Trees and Bees

Reem Acra

Reem Acra is a member of the Lebanese couture elite alongside Zuhair Murad and Rani Zakhem, predominantly known for her bridal couture. Originally from Beirut her talent has resulted in her travelling the world. Studying first in the American University of Beirut, she followed on to study at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and also at Esmod in Paris. Acra launched her brand in 1997 and after much success established The Reem Acra flagship in Manhattan in 2003. Acra couture is for the modern, sophisticated woman. She was discovered by a fashion editor after she created an exquisite silk organza gown from her Mother’s tablecloth! For Autumn 2014 you can expect to see a lot of variation with rich purples beside slinky silver gowns and simplistic pastels adorned with standout prints. Acra is so versatile you cannot pin her to one genre. You may recognise Reem Acra from the red carpet worn by the likes of Angelina Jolie, Beyoncé Knowles, Catherine Zeta- Jones, Halle Berry and Eva Longoria. Reem Acra bridal and ready to wear can be found at exclusive retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Harvey Nichols. 

Reem Acra Autumn 2014

Beyonce Knowles, Jessica Alba and Taylor Swift

Zuhair Murad

"Making attire is no less than a form of art where each element has to be put in the right shape and order. This is where the word "perfection" comes in."

He fulfilled his childhood dreams. As a young boy in Lebanon, Zuhair Murad spent much of his time putting the designs of his imagination onto paper. “I don’t recall a day in my life without a pen in my hand!”  Influenced by the beauty of the Lebanese culture and his surroundings Murad was naturally veered towards haute couture. He has the ability to transform lavish materials and prints into sophisticated, edgy gowns. After Murad completed High School he travelled to Paris where he accomplished a degree in fashion design. He returned to Lebanon where he founded his first atelier designing for a select few exclusive clients. Murad’s reputation thrived as his creations graced catwalks and red carpets in Italy and France, and now his designs can be seen all over the world worn by celebrities such as Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Miranda Kerr, Blake Lively, Shakira, Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé Knowles to name a few! Murad made his empire from a simple hobby, and now has acquired a distinctive reputation across the globe. He presented his haute couture collection at Haute Couture Week in Paris attracting worldwide media attention. In 2005 he brought out his ready-to-wear collection to provide for his growing fan base, although adhering to his glamorous aesthetic.  The Zuhair Murad fashion house now employs over 100 people in the accessory department, designers, pattern makers, embroidery experts, public relations and administration in Beirut. Zuhair Murad collections now include haute couture, ready-to-wear, swimwear, bridal couture and accessories. In spite of all that Murad has achieved we can see that this is only the start of his legacy.

Jennifer Lopez, Miranda Kerr, Blake Lively, Taylor Swift, Beyonce Knowles

Rani Zakhem

Rani Zakhem, a Lebanese man raised in Nairobi is a gifted designer of luxurious couture gowns with a distinguishable glamour. As a child Rani pored over his mother’s fashion magazines mesmerised by the affluence and elegance adorning the pages. Following the end of the civil war in Lebanon Rani returned to continue his education eventually being accepted into Parsons: The New School for Design in New York. Parson’s is known for establishing many internationally well-known designers such as Donna Karan, Derek Lam, Narciso Rodriguez, Anna Sui and  of course Marc Jacobs. During his time in parsons he had the opportunity to intern with Patricia Underwood and even Zuhair Murad. Rani’s aesthetic is not dissimilar to the works of Zuhair Murad as shown below. Rani Zakhem ventured out with his couture brand much to our delight adding a new dimension of ethereal glamour into the world of fashion. The Rani Zakhem brand now offers ready to wear and bridal couture also for the modern woman, designed to accentuate the silhouette of a woman’s body. Previously you may have seen Rani Zakhem’s creations on the red carpet worn by the likes of Molly Sims, Kelly Rowland, Queen Latifah and Betty White. 

Rani Zakhem couture gowns

Queen Latifah, Kelly Rowland and Betty White.

How Two Live on The Look DCU

I decided to get a move on and try to do something constructive with my life this year by getting more involved in clubs and soc's in university. After forking out to join a bunch of them again, and going to EGM's and not signing up for anything I thought I should make a change. I plucked up a bit of courage and emailed a pair of my favourite bloggers Jess and Stef from How Two Live and even managed to bag myself an exclusive interview. I thought, I'm just a small Irish blogger they will be far too busy to answer my email let alone answer my questions, but they were absolutely lovely and answered my questions with such enthusiasm. Need I say I am ridiculously chuffed! These Aussies have crazy, gorgeous style and are such an inspiration. So I sent in my article to DCU style society and they very kindly put it on their blog http://thelookdcu.tumblr.com/ . Check it out here  http://thelookdcu.tumblr.com/post/65786380195/twice-as-striking !

M.x

Sugarloaf Mountain Panarama