FPW 2016: Winning hearts, yet again

Designers kick-start fashion extravaganza by bringing A-game to runway

KARACHI: Fashion Pakistan Week (FPW) Winter Festive 2016 kicked off with some notable showcases. From HSY’s cool yet quirky collection to Shamaeel Ansari and Amir Adnan displaying regality at its best, and to Maheen Karim sticking to the theme and stealing the show with her party wear, the opening day featured some truly memorable elements. The Express Tribune gives a lowdown of who showed what.

Designer: Amir Adnan

Collection: The Way Forward



The show opened with the designer taking menswear up a notch and introducing an array of sleek black and regal-hued fusion of western wear. With outfits ranging from tuxedos done in signature cuts, there was something for every man in the collection, no matter what the occasion. From coats with busy patterns to jackets using classic camel-coloured leather and even traditional ensembles for those who want to play it safe on their wedding day, the collection was a visual treat.

Designers: Shamaeel Ansari & Amir Adnan

Collection: Kosem Sultan



The designers put forward a costume collection for the TV series, Kosem Sultan. As the drama depicts characters from the Ottoman Empire, the costumes were based on that era. Ansari and Adnan proved to be a suitable choice for the showcase, as no one manages to capture that royal, regal air like they do. While the collection comprised an array of feminine peasant dresses, what really made a mark was the glorious costume seen on model Nadia Hussain in the finale. If the point was to take us to another time – these ensembles did just that.

Designer: Maheen Karim

Collection: Tales of Vienna Woods



No doubt, Maheen Karim proved, yet again, that she is the queen of party wear. She nailed what winter festive is all about: glitz, glamour and fun. The couturier incorporated printed jumpsuits, gold sequinned dresses, velvet jackets and glamorous bronze harem pants into her collection without it looking over the top. The collection brought out the intensity and confidence of the women of the Habsburg Empire while maintaining its elegant imperial regality.

We love the attention she gave to each outfit, such as the statement 3D flower embellishments we spotted on a few offerings. We definitely give her bonus points for the eye-catching, handmade necklaces that the models sported on the ramp. We are taking a wild guess and declaring that ‘winter festive’ is Karim’s favourite fashion season.

Designer: Suffuse by Sana Yasir

Collection: Freesia



The designer stayed true to her signature aesthetics with her latest collection. The heavily embroidered bridal showcase entailed shades of silver, mint, lilac and delicate pinks. We enjoyed spotting details such as the bow on the back of a choli, a top with a deep back halter and fun flared pants. The offerings included two extremes — the heavily-embellished traditional bridals and the contemporary silhouette made with ruffles and cut-off sleeves. The graceful and elegant sari worn by actor Momal Sheikh definitely led the pack.

Designer: Mona Imran

Collection: Gold Rush



Imran gave tradition a slight twist with her collection. Although the embroidery and deep, jewel tones of gold, red and emerald green silhouettes were reminiscent of designs from yesteryear, the cuts were all very contemporary. Saris featured cut-out backs and cut-off sleeves on the runway, and the offerings also included cholis paired with pants and capes. A bevy of off-shoulder silhouettes and loosely-belted ensembles were spotted in the collection. Sajal Ali, Imran’s showstopper, donned the most traditional outfit of them all.

Designer: Jeem by Hamza Bokhari

Collection: Naurooz



With each outfit depicting a tale from a long lost Persian heritage, we saw a vibrant colour palette of gold, magenta and mints on the ramp – a deliberate attempt by Bokhari to bring imageries to reality. The designer incorporated traditional embroidery on fabrics such as banarsi, while also showcasing some modern. We spotted a sari-pant, peplum sleeves, box-cut jacket and cut-offs of all kinds. As fans of the velvet trend this winter, it was interesting to see lehengas done in the fabric. We also found the floral printed green chaddar quite interesting, especially when worn with embellished bridal wear.

Designer: Sobia Nazir

Untitled collection



Colours, sequins, fringes, fur and even some all-black looks were evident in Nazir’s collection. Known for experimenting with her designs, Nazir exhibited all the trends that have been making headlines globally of late. In fact, even the raging comeback of the dhaka pajama was seen in her collection. The colour palette started with hues of beige and olive green and went onto black and gold as the showcase progressed.

Designer: HSY

Collection: Onyx



Taking cue from his vision of a superwoman, HSY showcased a monochromatic collection. Each silhouette seemed to have it’s own story, its own vision and that is what shined through. Model Rabia Butt never looked chicer, her outfit being our favourite. Also seen on the runway were the trendiest monochrome bags with HSY’s face printed. Lastly, who could have missed the charming Bilal Ashraf as the designer’s showstopper, channelling everything the collection stood for: cool, laidback and effortless. There was simplicity and drama in this collection and it takes someone special to achieve both simultaneously.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st , 2016.

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