For the longest time, red, maroon and gold, along with a spectrum of shades revolving around the same bright palette, were wedding wear essentials; red was a popular choice amongst brides to ensure that they looked ‘proper’. The idea of the perfect bridal, however, is now changing. The red bridal was followed by a wave of pastels and softer hues that became an instant hit and thus broke the ‘red’ mold. No longer was a bride limited to wearing red and she could, in fact, diversify and make choices, which have now moved beyond red as well as pastels and softer hues. Day Two at fashion week offered those choices.
It was refreshing to see designers like Wardha Saleem parading an array of colours flawlessly. Sara Rohale Asghar played with motifs while Maheen Karim stuck to what she does best: glamorous formal wear. Rano’s Heirlooms effortlessly brought back an old-school charm while Maheen Khan focused on solids and silhouettes.
Wardha Saleem – Chaand Bala
The evening kicked off with Wardha Saleem, who brought folk artist Mai Dhai to the show, thus elevating the mood of the show. Wardha’s canvas incorporated hand embroidery and embellishment, velvet and a vast array of digital prints. What was particularly interesting was the use of leather in her bridals. The designer rolled out diverse looks and colours and impressed with a well put-together collection.
Sara Rohale Asghar- Fleur De Lis
In hues of pink and different shades of nudes, Sara Rohale Asghar came out with a collection that was pretty, sellable and will play well with her clientele. There were some interesting silhouettes that might have worked given the embellishment weren’t overpowering those ensembles. Nevertheless, it was a good collection that would bode well for the designer, generic as it may have been.
Deepak and Fahad – Zartaab
Given that the spectrum of menswear is pretty limited and not many menswear designers venture into experimental and edgy, groom wear tends to get even more niche. Deepak and Fahad, who usually do think out of the box, unfortunately, did not even attempt to push their own philosophy beyond a basic boxy sherwani. It was everything that is available everywhere. There are plenty of designers in the same market that deliver at least some novelty but D&F, for some reason, didn’t go there.
Maheen Karim – Lueur De Luxe
Maheen designs for the party circuit and this collection too was more ‘winter festive’ than a wedding. A predominant feel of French aesthetics was promised in the name and the music of the show, leaving us excited, though we didn’t expect ‘French’ to be more Moulin Rouge than modern day France. Literally translating to ‘glowing deluxe’, Maheen’s collection was very bright and went over the top with the 3D motifs that one felt were more loud than luxury. Maheen’s construction is always impeccable, and while I personally found the collection too loud, I can see party goers going for the drama.
Rano’s Heirloom – Phool Bunro
Rano’s Heirlooms is a brand that has stuck to its ethos, which derives its power from old-school aesthetics; her fashion week collection left us inspired and awestruck. It was a trip down memory lane, to a place where every piece seemed carefully crafted and lovingly recreated. Her gota work was particularly impressive and it was quite refreshing and nostalgic to see old school techniques brought back to fashion.
Shahmeer Ansari – Beyond Generations
Any new label that gets the chance of being introduced on a platform like FPW really needs to make a statement so that it isn’t forgotten or ignored. Unfortunately, this label could not deliver that lasting impression. Most of the looks were forgettable at best and even the tailoring left a lot to be desired. We sincerely hope that Shahmeer Ansari – introduced as one of the ‘Emerging Designers’ around – will be able to deliver a more thought out and well-crafted collection in the future.
Maheen Khan – Raw
Maheen Khan displayed a collection that can be summed up as a tribute to herself as many of the ensembles that came out on the runway were quintessential Maheen Khan. We saw oversized collars and pinched waists, solid silk jackets in gorgeous shades (the red piece Hareem Farooq opened with was our favourite) and an overall bold collection that defied convention and gave a progressive alternative to wedding wear. Though fans of the traditional shahana jora would disagree with the idea of light and fashionable wedding wear, Maheen Khan fans would be able to appreciate and also admire her choice of opulent textiles and eccentric silhouettes for the occasion.
