The initial Mulhier collection, designed by HH Princess Haya Al Munayes, who was born and raised in Kuwait, wasn’t necessarily what one might expect from a Middle Eastern princess. With no formal training, the designer, who previously worked in finance and marketing, acted on her love of fashion and decided to listen to her creative side.
Inspired by the strength and empowerment of women — and the sirens in Homer’s “The Odyssey” — she filled her lineup with sexy, confident clothes. “This collection is a message for women to be strong and to be one,” she said before her presentation, which played with the contrast between hard and soft, using Italian fabrics in a muted palette of gray, blush, black, white and navy.
She worked tailored wools with layers of silk organza, creating ease and lightness against the sharp lines, and paired body-conscious cropped tops and bandeaus with wide-legged trousers with slits up the leg. Jumpsuits with one strap were work-appropriate, especially in the navy pinstripe, and the trousers with the front-center buttons were a modern take on a classic. Long transparent dusters lightened up the collection, adding an easy, airy element to sensual dresses, the most notable of which featured a corseted back.