an impressive one. But for us it was Jennifer Lopez who stole the thunder in [a] stunning Zuhair Murad creation and simple accessories.”

Based in Beirut, Murad began his career in 1995, when he opened his first atelier. His style, according to his website, is described as “a charming and innovative mix of Eastern suggestions and a European sensibility for cuts and sartorial styling.” Murad’s career took off when his 2001 collection was presented at Paris’ Haute Couture fashion week, and later, impressed the fashion world at the Milano Moda Donna fashion week.

J.Lo isn’t the only diva that has worn a Murad dress in recent years. Beyonce, Christina Aguilera and Miley Cyrus have all donned his designs. Mango, one of the biggest international fashion groups, even runs a line of his designs in their Arab stores.

With increasing success on the celeb circuit, Murad is joining the ranks of fellow fashion heavy hitters, Elie Saab and Reem Acra, who seem to all be in competition for the Middle Eastern Hollywood it-fashion guy. For its part, Lebanon is increasingly becoming recognized as one of the hottest fashion scenes in the world. Murad himself told CNN recently: “I think the geographic location of Lebanon on the Mediterranean Sea helps the Lebanese designer to travel abroad and present their collections all over the world.”

For a nation that in the past has been more known for conflict than couture, Lebanon can be proud of Murad and its rising impact on global fashion.

Sources: CNN, Reuters

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