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There were fireworks at Zuhair Murad’s show. They rained over dresses in bursts of embroidery, shot upward from tulle shoulder ruffles, shimmered in red crystals, and shone from the top of the bride’s tiara. The famous Miyajima Water Fireworks Festival provided endless embellishment possibilities for the brand’s founder and designer, who aimed to capture colors and effects alike. Of course, the results were interpretative, so pyrotechnic enthusiasts shouldn’t be too concerned if the palm, peony, or chrysanthemum configurations on ball gowns and bodices don’t look entirely true to form. But no doubt, the research was fun—even more so because he mentioned that much of the silhouette inspiration came from Dynasty. This was evident from the sweeping skirts in duchesse satin with oversize bow and ruffle accents, which were also meant to evoke the waves around the island where the light show takes place.

If such glitz and volume feel dated today, one need only look to the dresses worn at the inaugural ball. Murad could actually be onto something. That said, there were ways to buy into the theme in a lower register: The tank neckline on a duchesse satin dress splashed with a fireworks print felt sleek and unaffected; the parachute pant shown as both a tuxedo and a beaded blue jumpsuit seduced without the swish. The red envelope dress with its balance between sleeves and slits seems like obvious Academy Awards material. As to be expected, Murad insisted he doesn’t design with red carpet season in mind. But of all the possible themes, fireworks might prove particularly tempting for a nominee.