The Orientalists: Rehan Bashir, Tia Noon and Kamiar Rokni
When we speak of the Masters, we remember the work they chose to do, not the work they were commissioned to do by Kings and Queens. The Orientalist will go down in history as a ‘bridal’ collection created by the able House of Kamiar Rokni to elevate design and art in a similar way. It was a piece of art, not just a trendy collection aiming to benefit from lucrative bridal cycle. As I tweeted, if I were John Keats, I would write an Ode to it. That said, I will try to express the strength of The Orientalist instead of closing my eyes to enjoy the sartorial serenade that we saw at the Grand Final of the PFDC L’Oreal Paris Bridal Week.
Over 30 handcrafted outfits were divided into three ‘Acts’ which were nothing short of a Shakespearean production in terms of value. The finest of silks, brocades, velvets and delicate net gauzes brought the glory of each ensemble to the catwalk. There was vintage splendour, created through exquisite colour palettes and the jackets…the long and short of it is that they were magnificent. I’m sure hours and hours have been spent in developing each of the looks. I know for a fact that even the hair, makeup and the overall look was determined over a month ago.
This may not be everyone’s cup of tea; some people may even argue that it wasn’t ‘bridal’ enough. But it was all that and more. I can only hope that this couture collection will encourage other designers to design out of the box and for women to experiment with what they choose to wear instead of conforming to the pretty pretty.
Photography by Faisal Farooqui @ Dragonfly
The remaining part of Day 3 at PLBW will be posted tomorrow, followed by the few flaws in the event. You didn’t think I’d let them go, did you?
