Opulence and allure are what defined Tony Yaacoub's Spring/Summer 2013 collection that graced the catwalk at Ramses Hilton Hotel's ballroom last week. More than 14 Lebanese and Egyptian models paraded with poise and flair past a captivated audience in their 55 luxurious, crystal-studded evening gowns and a single unique wedding dress created by the celebrity designer. The collection was jam-packed with crystals and stones, with signature cuts showcasing the woman's silhouette and delivering the designer's two essentials: shine and skin. Yaacoub is notorious for his sexy and daring open dresses, sometimes curving around the woman's body or boldly revealing the lower back, a long leg or voluptuous hips. Unlike other designers, the female is the biggest source of inspiration to Yaacoub. His artistic compass and design influences rely on the woman's body and personality rather than any external influences, such as nature or textile patterns. He consistently sheds light on the beautiful parts of the feminine form, such as the breasts, hips and nude back. Yaacoub's sense of fashion, beauty and style is distinctive in that he takes haute couture to the next level. He does not hold back his imagination and his dresses reflect it. The show's theme was uniquely retro; the designer transported spectators back to the 1980s era also known as the Charleston age. He somehow managed to imbue his gowns with a contemporary, yet ageless aura at the same time. The models were adorned in skin-tight, shiny fabrics and Swarovski crystals, almost giving the impression of a string of chandeliers walking down the catwalk. With a pinch of sexiness and a sprinkle of class, Yaacoub has the perfect recipe for glamour. His gowns dip dangerously low in both the front and back, with sweetheart necklines or Swarovski-encrusted bustiers. Other gowns that were not made of shiny fabrics or layered with crystals were long with feathers or floral tropical prints and high-waist gold belts. The dresses shimmered, glittered and sparkled, but not in an ugly, ostentatious way. Although Yaacoub used plenty of stones to adorn his dresses, the effect was not heavy, nor strident. It was rather eye-catching and lustrous, elegant and fanciful. It's impossible not to fall in love with these gowns. There's no denying haute couture makes most women weak in the knees, especially this particularly spectacular variety. While daring colours and styles were successfully paired with sexy feminine lines, strong makeup and retro hairstyles, it is prudent to say that these dresses are not for everyone. Celebrity designer Yaacoub also adds sparkle and glamour to those who want to wear something eccentric and truly seductive on their wedding day. He uses Swarovski crystals to create sophisticated and sexy gowns for the contemporary bride who wants to show off a sculptured figure in a modern, glamorous look. Yaacoub, now 29, is one of Lebanon's youngest international designers. He is most known for dressing stars like Nancy Agram, Nagwa Karam and Magda Al-Roumi. His fashion career began at ESMOD in Paris at the age of 23. He opened his first showroom in Lebanon in 2005 and has presented more than 14 fashion shows, mostly in Arab countries. Since then he was able to secure a place among the top seven Lebanese designers. Yaacoub was an off-calendar designer showing at the Paris Haute Couture Fashion week.
