Colonial Transgression defiant and dazzling on opening night

LAHORE:

As spectators looked their fashionable best and gossiped in the front row, the opening designer on Day 1 of the PFDC L’Oreal Paris Bridal Week 2012 stole the show.

Misha Lakhani 

In her debut show titled ‘A Colonial Transgression’, the young fashion designer’s collection dominated the ramp with sophistication and intricacy that echoed the craftsmanship of the Moghul era.

With some items from her Karachi launch show and some new pieces, Misha Lakhani’s aesthetic and dexterity of threadwork have established that the debutant’s future collections will be worth the wait. The most interesting aspect about her work is how she juxtaposes the simplicity of a crepe or georgette outfit with heavily embellished dupattas in zardosi, vasli, marori and doree ka kaam. The net saris embellished with red and pink rosettes and sequins are not just wearable but also very feminine. Overall, with its rich colour palette, Lakhani’s bridal week collection was well executed and styled.

Sonia Azhar 

The one thing that can be said about Sonia Azhar’s collection is that regardless of whether her aesthetic is appreciated or not, her collection reiterated her label’s style. Her collection called ‘Dark Romance’ opened with rich shades of plum and then showcased a lot of velvet, with hues ranging from beige and grey to deep red. With embellishments that were loud and had a shiny disco ball effect, Azhar seems to have lost sight of what Dark Romance is. The most interesting aspect of Azhar’s collection was the inclusion of volume in her silhouette. Sonia Azhar is not everyone’s cup of tea and style, but she caters to a very specific market and that is undeniable.

Azza 

Azza is only a year old and is showcasing its work for the second time with the PFDC. Azza’s collection at Fashion Week 2012 in April was fun and young; however, on the opening night this time around, the collection titled ‘Holiday and Trousseau Capsule Collection’  failed to bring forth new and fresh work. The entire collection echoed the same style and frills as her Fashion Week collection. There is a fine line between recurring trends and putting out an almost identical collection. While the embellishments can stay the same, one would expect experimental cuts and silhouettes, especially from a young brand like Azza. Even though the winter white and leaf green outfits looked nice on the ramp, her pieces would be better placed in a pret collection and didn’t fit in well with bridal couture.

Nabila’s paper doll

The show opened with a trends presentation by stylist Nabila that set the tone for the make-up theme dominating the first day’s runway. As the voluptuous model Ayaan stepped out onto the ramp wearing a beige body con dress with typically porcelain doll-inspired make-up, there were some whispers about where the night was headed. The presentation aptly titled ‘Paper Doll’ set the mood for the rest of the evening. As the name suggests, the look was artificial, girlish, excessive and glossy. As Ayaan proceeded down the ramp, two helpers emerged to fit her into a pink Zaheer Abbas fishtail skirt and ruffled corset. Further down the ramp was Nabila herself, who finished the paper doll get-up by adding a stylised wig and glossy pink lip colour. She achieved a largely dressmaker’s dummy aura, which later faded away into the shadows of the ramp. The prominent themes in Nabila’s presentation were porcelain skin, chiseled contours, a bold glassy lip colour, elaborate eyes and ombre hair.

*footnotes

* The two-tier ramp allowed everyone a good view of the collections up close and at a distance to take in the entire look.

* Misha Lakhani’s models wore simple flat khussas painted in a warm gold, adding a lovely touch to her Mughal era inspired collection.

* We couldn’t resist sharing this overheard snippet from a conversation that took place at the front row: “They really need better groomed men to attend these events – it’s starting to look like an affair for women to ogle at women!”

Fashion disaster:

Asma Mumtaz & Fiza

While we laud Asma Mumtaz’s efforts to be constantly creative with fashion, this ridiculously loud belt and colourful scarf are killing the Fahad Hussayn pants. Model-actor Fiza right here is a perfect example of wearing a trend all wrong. The disjointed black and white print is an eyesore.

We love this:

Misha Shafi

Misha Shafi looks as gorgeous as ever! We are absolutely in love with this Alexander McQueen necklace on her svelte frame.

Sara Shahid

Sublime’s Sara looked elegant in this satin number. She jazzed up her flowy outfit with an orange clutch and matching necklace.

Kausar Humayun

The beautiful Kausar Humayun looked perfectly pristine in this three layered top and white pants. She accessorised with a Dior clutch and McQueen shoes.

Hira Tayyib

Hira Tayyib rocked an animal print top with black pants and this scrumptious limited edition lambskin Chanel bag.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2012.

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