SASHES AND TIARAS.....Miss Lebanon 2014 Pageant: Gowns from Zuhair Murad Haute Couture

Lebanese Beauty: Miss Lebanon 2014 Saly Greige

Three weeks ago on Sunday October 5th, the 2014 Miss Lebanon beauty pageant was held and Lebanon crowned a new beauty queen. The winner was 24 year-old 1.72 M (5' 8") tall  Saly Greige. Saly will now get to represent her country at the upcoming "Miss World 2014" in London, UK.

Saly Greige,  "Miss Lebanon 2014" during the Swimsuit Competition--notice the nude-and shiny-tights--Miss Lebanon 2014 

Now, normally, this pageant would go unnoticed by yours truly (and it did for almost a month!) until...I did some web research about writing a blog on pageants in the lead up to the Miss World 2014 Finals in December and I saw the fact that all fourteen of its contestants wore Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture for the Evening Gown Competition! It's not every day in the Pageant World that one sees actual Haute Couture as part of the Evening Gown competition. Normally, we're looking at polyester gowns that were bought at the local Prom-and-Pageant shop for under $500. So, yes, this was a treat, to say the least...

Miss Lebanon 2014 stage

Miss Lebanon 2014 Nine Semi-Finalists during the Evening Gown Competition--all contestants wearing designs from Zuhair Murad Haute Couture

Le Zuhair--Lebanese fashion designer Zuhair Murad

Lebanese fashion designer (and JLo fave!) Zuhair Murad was one of the esteemed judges of the "Miss Lebanon 2014" pageant and somehow the organizers coaxed him to actually dress each and every one of the contestants! And not only did they get to wear his creations, they were wearing Haute Couture, hand-made gowns, costing-in-the-$50,000-$100,000+ if-you-were-to-order-these creations!
Several things:
A) I hope he was payed a handsome sum for this and;
B) Did his Atelier have to make new samples for contestants?
C) Or did the pageant's contestants fit into the runway sample sizes made for the size zero 5'11" Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week runway models;
D) Or...maybe his seamstresses just spent hours upon hours folding up the hems since most of the contestants were not as tall as his runway models.

Here's a Recap of the Contestants (and a presenter) and their Zuhair Murad Haute Couture evening gowns:

Miss Lebanon 2014 show presenter Dima Sadek (and Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week runway model) in Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture black and white silk chiffon gown 

Couture Gown Beauties: The nine Semi-Finalists in Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture gowns--Miss Lebanon 2014

The Top Two--And The Winner Is...Eventual "Miss Lebanon 2014" Saly Greige (left) and First Runner-Up Elsa Hajjar (right)--Miss Lebanon 2014

Saly Greige "Miss Lebanon 2014" (and Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week model) in Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture black and white sequined gown 

First Runner-Up Elsa Hajjar (top photo) in Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture--The gown she wore (as seen on the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week model above) was a black and white strapless dress featuring a black sequined satin column with white sik gazar "zebra" sequined over-skirt with side pockets. Elsa, the contestant is about 5' 8" and the runway model--New Zealand model born in South Africa, Anmari Botha is about 6'. Wondering what happened to the 5" of hem difference in the gown? Ask the Zuhair Murad Atelier.

2nd Runner Up Rouba Monzer (top photo) in Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture gown: Rouba wore Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture a strapless silver gray organza gown with silver sequin overlay.

3rd Runner-Up Aya Hodroj (top photo) in Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture: Ava wore a Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture silk/wool ziberline strapless side draped gown. It's obvious much of the length was either cut off or hemmed. Knowing that these gown can cost up to $100,000 and take thousands of hours to create, it makes me shiver just thinking about the alterations (or did the Zuhair Murad team just make one for Aya!?)

4th Runner-Up Stephanie Keyrouz in Zuhair Murad 2014 Fall Haute Couture: Stephanie wore a strawberry red strapless gown  with organza sequined detail. This gown looks like it was the actual runway sample (notice how too-long it is on the Stephanie). Well, at least nothing had to be done (allegedly) on this one.

"Miss Lebanon 2014" contestant Jessica Moawmad (top photo) in Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture: Jessica wore a black strapless gown with sequin accents, side pockets and front overlay-pleat detail.

"Miss Lebanon 2014" contestant Sherine Nasr (top photo) in Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture: Sharine got the chance to wear a silver sequined one shoulder side slit gown from the Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture collection.

"Miss Lebanon 2014" contestant Ana Christina (top photo) in Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture: Ana Christina wore a cobalt blue silk chiffon and sequined one shoulder gown with bias-cut draped cowl front detail. During the Evening Gown competition, one can tell that it was too long...which leads me to believe that it was the runway sample and therefore, a new one did not have to be made.

"Miss Lebanon 2014" contestant Elizabeth Matar (top photo) in Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Haute Couture: Elizabeth wore a teal blue colored silk gazar one shoulder gown with side draped detail.

Top Five: The new "Miss Lebanon" Saly Greige (center) with her court--Miss Lebanon 2014

Fashion Designer Zuhair Murad with "Miss Lebanon 2014" Saly Greige

Congrats to the newly-crowned "Miss Lebanon 2014"--and PLEASE wear one of Zuhair Murad's Haute Couture creations for the upcoming "Miss World 2014" Finals!!!