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Pakistani Models And Actresses

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Classic Nida Azwer takes center stage at an otherwise mundane PLBW Day 1

What trends can be set with embellished bridal-wear? At a fashion week dedicated to bridals, it's all about details.

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Beautiful, traditional bridal-wear sells well which is why designers with an eye for business create it. And when the clients begin to flock in, they create some more.

Beautiful, wearable clothes, with layers and layers of embroidery winding over them. And so the vicious cycle turning the wheels of the business of bridal-wear continues.

Nothing wrong with that at all except when you place those clothes on a catwalk that is ideally all about setting new trends. What trends can be set with heavily embellished bridal-wear?

Sometimes, none at all. And at other times, at a fashion week dedicated to bridals, the trends can be found within the details: a new color palette, unique placements of embroidery, a twist to a conventional silhouette.

These nuances can make a collection stand out. Also, quite often, a great bridal collection is one that simply celebrates the work of a designer, asserting a well-honed signature and showing how it’s getting stronger.

In that vein, the first day of this year’s PFDC L’Oreal Paris Bridal Week (PLBW) was, more than anything else, a celebration of Nida Azwer’s glorious, instantly covetable artistry. There were also certain others who made a mark.

But before we go into the sartorial details, let’s turn towards the PLBW runway this time around: a faux garden with a backdrop of leafy plastic plants and astro-turf covering the length of the walkway. The theme would have befitted a spring/summer event more easily rather than a fashion week positioned in autumn/winter.

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Also, with plenty of red bridals floating out in every collection, the mix of red and green in the resulting images was Christmas-card worthy. All you needed was a bit of mistletoe and carols playing in the background.

From a technical point of view, the catwalk appeared to be too narrow with lehngas often rustling past the feet of the people in the front row. Bridal-wear tends to be voluminous and requires a wider space in order to be showcased in its true element.

Also, a ramp that is higher rather than at the same level as the audience may result in better images. Far too many times, images from a great collection have lost impact because somehow, a gaggle of men have been caught in the background, having a good laugh, looking bored or worse, taking selfies!

A flatter runway may have a more international feel – for that’s how it’s usually done internationally – but until the front row crowd starts behaving better, we have to accept that we are not living in uber-fashionable Paris.

On to the clothes now. The first day of PLBW boasted some established names and some new ones and it was the diversity in design on the catwalk that made the day interesting…

Hussain Rehar
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Hussain Rehar was slotted in as the opening act of PLBW and let’s all be thankful for him.

In a world where pastels, sequins and Swarovski crystals refuse to leave the catwalk – ever – young, vivacious firecrackers are rare. Hussain, with his knack for individualism, is an anomaly but such a welcome one.

He has been making waves with successive, distinctive luxury-wear collections and with this show, he proved his mettle with bridal-wear. But having said this, he wasn’t really a firecracker this time around.

With plenty of dhol-dhamaka in the backdrop, the models streamed out, sifting through bright colors and intelligently-placed embroideries. Gold lame nudged shoulders with corals and old-school green and pink combinations, set off by the sweetest bridal pouches and clutches, some of them worked with traditional chata-pati.

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There were culottes, jackets, lehngas and fully embellished shirts that swooped low at the back or backless cholis, held together merely by a web of strings. The finishing was very neat, giving testament to how Hussain is coming into his own.

It was all very pretty. Quite obviously, the designer is zoning in on the lucrative business for wedding-wear, decisively veering away from his love for the fantastic. But I do hope that come next fashion week, Hussain doesn’t show a similar collection.

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Pretty is great and it sells well, but it isn’t memorable. Notwithstanding this collection, Hussain Rehar is so, so good at creating memorable clothes. He’s also got a predilection for sharp tailoring. I hope that as he gets more business savvy, he doesn’t let his intrinsic edginess slide away.

Zubia Zainab
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Zubia Zainab made their catwalk debut with a collection that made the mistake of falling into a pastel and sequins rut. They wouldn’t be the first new brand to have done so. This particular rut is a favorite amongst designers and I am sure that it draws in clientele. But on the catwalk, it just drones on.

There were capes and embellished tunics, with ruffles and flares added in, mirror-work that was pretty but should have been neater and a smattering of gowns.

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Gowns, in fact, are another glaring error to be found in many collections. We are generally a lehnga-wearing, kurta-shalwar clad country – we don’t know how to carry gowns and even if we do, most of our designers don’t know how to cut them.

It’s better to stay away from them or, if we absolutely have to wear them, buy them from a foreign brand that is a pro with the cuts.

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Appreciable in this debut line was the effort made not to completely smother the clothes with embroidery. The designers, however, need to think out of the box in order to gain prominence.

Nida Azwer
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With ‘Anarkali’, Nida Azwer carried on with her love for Mughals – meticulous hand embroideries etched Mughal scenes on shawls and jackets and the silhouettes flowed romantically from anarkalis to kalidars, lehngas, saris and izars.

This wasn’t the first time that Nida has paid ode to the Mughal era or played with traditional silhouettes. I am sure that it won’t be the last time either. In fact, it would be safe to say that should I place Nida’s collections through the years together, it would be sometimes difficult distinguish one from the other.

But then again, I don’t think Nida wants to create disparate collections every year. Hers is a signature that is deep-rooted in old-world Eastern glamour.

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She has built her brand, dedicatedly and painstakingly, forging an identity that is easily recognizable. She may add a few tweaks here and there but truly, she is in her element when she is creating clothes that are timelessly beautiful, carefully crafted, to be cherished and worn and then, worn again and again.

Could a few tapered, tailored outfits have added versatility? Maybe. But then, those wouldn’t have been classic Nida Azwer, would they?

Aquafina Rising Talent showcase
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The Rising Talent segment was dominated by clothes that were more fantastical than wearable and yet, some of the new designers showed promise simply because they tried to push boundaries.

Urwah Ali, for instance, created pretty layers of tulle in a ballet dress and etched ballet figures on the hem of a long cape. Abbas Jamil Rajput’s (‘AJR) ode to the artistry of Versailles and Marie Antoinette created dramatic costumes.

Model Mushk Kaleem carried off a heavy trail of tulle – which, may I say, was far too reminiscent of other tulle trails that I have seen in the recent past – and there were other outfits that were worked with ruffles, feathers and heavily pleated fabric.

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Elaha Ahmed’s ‘Game Of Thrones’ inspired collection offered uninteresting layers of chiffon while Mehak Yaqoob’s designs, with their chains and buckles, did not impress.

As Rising Talent segments go, this time’s showcase wasn’t a strong one. From unappealing colors to badly placed embellishments, the clothes could have been better.

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But these are fledgling designers, only just beginning upon their careers and they are likely to experiment before they develop a decisive ethos. Hussain Rehar once made his debut on the Pakistan Fashion Design Council’s (PFDC) catwalk. So did Ali Xeeshan, Fahad Hussayn, Zonia Anwaar and so many others.

Sometimes, it takes time for a designer to improve but kudos to the council for persisting on with its efforts with the Rising Talent, providing mentorship and even financing their collections. If the industry has to grow, new talent has to be ushered in by all means.

Saira Shakira
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The most obvious description for Saira Shakira’s show would be ‘heavily embellished’. This designer duo is yet another young success story, showcasing repetitively and working very hard, slowly and surely building a considerable clientele.

‘Kali – A Bloom’ was completely immersed in embroideries and Eastern silhouettes, clearly meant for this clientele.

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As they tend to do, the designers added a few elements here and there – fringes on the sleeves and cutwork at the back. But these twists, that I look forward to when I see a Saira Shakira show, were very few this time around.

It would be fair to say that the designers’ recent luxury-wear outings have been much more fashion forward.

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This collection, meanwhile, got lost in a cloud of glittering sequins. Young brides-to-be may enjoy it but I missed the quirkiness that usually comes to easily to Saira Shakira.

It was a good ending note - that could have been better - to the first day of PLBW.

One down and two more days to go. Will we be blinded by bling – and proceed to see embroidered florals floating about in our nightmares – or is there some high fashion in the offing? With the way bridal fashion tends to be, I can’t be too optimistic. Then again, let’s hope for the best.
 
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Day - 2


Kamiar Rokni
‘Golestan’, Kamiar Rokni’s ode to his Persian heritage, was also a homage to his artistry. Deftly, expertly, he mixed and matched colours and splayed them out on to the catwalk, merging them with gota, mirror-work and delicate florals crafted by hand.

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This was an all-out bridal wear line, offering options for the wedding day as well as trousseau, but there was nothing that was ordinary about the silhouettes.

Then again, there is never anything ordinary about Kamiar Rokni’s designs. The cardinal bridal comes in a new blend of the age-old hue, the florals are wielded in distinctively different patterns, the meticulously crafted gota and mirrors move in ebullient zigzags and swirls and there is a delicious blend of diverse luxurious textures.

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With unique details added in, every outfit stood out on the catwalk – I can only imagine how riveting it must be when seen up-close.

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This was also a very retail friendly collection offering wearable silhouettes. But under Kamiar Rokni’s magic wand, even retail’s usually generic waters begin making waves.

Misha Lakhani
Speaking of magic, Misha Lakhani also knows how to wield it well. Hers is a more subtle spell, relying on an intrinsic glamour and a very strong design identity.

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At Misha’s, the clothes will always ooze style and even the heaviest outfit won’t look like it’s being suffocated by embroideries. Instead, it will make a statement with finely cut silhouettes and well-placed embellishments.

A bona fide designer never needs to hide behind embroidery in order to prove his or her mettle. This observation rings true particularly at bridal-centric fashion weeks where far too many try to pass off masses of embroidery as fashion.

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Quintessentially, the designer dealt out understated elegance. There were the crushed lehngas and laidback off shoulder tunics that are her trademark, statement saris, jackets and velvet shawls and they all came worked with gota and distinctive mirror-work, weaving its way amidst thread embroideries.

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So, so classy. Misha always is.

Sania Maskatiya
With successive showcases at major fashion weeks and a very finely tuned eye for design, Sania Maskatiya has fast become one of the strongest contenders in Pakistan’s market for bridal-wear.

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With ‘Dilara’ at PLBW, the design house flexed its muscles, putting forward a collection that offered throwbacks to some of her finest work, reinventing it along the way.

Glinting gold lame came worked with delicate florals, dupattas were lined with scallops, gota and neat hand embroideries, there were trails embellished with delicate cutwork and embellished statement shawls.

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My particular favorite was a lehnga with a white base with multicoloured geometrical embroidery and florals worked down its length, paired with a risqué choli and a lightly embroidered dupatta.

The clothes were beautiful, created with great finesse, but this was a collection that exuded the best of Sania Maskatiya rather than highlighting new directions being taken by her brand. Her best is going to sell very well.

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Also, a special shout-out goes to the very well-cut menswear. With subtle embroideries worked on restrained palettes, they were refreshing in a market plagued by gaudy, untidy options.

It is interesting that most menswear labels in Pakistan seem to have lost the plot while the ateliers catering to womenswear are standing out for the limited capsules they create for men, usually in coordination with their clothes for brides.

That’s good news for men in the search for decent clothing. But quite a sorry state of affairs as far as the overall market for menswear is concerned.

Sonia Azhar
Sonia Azhar’s biggest error was that she treaded down a mostly pastel-coloured pastel route. At the cost of sounding repetitive, it is a hackneyed path. The tea pink meets grey meets dull gold colour scheme has been seen so often that it can no longer stand out.

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The show also seemed to be an inspirational ode of sorts to all that has been trending for a while now. The ruffled dupattas? Check. The cancanned skirt? Check. The long column shirt? Check.

Had Sonia chosen a different palette and made less of a chutney with varied silhouettes, some of the finer elements in her designs could have been more noticeable.

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I noticed an embellished back, meshed with gota, pearls, dabka and very unique, pointed beads. The effect was diminished simply because the base was a been there-seen that light beige.

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Maybe next time Sonia Azhar who, by the way, is a regular at fashion week, can choose better colours? Cut neater silhouettes?

Mahgul
And then, Mahgul’s ‘Tales of Bijin’ swooped in for the finale, telling stories that drew you in and that made you feel that, truly, wedding-wear could be all things wonderful.

You could almost hear joyful wedding songs playing in your head. Pastel colours? They could be great! Swathes of embroidery and bling? They could be great! That is, as long as you have a designer on board who can transform them into something great.

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This was Mahgul in her element; the way she used to be when she first ventured into the spotlight, turning an artistic eye towards design and whisking new interpretations from the usual ingredients.

Her medley of colours was so well thought-out: emerald greens, bright oranges, dusky blues, crimson and white worked with silver and gold.

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Also catching the eye were the embellishments: gota twisted and turned into florals on a pair of culottes; a bird, caught in flight, on the back of a shirt; a neckline accentuated by rivulets of mirror and threadwork; a thick silver border shimmering on a dupatta that spread across a single shoulder and was cinched at the other end.

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It’s good to have Mahgul back in full form. I hope that now that she’s found her groove again, she stays that way. In a realm burdened by far too much tulle and bling, Mahgul knocked wedding-wear right off the park, making it something fabulous, something new.
 
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Here are our top picks:

Red and pink is a winning combo

Mohsin Naveed Ranjha made his PFDC catwalk debut this year and we were spoilt for choice to pick a favourite from the showcase. That said, this particular red and pink number stood out, there's so much to love here!

From the beautiful play on colours to the velvet lehnga paired with a halter peplum, this one gets a big thumbs up from us.

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Rubab Ali looks happy to be wearing such a stunner


Corset with a twist
Channeling some old world charm with this sari with a corset, this outfit by Mahgul needs to magically land in our closet, like now.

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Say no to OTT embellishments!


Black is the new black
For all those who don't like OTT embroidery and would wear black > everything, this Misha Lakhani ensemble is for you. So sophisticated and chic.

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Perfect for the bride's bad influence best friend


A pop of lime green goes a long way
We looked at this one long and hard. While we're usually not big fans of ruffles, trust Kamiar Rokni to make 'em high fashion. For those who aren't afraid to have some fun and take sartorial risks, this one's for you.

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We could end up looking like baby dinosaurs but that's a risk we're willing to take


Hussain Rehar knows when not to go overboard
Lots of dainty embroidery's great and all but we're all about that less is more aesthetic and Hussain Rehar just gets our vibe. The powder blue paired with orange and red with chunky embroidery is totally our vibe.

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This wedding season, simplicity is key


Powersuit meets sari
We love mixing it up with jackets especially with occasion wear so we're glad to see more of these long layers on the ramp by HSY and Nida Azwer among others.

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L-R: HSY, Nida Azwer


Unleash your inner warrior princess
Something about this look is just so powerful. Cinched at the waist and paired with voluminous pants, this one is sure to make you stand out from the crowd.

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Mahira Khan rocked on the streets of Paris during Fashion Week


Everyone loved her rocker chic look on the runway but what was Khan's street style like? On point, that's what.

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Everyone loved her rocker chic look on the runway but what was Khan's street style like? On point, that's what.

Mahira Khan made her way to Paris Fashion Week and we've been living vicariously through all her updates.

The actor, spokesperson for L'Oreal Pakistan, represented her country on the world's biggest fashionable platform...because she's worth it. She attended multiple fashion shows by the world's best designers, luxury product launches and also strutted the catwalk for the brand's makeup collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld.

She also danced with Helen Mirren. That needs to be said.

Of course, roaming the streets of Paris and making all these appearances, you know our Noori is also going to amp up the couture. Let's see which trends Mahira sported during her glitzy trip:

What neon dreams are made of

Pairing baggy black pants with red boots and a neon lime green blouse, Mahira looked edgy but also comfortable. Finishing off the look with an animal print clutch was genius and makes the look so much more on-trend.

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Leather weather

What can we say, the woman loves her ankle length boots. Seen in a leather jumpsuit and metallic kicks, everything about this look is futuristic. While we weren't fans of every style statement she made, we appreciate the fact that she tried something different this time around.

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Shine on


Usually not a fan of excessive sequins, Khan surprisingly pulls off this blingy black jumpsuit with back details to die for. It's missing something though; maybe a pop of colour from a bright pout or a funky hairdo would've sealed the deal.

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It's all right if it's all white
Channeling some serious old world charm in a silk dress with buttons and a hat, Mahira looks uber classy here.

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Jammies but make it fashion

Embellished matching separates with faux fur details, what's not to love?

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Al-Karam Studio

The show started off prettily. Al-Karam Studio’s collection was called ‘La vie en rose’ and on that tangent, the brand spun out oversized florals, fashioning them into dresses or working them on to a neckline.

There were also plenty of ruffles, pleats, big bows and floral prints worked with tiny smatterings of embroidery. These prints and embellishments, should they make an appearance in the brand’s retail collections, are likely to be hits.

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All about that go big or go home philosophy.


Soon, though, the show shifted gears and went into complete desi mode. The light pink lehngas and saris worked well but then, the palette dived into deep maroons, golds and black. It almost seemed as if the brand had lost its way, traversing tulle florals on short dresses and then, suddenly sidestepping into deep gold embroidery on velvet.

The lack of cohesion made the clothes seem out of place although, seen individually, many of them were eye-catching.

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The showstopper, Ayeza Khan (right) deserved a showstopping outfit.


Having said this, better fitting of the blouses would have helped. A better selection of clothes for the lovely Ayeza Khan would have helped – but I have said that already.

It’s just that Ayeza can look absolutely stunning – over the past few months, she’s particularly stood out in Al-Karam campaigns. To put her in an embellished velvet number with a big concoction at the back just seems wrong.

What did help the show along were the little children that came on to the catwalk. The little girls and boys were adorable and the outfits they wore were also quite lovely. Bring them to stores, Al-Karam – they’re going to sell out!

Boheme
I remember Boheme making its debut a few fashion weeks ago and making such a splash with flamboyant artistic elements and traditional details. Only last year, Zoe Viccaji had showstopped for the brand, wearing a standout lehnga with ‘kath-putlis’ or wooden puppets playing along its canvas. Lovely.

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Boheme's second outing at FPW left a lot to be desired.

Yasmin Zaman

Yasmin Zaman’s collection followed and its simple palette and clean lines were refreshing. Zoning in on the modern-day wedding, the designer presented a fusion line with plenty of dresses, lehngas, and short shirts paired with sleek cigarette pants.

Her embroideries were particularly interesting, worked into distinctive swirls and borders. Not your usual phool-patti which may be pretty but is instantly forgettable.

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I liked that Zaman's clothes weren't drowning in embroidery.


Having said this, this was a very wearable collection; the sort that can truly be appreciated while on retail racks and would, I feel, be bought immediately.

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A retail-friendly collection for the most part.


Up on a spotlighted catwalk, the clothes would have been less memorable had it not been for the designer’s collaboration with jeweler Haya Lutfullah. Haya’s teekas and elaborate neck-pieces complemented Yasmin’s understated signature.

Ayesha Farook
Ayesha Farook likes flowing silks, kaftans and fitted boleros. They have always been a mainstay in her brand and they dominated her collection, which was the last of the day.

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AFH brought a very signature showcase for Day 1 of FPW.


I wish that she had been more innovative; perhaps experimented with fabric or colour if not with the silhouette.

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Maybe she went over the top with all that silk.


This was a wearable line and I imagine that the designer’s clientele will make a beeline for the kaftans, the tunics with billowing sleeves, the long, floating silk dresses.
 
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Zainab Chottani

The collection ran the gamut from all-whites to multicolours that would make a splash at a mehndi to the requisite cardinal red with embellishments that were laid out in pretty patterns.

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There were times when the embroidery did go into a bit of an overdose but heavy embroideries are par for the course when it comes to Pakistani wedding wear.

More than anything else, Zainab’s palette caught my eye: the ivories and golds in the beginning, fashioned into old-world ghararas and sleeker shirts and pants, the dashes of turquoise that followed, the deep reds and blacks.

The designer has a strong client-base and with this collection, I feel that Zainab will only be able to strengthen it further.

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My main bone of contention, perhaps, was with the resurfacing of the peplum. I thought that it had died and was never coming back again.

But the peplum made a return on the FPW catwalk, not just in Zainab’s collection but throughout. I suppose customers for wedding-wear still like them, even if I don’t.

Mawra Hocane and Fahad Mustafa walked out as showstoppers – quite a coup and a throwback to their hit pairing in last year’s Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2.



Huma Adnan

Huma Adnan offered some pretty colour ranges but perhaps should have innovated more with embroideries. Floral patterns have been seen far too many times and while they certainly must still appeal to clients, they don’t manage to make an impact on the catwalk.

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Neater cuts would have helped. Also, I wish that the designer had accentuated the accessories worn in the show. Huma is involved in an ongoing project with the UNHCR where she works with displaced refugees in the creation of hand-crafted jewelry. Some of her pieces are very unique but set against the glitter of bridal-wear they weren’t as visible.

The white shirt worked with paisleys caught my eye – the many multicoloured layered clothes, not so much. Actress Noor Zafar Khan walked out as showstopper very gracefully.

But it was the designer’s other showstopper who made waves for all the wrong reasons.

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Deputy Consul General USA Darian Arkay walked out while wearing a black sherwani, paired with a maroon and gold shawl and a Bollywood-esque neck-piece. The Deputy wore sunshades and kept peering at the audience in a rather strange way.
 
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Sarah Khan slays in Deepak Perwani’s bridal outfit

Pakistani TV actress Sarah Khan walked the ramp with Wahaj Ali for Deepak Perwani’s bridal collection at Fashion Pakistan Week 2019.

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