PLBW 2015: Not a seamless walk up to the altar

Short hemlines, embellished pants, belted dupattas and cropped tops to trend this festive season

LAHORE:

With a dash of colour here and gotta inserts there, the PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week (PLBW) kicked off at the regal Faletti’s Hotel in Lahore on September 16.

Off to a rocky start, the day saw more misses than hits. But there’s no gainsaying that most collections featured memorable elements, whether it was the accessories of the Faiza Saqlain showcase or the spider-web design on Élan’s lehenga or the exquisite and detailed mix-medium work by Ali Xeeshan.

Of the myriad of trends showcased, a few looks to try out this fashion season are belted dupattas, light screen-printed dupattas with heavily-worked formals, and formals with pockets that add convenience to the otherwise heavy ensembles. The hemlines stayed short, the pants embellished, and the tops cropped. Velvet paired with net, metallic organza and silk will remain a dominant fad this shaadi season. Here’s a rundown of who showed what on the fashion aisle.

Republic Omar Farooq



This was Republic’s first time showcasing a women’s-wear collection. Farooq’s wife Sana Omar took over the reins of designing for women, but it seems the brand should stick to their forte, which is menswear. The women’s-wear had excessive can-can netting under the lehengas that was visible on the ramp, showing that they paid little attention to detail. Farooq had a multitude of options for men such as Amritsari kurtas and pajamas, waistcoats, sherwanis, jackets and suits. He styled some of the male models with shawls, which completed their look to the tee.

Ali Xeeshan



What’s an Ali Xeeshan show without some drama? A great showman, Xeeshan took the cake on day one. And here’s why: he knows exactly how to bring a snoozing audience back to life, he’s not afraid to experiment and his strong yet over-the-top aesthetics work in his favour. For his ‘Tufaan’ collection, each model looked like a work of art in ornate accessories that included headpieces, neon-coloured earrings and necklaces. He also designed intricate kites, an ode to the festival of Basant that was once celebrated in the city. He brought Disney to the ramp in the form of models wearing Mickey and Minnie Mouse costumes, who walked the ramp with Sohai Ali Abro. Meesha Shafi flaunted an intricately-designed outfit that boasted flamboyance. Perhaps the best thing about Xeeshan’s ensembles is that they work equally well as separates.

Élan



The brand certainly understands its strong suits and works within the parameters of what they know best. Élan’s designs are generally known for their detailing and neat embellishing, and this collection was not a disappointment in that regard. But we wish they experimented with one or two of their pieces rather than putting out similar ones. There were vibrant elements in the show, such as the glittery bow sported by Amna Babar. The belted short shirt and dhoti pants with pink detailing were visually appealing. Showing their signature aesthetics, Élan also designed three outfits in collaboration with L’Oréal Paris, to pay homage to fashion icons Madam Noor Jehan, Tahira Syed and Babra Sharif.

Karma Red



The design house opened the show with ‘Shehzadi Rang Aur Samarkand Ki Rani’ featuring two capsule collections, which exuded an aura of days bygone. The first comprised shades of red and, much to our dismay, was archaic and lacklustre. With heavy embellishments, the range was visually overbearing. The second line had polka-dotted kurtas for men in different colours, which seemed inapt for a bridal showcase. Of the second capsule, the white on Fauzia Aman and orange on Sadaf Kanwal with intricate detailing worked as they showed an eclectic mix of aesthetics. But Fia Khan donned a heavily-embellished ensemble, something Karma is typically known for. We wonder why the brand has been monotone in their use of embellishments over the past decade.

Sania Maskatiya



Maskatiya’s third PLBW collection, ‘Afsaneh’, showed mixed colours and embellishments that were aesthetically pleasing. Although the designer played it safe, the brand’s signature style shone through in every ensemble. We feel Maskatiya is better-suited for prêt, as her last PFDC prêt showcase was stronger in comparison. She used velvet and brocade with zardozi-, aari- and sequin-work. Given the collection’s high commercial quotient, it will expectedly be a frequent sight at winter weddings this year.

Rising Talent Show

Faiza Saqlain



Saqlain’s ‘The Regal Dawn’ collection was inspired by the Elizabethan era, but it seemed that the designer took the fashions of the period, such as the net bib around the neck, too literally. Other elements such as the hand harnesses and bags were striking. Saqlain has the potential to become successful, but this collection displayed her lack of experience as a designer.

Maheen Taseer



For her debut collection ‘Vailliant’, Taseer tried to keep every cut unique so that she could display the diversity of her design aesthetics. But this worked against her as the collection lacked cohesion and direction. Luxurious-looking and featuring brocade, velvet, Swarovski crystals, dabka and gotta, it had all the right elements but missed the mark in terms of execution.

Jeem by Hamza Bokhari



‘Ruzzkiy Kukly’ was probably the strongest out of the Rising Talent segment. It boasted a variety of silhouettes, including organza wrap-arounds over pants and crop tops that were slightly reminiscent of Sania Maskatiya’s PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week show earlier this year. Among the stand-outs was the crop top with a coatee, paired with a lehenga and a bag with pink tassels.

Zarmisha Dar



The budding designer experimented with cutwork and had interesting elements. Exuding feminine codes, the collection featured a pastel-coloured palette with traditional gotta and dabka cora work. Dar, who showcased her ‘Gullistan’ collection, has the potential to bloom into a great formal-wear designer.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th,  2015.

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