MILAN – Marina Rinaldi has tapped Lebanese designer Dima Ayad to develop a holiday capsule collection of party-ready pieces.
The brand, which belongs to the Max Mara Group, relied on the Dubai-based talent to create evening and special occasion outfits infused with a dash of Middle Eastern opulence.
Ayad mixed her penchant for comfortable silhouettes and metallic textures with geometric patterns and shiny embellishments to create eight items spanning from her signature caftans to tailored pieces.
Highlights include a tuxedo with a fitted jacket that features bright thermo-welded rhinestones on the shoulders and on the side band of the pants; a cady cape dress with a rounded hemline punctuated by crystals; a lamé pleated set trimmed with feathers, and a tulle caftan with a gold geometric macramé embroidery that can be layered over a beige body-hugging frock.
The color palette was also intended to stand out, as it includes popping fuchsia, electric blue and emerald hues, in addition to the metallic finishes and classic black.
“They always told me to wear black because of my physicality, but I wear a thousand colors,” said Ayad, who established her namesake brand in 2010. “The combinations, colors and shapes reflect my vision of the woman, which is totally in line with the Marina Rinaldi mood. I sincerely hope that customers will love wearing these garments as much as we enjoyed creating them.”
Retailing between 390 euros and 990 euros, the collection is available at Marina Rinaldi flagship stores and its e-commerce.
The Max Mara Group brand has long promoted body positivity by creating size-inclusive fashion since the ’80s. It sells through a string of stand-alone stores and multibrand retailers worldwide, and has a tradition of tie-ups with designers. Previously, it has worked with the likes of Mary Katrantzou, Sara Battaglia, Marco de Vincenzo, Tsumori Chisato, Stella Jean, Fausto Puglisi, Roksanda Ilincic and Antonio Berardi, to name a few.