KARACHI: Pantene Bridal Couture Week (PBCW) Day 2 was no less entertaining than the night before. The trend-setters of the fashion world have learned how to enthrall audience, if not with their collections, than at least with practiced performances.
While most designers stuck to the bride-and-groom ramp walk, Madiha Nauman added a bit of masti in it. An added fun-factor was that Pakistani pop-rock band Fuzon performed in the middle of two showings.
Yasmin Zaman
Zaman is clearly a risk-taker designer. Her bridal collection was more fantasy wear since no bride would dare to dress in a lehenga choli that leaves her looking like a belly dancer. There was also Chinese embroidery in almost every outfit, but sadly this look didn’t gel well as a desi bridal collection. While the colours and style of work were refreshing, the collection is best suited for a honeymoon at a resort location — not for dinners or parties or even formal wear for young brides-to-be. Though the sexy outfits made bold statements, they seemed more Western and it is doubtful that a bride would dare to experiment with such look on her wedding day.
Hina Butt
With just two years of experience, Hina Butt stood out with her brand Teena. The collection had a regal touch, achieved with gota, kora, dabka, and stones which were extensively used. The necklines were heavily embellished and Hina’s sherwanis and ghararas brought out the traditional, festive look. She definitely managed to create an appeal that nobody else did either on Day 1 or Day 2. The blue, grey and red gharara, paired with royal blue jamawar sherwani looked magical, as did other combos like maroon, cream and gold coloured bridal wear. Apart from this, her collection was made in fabrics like net, satin and jamawar — all of which made a wearable combination. In one particular outfit there was a complete floral landscape that was eye-catching.
Madiha Nauman
Opening with a song from the Bollywood classic film Umrao Jaan, Madiha gave her collection the shahi-mujra touch. The designer’s colour sense was brilliant; she played with shades of mint green and deep magenta to maroon, purple and cream. Combinations using black, red and deep gold primarily consisted of Dhaka pajamas, heavily embellished silk and chiffon tops and jamawar trousers. There were detailed outlining of gold wire work in the necklines and the sleeves. The approach remained traditional wear for the bride, engaging in better colour schemes and sexier cuts.
Lajwanti
Shawana Afzal’s Lajwanti collection was surprisingly good. Though it is often reviewed as gaudy, Lajwanti was still the most awaited collection at PBCW. The designer used deep gold and shimmery embellishments, copper wires and sparkly stones which were especially prominent on the necklines. With lehengas, cholis, shararas and saris, Lajwanti displayed its delicate bridal look with an improved design sense. It’s about time! With 16 years of experience, it is expected that the designer experiments with different colour combos. The designer’s choice of textures, styles and cuts were noticeably different from past collections.
Anjalee & Arjun Kapoor
The much talked about Mogul Opera collection was Indian to the core. It was said to be a jamawar collection, but the jamawaar lay hidden under the numerous layers of net. The collection seemed more like bright coloured gowns. The screaming pink and orange shades gave the collection that typically Indian bridal effect. Largely embossed silver glittery work is probably said to be their version of a regal look — but for the fashion-conscious in Pakistan, the duo failed to impress. The cuts and styles were the saving grace of the designers.
Maliha Sheikh
The jewellery designer’s collection consisted of over-sized statement pieces. She brought in the funky element with her multi-coloured, chunky necklaces. The bold jewellery can be worn with simple or single-colour outfits — a must have piece for a bride-to-be! Maliha’s choice to use giant-sized emeralds and rubies turned her pieces into stand alone cocktail accessories. The collection we adored included chandi balis, Kashimiri-Punjabi teekas, maatha-pattis, long dangling earrings and Hyderabadi saath lara style necklaces.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 24th, 2013.
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