Aldo is bringing couture-inspired footwear to the mass market through its first collaboration with a couture house, Zuhair Murad. For the footwear retailer, the partnership is an opportunity to change how consumers perceive the brand as well as sell another collection of party shoes.
Founded in Beirut in 1997, Zuhair Murad has built an international business spanning couture, bridal, ready-to-wear and accessories. The privately held house has more than 100 points of sale globally, according to Forbes Middle East, with distribution through luxury department stores and multibrand retailers. The Aldo partnership gives it access to a considerably lower price point and a broader consumer base than its existing collections.
The 20-piece capsule, priced from $40-$300, will be unveiled online and in store on October 28 before launching globally on November 2. It includes platform sandals, pointed-toe slingback pumps, evening bags, jewelry and eyewear featuring metallic finishes, sculptural heels and celestial-inspired details.
The collaboration will sell in approximately 25 markets, including the U.S., the U.K., Canada and several Middle Eastern countries where both brands have established audiences. Distribution will include Aldo’s stores and e-commerce platforms, as well as its partners including Zalando, Answear and Gedeon. The rollout will be supported by hundreds of creators globally, while Zuhair Murad will amplify the launch to its 10.5 million Instagram followers and through its celebrity and stylist network. Aldo also plans to host an in-store event in the UAE in early November following a preview dinner for fashion editors in New York.
“We wanted people and our customers to look at this collection and think, ‘I didn’t know Aldo could do that,'” said Amanda Amar, Aldo’s vp of global brand strategy, PR and social media. “That shift in perception is incredibly valuable to us.”
The collaboration has been in development for about two and a half years, after an introduction through one of Aldo’s Middle Eastern franchise partners. It marks the retailer’s first partnership with a couture house and Murad’s first collaboration with a mass-market fashion brand.
For Murad, whose couture designs have been worn by celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift and Zendaya, the partnership provides access to a significantly broader customer base.
“We were drawn to the brand’s deep expertise across footwear, handbags and accessories, its global reach, and its belief in making everyday luxury accessible,” Murad told Glossy. “It was a new way to introduce Zuhair Murad to a much wider audience. We had both women in mind: those who already know Zuhair Murad and those who will be discovering it for the first time.”
Aldo operates approximately 1,400 stores in 110 countries, attracting more than 250 million customer visits annually, according to the company. The Middle East is among its largest international markets, particularly the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, where Murad also has an established following.
The partnership arrives as couture houses explore opportunities beyond traditional luxury retail. Earlier this month, fellow Lebanese couture house Elie Saab launched a collaboration with H&M that included eveningwear, shoes and accessories. In September, comfort-footwear brand FitFlop partnered with French designer Ester Manas on a limited-edition collection, including 96 individually numbered pairs. The model has precedent: In 2009, Jimmy Choo brought its luxury footwear and handbags to approximately 200 H&M stores worldwide.
For Aldo, the commercial opportunity comes amid growing demand for dress footwear and handbags. Women’s dress-footwear pageviews are up 13% year to date versus the same period in 2025, while the category’s conversion rate is up 18%, according to the company. In 2025, dress silhouettes accounted for 55% of Aldo’s sales, despite representing 45% of its assortment.
Handbags are also performing strongly. In the U.S., comparable handbag sales are up 20% year over year and tracking 6% ahead of Aldo’s fall sales target. The Murad collaboration includes evening bags alongside its footwear offering, giving the company another opportunity to build on that demand.
The design process required adjustments to make Murad’s couture aesthetic work at Aldo’s price points. Amar said the original footwear sketches featured particularly steep heel pitches, prompting Aldo’s product engineers to reconsider platform heights, strap placement and construction to preserve the look while improving wearability.
“It was never about reproducing couture literally,” Murad said. “Working at a different scale meant being very precise about materials, construction and finishing.” Instead, the house translated its design codes through sculptural shapes, luminous finishes, polished hardware and celestial details. “We were involved throughout the entire process to ensure that the final products were fully aligned with our creative vision and the standards of the House,” Murad said, with his team involved in selecting materials, reviewing proportions and approving finished designs.
Unlike Aldo’s previous, entertainment-led collaborations, which have typically prioritized larger-scale commercial distribution, the Murad capsule has been deliberately limited. Aldo produced approximately 60% fewer units than for past collaborations, depending on the region, with just six North American stores carrying the collection. Most sales are expected to come through e-commerce.
Amar said Aldo will assess the collection’s success through sell-through, new customer acquisition and changes in brand perception. It could also inform whether the retailer pursues other couture-house partnerships.
“We’re more interested in having fewer but more meaningful partnerships,” she said. “There has to be a real reason for the two brands to come together and bring something genuinely new for the customer.”
