The final day of this years PFDC L’Oreal Paris Bridal Week 2013 came to a remarkable close, featuring the works of some of our top designers – Zara Shahjahan, SAAI by Sahar Atif, Nomi Ansari, Asifa & Nabeel, Sana Safinaz and the House of Kamiar Rokni – and a dance performance by a Salman Khan lookalike that had everyone glued to their seats.
The day began with showcases by Zara Shahjahan and Sahar Atif. Zara Shahjahan’s debut bridal collection was titled True Love’ and took inspiration from the modern woman who remains close to her sub-continental ethnic roots. Her outfits featured gorgeous floral prints on silks and nets, embellished with sequins and crystals. The collection was cohesive, quirky and echoes feminity, elegance and beauty. Up next was Sahar Atif’s label, SAAI. Her ‘Fasl-e-Nou’ collection aimed to revive the traditional aura of the bridal ensemble.
Bringing together the classic Pakistani and traditional bridal styles, Sahar Atif provided brides with classic timeless ensembles teamed with stunning jewellery. The bridal ensembles were designed on luxe textiles such as chiffons, zardozi, brocades, embroidered fabrics and featured flowing classical shararas, traditional angrakhas and kurtas that brought the collection together.
Sahar, renowned for her love for all-white outfits, stepped out of her comfort zone and experimented with lots of bright colours this time, with rustic gold being the basis of all embroideries. Nomi Ansari’s ‘Rang Mahal’ collection drew inspiration from the post-Partition era. A large part of our cultural heritage is the lavish Sub-Continent style, which echoed in each piece of his. Nomi’s work also seemed to be largely influenced by Indian and Western couture, which made his outfits quite interesting and bold.
His menswear line – styled by Khawar Riaz – consisted of bright colour contrasts, along with white embroidered sherwani’s. The yellow kurtas for men were superbly done. Asifa & Nabeel’s collection was a modern reinterpretation of Indian maharajas and maharanis of the subcontinent, the creativity and artistic ability of the artisans of that era who skilfully crafted war shields, artefacts, sculptures and jewellery.
The colour palette and combinations were loud and wearable, and the deep mauve velvet lehnga’s with cream cholis and organza dupattas had the crowd inhaling sharply. Very royal indeed. Designer duo, termed The Queens of Pakistani Fashion, Sana and Safinaz were up next. They showcased a wonderful collection of traditional ensembles with a twist, putting life back into desi weddings. Each outfit spoke for itself in terms of detailing and well-defined cuts. The duo experimented with a variety of fabrics, colours, prints and cuts and had a modern reinterpretation of the traditional sari.
The finale belonged to The House of Kamiar Rokni. Titled ‘The Orientalist’, the collection was inspired by the glory and fascination that captivated the West when they first encountered the exotic East. The colour palette the design trio – Kamiar Rokni, Tia Noon and Rehan Bashir – chose was vibrant and distinct, and their signature style and personalities shone through. The show opened with velvet shirts and thick khaddar dupattas, going on to show organza palazzo pants, duchess sleeves, and heavy work.
The collection had a very international and edgy appeal to it. PFDC Spokesperson Sara Shahid made a fantastic ‘thank you’ speech, which concluded the three-day fashion showcase and congratulated the PFDC Executive Committee Chairperson Sehyr Saigol on the completion of 26 years of Pakistani fashion magazine, Libas. This fashion week saw makeup artist, stylist and photographer duo Maram and Aabroo – arguably the best in the industry – do the makeup for all the shows and managed to outdo themselves, which is no easy feat! Toni & Guy Lahore did a superb job with hair and styling and Lotus PR gets two thumbs up for seamless media and PR. Until next year. _Dailytimes
