For spring/summer 2017, Madiyah Al Sharqi’s signature lace textiles adopt a somewhat low-key bohemian attitude. On the final day of Fashion Forward, the designer presented her collection on the runway, and while her creations are consistently fresh, romantic and alluring, her ensembles for next season evoke a more youthful vibe.
To begin with, models wore white baseball caps and walked in over-the-knee suede heeled boots — a rather bewildering shoe choice for a spring/summer season.
Al Sharqi’s usual romantic textures were presented in a subdued pastel palette, in relaxed silhouettes with light, flirty tiers. Her penchant for combining floaty, feminine fabrics with asymmetrical elements was proved once again, with elegant one-shoulder designs and wrap necklines taking centrestage.
Glittered fringe — a new embellishment for the Fujairah-based Shaikha, made more than one appearance, making the attempt to appeal to a younger client even more apparent. In some cases, it was used subtly, an inch or two peeking out at the hemline of a dress, while in others, it took more of a flamboyant stance as a fringed bib. Some garments even featured belt-bags attached to them — these were affixed to an off-white lace gown, and on a pistachio lace romper.
Al Sharqi managed to give an upscale charm to pieces that referenced both relaxed ranch life and festive piñatas, and overall, the collection maintained the wearable, whimsical fluidity that always distinguishes the designer from other locally-founded labels.
hlodi@thenational.ae
