After a glitzy first day of the winter edition of Fashion Pakistan Week, day two held on the 29th September 2018 at Pearl Continental in Karachi which roped in major appreciation and love from the attendees. Each outfit sent down the ramp was a sight for sore eyes and left the audience wanting more.
The ensembles showcased on day two were an ode to women, celebrated through timeless bridals with antique embroideries laid out on modern silhouettes. Conventional work was evident in some of the collections, and contemporary cuts and embellishments in others. The menswear range included trend-setting piece with sleek cuts, basic color shades, and classic styles.
Once again the red carpet hosted many well-known and high profile personalities, all dressed to perfection, prior to the start of the show. At the entrance of the marquee, guests walked past the intricately detailed installations by Carbon Events for ‘Brides Through the Looking Glass’, a breath-taking set of installations set up by some of The Wedding Atelier’s participating designers Tena Durrani, Sana Safinaz, Sania Maskatiya, Deepak Perwani and Zainab Chottani. The walkway led the attendees to the red carpet, where they met up with, air kissed and graciously posed for cameras and interviews.
Red Carpet was abuzz with TV One and FM91’s joint interview booth where Khalid Malik conversed with key media influencers and socialites. The Emirates Lounge, where the host asked participants their favourite Emirates destination, is what caught everyone’s eye, the decked up corner served as a great relaxing spot for guests before heading inside for the show.
The evening came to a close on a high note as CEO Fashion Pakistan Council Feri Rewanian stated; “Fashion Pakistan Week has been around for 10 years now and we hope it continues for decades. Fashion is all around us this season and we aim to make each Fashion Week bigger, better and trendier than the last. We had some of the most prominent designers showcasing their exquisite bridal collections this season and we truly hope that all those who attended, thoroughly enjoyed the show.”
The event was produced by the Fashion Pakistan Council, directed by Nubain Ali and would have been impossible to execute without loyal partners including the official media partner TV One, red carpet sponsor Peek Freen’s Butter Puff, airline partner Emirates Airline, radio partner FM 91, beverage partner Aquafina, experience partner Discover, styling partner Nabila & NGents and food sponsor Cosmopolitan.
On the second day, the line-up consisted of seven designers as the show opened with ‘ChandBala’ by Wardha Saleem who brought out a brilliant take on antique bridal attire tailored for the modern day bride with the critically acclaimed Mai Dhai band playing live throughout the showcase. This was followed by ‘Fleur De Lis’ by Sara Rohale Asghar, ‘Zartaab’ by Deepak & Fahad, ‘Lueur de Luxe’ by Maheen Karim, ‘Phool Bunro’ by Rano’s Heirloom and ‘Beyond Generations’ by Shahmeer Ansari. Winter/Festive closed with maestro Maheen Khan’s power-packed collection, ‘Raw’.
Celebrity showstoppers for some of the collections added further oomph to the evening with Wardha Saleem’s showstopper being Azfar Rehman with Motorcycle Girl Sohai Ali Abro. Ayeza Khan walked the ramp for Sarah Rohale Asghar, Yousuf Bashir Qureshi for Shahmeer Ansari and Hareem Farooq for Maheen Khan.
Wardha Saleem – Chaand Bala: The second day kick started in a glamorous manner with the singing sensation Ma Dhai playing folk music live in the background. Wardha used rich fabrics like hand-woven nets, jamawar, pure silks, velvets, custom digital printed silks and organza, her ‘Chandbala’ collection was as timeless as the regal legacy of the Chandbala (bali/hoop) itself. This rich-in-heritage line was inspired by the glorious legacy of the Sub-Continent, the home of the Mughals. The delicate and tasteful embellishments incorporated diverse techniques of gota work, age old zardozi, and kora dabka work. From sultry-grey saris and shirts to shimmering gold-silver stunning lehngas with antique hand-printing methods like block printing, foil printing and screen printing, along with experimental techniques like basketry, leather appliqué and Swarovski studs in Wardha Saleem’s own signature style, the collection had it all for the brides-to-be. Having Azfar Rehman walk the stage with Motorcycle Girl Sohai Ali Abro as show stoppers brought the collection to a close with thunderous applause for the sheer scale and imaginative use of fabric and colour.
Sara Rohale Asghar – Fleur De Lis: Sara Rohale Asghar’s Fleur de Lis lived up to its inspiration from the historic association with the French crown royalty. Colors that ruled the runway during the show were hues of pink, different shades of red and blood maroon along with nudes and pastels. Fully embroidered peplum tops paired with flowy pants that had frills and tassels on the border added a modern spin to the bridal extravaganza that was being showcased. Her collection was an epitome of traditional royal embroideries and mesmerizing ornamentation, with the use of floral adornments, integrated with Asian tradition. Leading star Ayeza Khan gracefully strutted the ramp flaunting an ethereal heavy embroidered white ensemble that was perfect for closing the show.
Deepak & Fahad – Zartaab: Deepak & Fahad’s collection Zartaab took us to the golden era of nobility. Inspired by art from the Mughal era and European chintz, their collection used a clean and classic colour palette of whites, cream, gold and black. With use of traditional yet modern embroidery techniques, hand-crafted embellishments, and hand-woven fabrics, Zartaab created quintessential pieces for the men of today.
Maheen Karim – Lueur De Luxe: Maheen Karim lit a spark with Lueur de Luxe, her enchanting party wear collection which comprised of a range of silhouettes from edgy trouser suits to scintillating shimmering dresses and theatrical two piece sets. The colour scheme of the collection took the audience to a world of bold statement shades of red, coral, cabaret pink and tangerine orange. Fabrics saw the use of flowy chiffons with bejeweled 3 dimensional embellishments. Her pieces perfectly embodied the essential elements of the modern glamourous women of today; sensuality, glamour and femininity. With great design at its heart, the collection married rich colors and intricate patterns with tailored silhouettes and edgy detailing; the result was a bold collection, which was very wearable and much appreciated by all.
Rano’s Heirloom – Phool Bunro: Rano’s Heirloom presented Phool Bunro, a collection that addressed the to-be married girl of today. Phool Bunro means the adorning of flowers, which partakes a grand place in traditional Pakistani weddings. Rano took us back to the simplistic bride. Her awe-inspiring collection strongly brought back effortless elegance in bridal wear, using a unique and vibrant colour palette with blue combined with rani pink gul anari to isphahan blue and zeher mora. Models walked down the ramp wearing gorgeously exquisite numbers with stunning jewelry with stones, embroidery mixed with gold and silver embellishments and gota work. The collection was loved by many as the audience applauded the revival of an age old style and some even gave her a standing ovation.
Shahmeer Ansari – Beyond Generations: Beyond Generations by Shahmeer Ansari showcased the journey of a man starting from his graduation day till the day he leaves his legacy, to the generation after. Remaining true to its ideology, Beyond Generations had ensembles tailored to each of these occasions. Inspired by the life of a man, Shahmeer had a piece ready to wear for any event that comes a man’s way. Sharp tailoring and clean lines, Sastre Culture showcased a bold, strong and bespoke menswear collection. Staying true to the collection name, Shahmeer went beyond generations by having Yousaf Bashir Qureshi walk the ramp in a dapper white-black attire and seamlessly close the show for him.
Maheen Khan – RAW: Maheen Khan’s collection Raw paid tribute to all the vibrant, passionate women out there. Women who know what they want and persevere through difficulties to reach their end goal. Raw served as an undisguised power to the millennial, career-oriented women and mothers. Hareem Farooq, the showstopper, effortlessly opened the show for Maheen Khan in a crisply draped bright red raw silk jacket top. From delicate silk embroideries to contemporary cuts, her pieces were like a breath of fresh air: comfortable, and soft to the eyes, yet stylish in an effortlessly chic Maheen Khan way.
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