Elie Saab is a designer who is obsessed with light, which is why his collections always glitter with coruscated brilliance, achieved by an embarrassment of sequins, paillettes, and crystal beading. This couture presentation was classic Saab: gorgeous gowns and frocks – strictly eveningwear, always – that shimmered with iridescent vitality.

Saab collections come ready to be sent straight onto the red carpet, but this formula works and his clients clamor for the divine loveliness of his garments. This season, his beadwork creeps like curling vines along the bodices, necklines, and sleeves of the gowns, adding an organic element to all of that human handiwork. His palette is a fetching mix of pastels, reds, and blacks. Even though red and black are typically heavier shades, Saab succeeds at making them look like second skin. Baroque curlicue patterns on a few of the closing dresses provided a lovely counterpoint to all of the beaded fare. This couture collection followed the classic Saab formula, but that’s not a problem. To borrow a colloquialism from America’s southern states, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

To view our video coverage of the show, click here.

written by GRACE GORDON|photos: courtesy of GoRUNWAY