On Monday, Georges Hobeika unveiled its haute couture fall/winter 2022–23 collection in Paris, and it was a family affair. The son of founder Georges Hobeika, Jad Hobeika, joined the Lebanese fashion brand as co-creative director, the company said earlier in the week.
Since the autumn/winter 2019 Birds of Paradise collection, Jad has participated in the maison’s creative process. He will now collaborate with his father on business strategy and collection tasks on an equal footing, a company official said on Instagram.
The announcement comes on the heels of the maison’s 27th birthday. In 1995, Georges established his own company in Lebanon. Since his debut in the French city in 2001, he has consistently appeared at Paris Haute Couture Week.
Jad remarked of his appointment: “It’s an honour to be a part of this adventure, to help evolve a fashion brand that is bursting with ambitions and imagination.”
The pair made their formal collaboration debut with the fashion house’s most recent haute couture collection, dubbed Eternal Gifts. The collection, which was created by the seamstresses in the maison’s Beirut studio and was dubbed “a love letter to planet Earth and humanity,” was inspired by waterfalls, waves, flowers, and the sun.
A short white dress with feathers and sequins that glistened in the light launched the performance. Look two continued over this ethereal appearance with a long skirt and crop top covered in silver sequins and crystal beading.
The white sequin-covered gowns and voluminous skirts with a mirror-like finish that were adorned with feather embellishments demonstrated Hobeika’s experience in bridal attire. Men also wore enormous powder blue coats or loose-fitting, all-ivory suits with crystal accents at the neck.
Rare splashes of colour included a floor-length yellow bow that was gigantic, a yellow balloon dress with a single, barely-there strap made of a delicate crystal strand, and other things.
Wide structured skirts were worn with chopped long sleeves and beaded strands across the front, while form-fitting gowns in white and nude were also present.
One ethereal 1920s-inspired dress included shimmering tassels that added movement, while another featured floral shapes that extended outward and coiled around the bodice to produce a 3D look.
A kaftan with enormous feathered sleeves was eventually worn, which featured a palette that eventually included soft turquoise, the palest pinks, mint green, and baby blue. After that, lime greens, fuchsias, and peachy oranges were added. A collection that was immensely sensual and feminine included long, flowing sleeves that flowed to the floor and were contrasted by thigh-high slits and midriff-baring cut-outs.
