PLBW day 3: Creative hits and misses

Giving an oriental touch to his creations, The House of Kamiar Rokni showcased the design house’s best.

LAHORE:

PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week came to a spectacular finish and presented an all-rounded overview of the fashion dos this season, notwithstanding the handful of dull moments. With the House of Kamiar Rokni marking the finale, the day had a lot to offer. The event had a myriad of attractions but one of the amusing features was the appearance of Salman Khan’s look-alike during Nomi Ansari’s show.

Out of the multitude of trends showcased, some to look out for this fashion season would have to be cotton formals, double-textured saris and sheer nets draped over prints.

Nomi Ansari



When it comes to playing with colours, no one does a better job than Nomi. Sponsored by Bank Alfalah, Nomi’s show started off with model Nadia Hussain setting the runway on fire in a canopy skirt made out of the bank’s credit cards. Showcasing a wide array of colours, the collection looked fabulous and wearable. Nomi’s use of heavy embroidery and silk saris with chiffon pallu, which was a constant feature of the Bridal Week, were an instant hit. Male models sporting stylised Jinnah caps and a moustache added to the dramatic aura of the ensemble. The collection comprised of neon-colorued jamavar and kamkhab sherwanis, which enhanced the perky feel of the showcase. What stole the show, however, was the Bollywood performance by Salman Khan’s look-alike!

Sana Safinaz

The dynamic duo dazzled the audience with a take different from their usual one. They promised a completely revamped collection in the preview, and they delivered! The collection was consistent and certainly one of the best of the evening. Showcasing saris with churidars, cotton lehengas with velvet detailing and jumpsuits with embellished capes, Sana Safinaz rekindled their brand image. Very impressive indeed!

Zara Shahjahan

Zara debuted at the PFDC Bridal Week with her collection titled True Love, which reflected her aesthetic sense and love for floral hues and femininity. The most eye-catching of her pieces were the ones with embellished sheer net over printed silk lining. Zara’s collection epitomised her fresh and experimental approach to fashion design. I wish we could’ve seen more of that. Trendy, volumised lehengas with pockets were young and fun. While some of the outfits were too heavily embellished with diamantes, it was refreshing to see that Zara stepped out of her comfort zone and dared to diverge from fashion norms. Her midnight blue ensemble with gold work was certainly the highlight of the collection.

Asifa and Nabeel

Asifa and Nabeel certainly understand their design forte and work within the parameters of what they know best. Their designs are generally known for their style, detail and craftsmanship. However, the collection that they showcased was a mix of hits and misses. The outfit that stood out among the entire collection was a plain black shirt with a velvet-detailed back, maroon jamavar pants and a heavily embellished dupatta. While their red-coloured bridal wear was typical and lacklustre, Asifa and Nabeel’s use of earthy tones in their outfits stood out.

Sahar Atif

Although Sahar has been showcasing her work since years, her collection titled Saai lacked oomph and was not aesthetically pleasing. Some of the outfits were clearly Shehla Chatoor rip-offs and gave a gola ganda feel. Rainbow-coloured saris with jackets were a letdown. Chatappati is generally a tricky design and if used properly, can look beautiful. If not, disaster! Sahar’s usage of the design in lehengas didn’t fit the bill. Overall, the collection was neither pleasing to the eye nor cohesive.

The House of Kamiar Rokni

Giving an oriental touch to its creations, the design house showcase its best work. With some North African-inspired looks, the collection deviated from his usual work. While the outfits weren’t up to the mark stylistically speaking, the workmanship was the design house's finest. The amount of thought put into the collection was evident. However, the heavily stylised sleeves and cropped jackets didn’t seem to wow the audience. They would have been better suited for a prêt collection, instead for a bridal one. The lime green and blue outfit worn by Neha was exceptionally exquisite. Staying true to what symbolises the Orient, The House of Kamiar Rokni aptly made use of vivid colours and motifs.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2013.

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