The fashion scoop straight from PLBW

LAHORE:

As the PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week closes yet another successful year, there are certain highlights and trends that can’t go amiss. With a variety of hemlines and styles showcased, the biggest trend this season is to dress your body — everything goes as long as one can make the silhouette work to one’s advantage. While everyone wants to follow the herd, individuality is what makes you stand out. Here are some of the highlights, trends and pieces that caught our attention through the three-day fashion extravaganza.

Most versatile piece on the runway

Sana Safinaz

Be it on the runway or at weddings, lehenga-choli has been done to death and just as one thought nothing can be done to breathe life into the trend, Sana Safinaz prove you wrong. Their red off-shoulder Grecian draped crop top paired with a black and gold embellished lehenga hit all the right notes. The muted extravagance of the drapery paired with the opulence of the lehenga is just what was needed to jazz this fad up. The rich satin crop top-cum-choli can be paired many ways in different styles and that’s what Sana Safinaz do best.

Collection that made us swoon

Élan

Élan’s ‘Jasmine Court’ was the collection that swept us off our feet. Dreamy, regal and with the right pops of colour, Élan showcased a line that made one want to grab the pieces from the runway and wear them. With its intricate detailing and fantastic cuts, if this collection didn’t make you swoon then don’t know what will. The designer drifted away from her usual use of crystals and infused her cutwork with gotta-detailing.

Read: PLBW 2015: Paring down the sheen with the preen

Most daring colour to wear this season

Misha Lakhani

Pepto-Bismol pink. Misha Lakhani breathes new life in this daring colour as she showcased her main bridal in it. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but it’ll be fun to see the fashion-forward wedding attendees this year adopt this new shade of pink. As this is a tricky colour to embellish, the reason why her ensemble stood out is the simplicity of its embellishments and cuts. The designer let the colour shine through by keeping excessive embellishments at bay.

Most entertaining show

Ali Xeeshan

Not only did Ali Xeeshan put up an entertaining show but also made interesting social commentary, which many people missed to see. Although many shrugged off his use of Mickey and Minnie Mouse as bride and groom as gimmickry, it reflected the reality of the Pakistani wedding culture. Weddings these days have become overly stylised, larger-than-life productions — a message that he sends across using real-life puppets.

Most daring outfit

Saira Shakira

Saira Shakira’s flared voluminous pants that featured different embellishments on each leg, were definitely not for the weak-hearted and only a few can carry them off.

Colour of the season

Shamaeel Ansari

Black, black and some more black. Be it full bridals or just accents, this old-favourite makes its way back on the runway in bridal couture. Many shy away from wearing black to weddings but this season, it’s all about the staple colour, so don’t be afraid to revisit this classic.

Most innovative collection

The House of Kamiar Rokni

This year, two collections took the cake when it came to innovation – The House of Kamiar Rokni and Mahgul. Both brought forth the marriage between art and fashion and kept us wanting more. The House of Kamiar Rokni always hits it out of the ball park and their craft keeps evolving.

Read: PLBW 2015: Making a vow to wow the audience

It’s one thing to produce a new collection and another to take ahead a previous collection and refine one’s craft so much that it becomes bigger and bigger. Mahgul’s background in fine art has translated well in her collection. She used her pieces as an ever-morphing canvas to create a collection that was edgy and fresh.

Accessory that made an impact on the runway

Mahgul

Accessories are always the best way to make a statement and, while the wedding season calls out for heavily-embellished accessories, the one that made an impact for its simplicity and well-crafted design would have to be Mahgul’s 3D geometric clutch attached with an encrusted bird ring. The uniqueness of its style and craftsmanship made it a stand-out amid embellished pouches. This is an accessory that can make even the simplest ensemble come alive.

Best jewellery pieces on the runway

Precious

Sherezad Rahimtoola for Élan

Sherezad Rahimtoola for Élan was perhaps one of the most beautiful jewellery collections we’ve seen in long. Not only were her pieces well-crafted and unique but also featured something for everyone. From gorgeous bridal sets to edgy individual pieces, her collection is just what you need to make the right statement this wedding season.

Costume

Zohra Rehman for HSY

Zohra Rehman for HSY gets two thumbs up for originality. Merging her understated pieces with HSY’s opulence was a decision worth lauding. Boasting sophisticated designs, the collection showed how less is more and keeping it simple will never go out of style.

From prêt to luxury

Dare to bare

Ammara Khan

Off-shoulder ensembles are all the rage and it’s no surprise that this season bridals and wedding trousseau saw this trend dominate on the runway. From Élan’s ‘Legends’ collection to Ammara Khan’s beautiful off-shoulder detailing, this is a must-try trend this season.

Follow-through trend

Velvet

Sania Maskatiya

There’s one trend that goes on season after season and there doesn’t seem to be any sign of it leaving the fashion front any time soon. From Sania Maskatiya’s velvet capes to Shamaeel Ansari juxtaposing embellished velvet with prints reminiscent of the Romanov Russia, these pieces were all testament to how this fad is here to stay. 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2015.

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