Fashion / Fashion Pakistan Week: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

Fashion Pakistan Week: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

Fashion Dec 01, 2015

by Sonia Malik

The bi-annual fashion show, organised by Fashion Pakistan, took place in Karachi, welcoming the festive season with pomp and glamour.

Take a look at the highlights of this three-day glitzy affair.

Day 1 belonged to Shehla Chatoor.

Chatoor marked 20 years in the industry this year. Her bridal collection, All The Raj, inspired by pre-partition British rule evoked royalty with a tinge of rustic pleasure. She used a beige base, splashing it with dark hues of green, purple and maroon to create alluring contrasts. Some exotic features in her collection were leather lattice lehengas, off the shoulder tops, velvet dhoti shalwars and fur wraps. Ayesha Omar was the showstopper, wearing green choli with cut out sleeves and a gold hip-hugging lehenga. Handcrafted accessories, like clutches and jewlery, finished the bridal look with finesse.

^{Shehla Chatoor's All The Raj Collection.}

Sania Maskatiya's capes and jackets, infused with Western style, modern cuts and bold colours, made for suave formal wear.

^{Outfits by Sania Maskatiya.}

Designers Ayesha Hashwani, Tena Durrani and Sana Safinaz featured commerically viable designs but nothing too out of the box.

With a silk base depicting Greek landscapes of diverse colours, Hashwani's collection was well suited for evening wear.

Durrani's stayed true to the tried and tested bridal formula, using lighter hues, sequined embroidery and traditional designs.

Although bright colours and floral patterns of the collection were charming, Sana Safinaz's silhouettes were similar to their previous designs.

^{(L-R) Outfits by Ayesha Hashwani, Tena Durrani and Sana Safinaz}

Debutant Hisham Malik and Gulabo rank lowest on our ratings.

Malik was not afraid to experiment, his collection Eternal inspired by Alexander Pope's Eloisa to Abelard. While the outfits had a European touch to them, a lack of good finish marred the overall look.

Gulabo played with many patterns from stripes to polka dots and floral prints but the collection appeared as a hodgepodge rather than fashion savvy.

Better luck next time!

^{(L-R) Outfits by Hisham Malik and Gulabo.}

Day 2 Wardha Saleem and Elan stole the show.

Saleem's signature style is rich, feminine and elegant, ideal for the modern bride. She dabbled with layers, motifs, gota work and many pretty colours, creating stunning silhouettes.

Elan's tropical theme was focused on floral and animal prints with occasional use of sequins, stones and crystals. Khadijah Shah, head of Elan, titled her collection Sauvage. Valliyan Jewels accessorised the outfits.

^{(L-R) Outfits by Wardha Saleem and Elan.}

Nida Azwer and Maheen Karim offered pleasant themes, Mystical Garden and Tempo di Festa, respectively.

Azwer's nature-inspired theme relied on pastel shades and intricate work with pearls, crystals, gotta and kamdani.

Quite the opposite of Azwer's subtlety, Karim's Western party-wear theme was loud, commemorating a vivacious city. She used velvet and net fabrics, embossing them with embroidery and heavy embellishments.

^{(Top-Bottom) Mystical Garden Collection by Nida Azwer and Tempo di Festa Collection by Maheen Karim.

Photo Credit: www.tribune.com.pk}

Deepak Perwani stayed well within his comfort zone. His collection, La Vie En Rose, was inspired by the Baroque era. Velvet was the focal point and while it created a regal effect, the collection was largely retail-oriented with little innovation.

^{Deepak Perwani's La Vie En Rose Collection.}

FnkAsia (by Huma Adnan) and Obaid Shaikh fell flat in spite of their experimenting verve.

Adnan attempted to blend the tradional and the modern but her pairings were generally unflattering.

Shaikh's silhouettes appeared gaudy with little aesthetic appeal.

^{(L-R) Outfits by Huma Adnan and Obaid Shaikh.}

Day 3 Umar Sayeed and Nilofer Shahid were smashing hits.

Sayeed's bridal designs are known to have a flawless and ethereal quality to them. He experimented with short shirts, halter-necks and Dhaka pajamas using a diverse color palette from ivory to fuchsia and pink hues. Showstoppers Adeel Hussain, Mahira Khan and Sheryar Munawar added more sizzle on the ramp.

^{Umar Sayeed's Elysian Collection.}

Nilofer Shahid's collection, Rembrandt, was a glorious tribute to the artist and undoubtedly the most dramatic collection of this event. Capes and jackets, adorned with feathers, glitter and 3-D florals created silhouettes, ranging from aristocratic to gothic.

^{Nilofer Shahid's Rembrandt Collection.}

Zaheer Abbas, Zainab Chottani, Faraz Manan and Delphi had market-friendly designs that stood out with their refreshing spins.

Abbas covered a full spectrum of colours, transitioning from lighter to darker hues. Heavy embroidery and motifs were essential to his designs.

Chottani was more than just bling. Her use of bright fuchsia, red and orange shades spoke of her prowess at blending colours. Her velvet-lined dupattas were a definite success.

Manan worked with his favourite pastel and white shades. Saris and shirts were cinched at the waist with an embellished belt, painting a glamorous and graceful bridal look.

Delphi's collection was set apart from the league of heavy bridal collections with crochet saris, long shits, tunics and capes and finely crafted embellishments.

^{(L-R) Outfits by Zaheer Abbas, Zainab Chottani, Faraz Manan and Delphi.}

Nauman Arfeen was the only menswear line and it certainly looked promsing. With many classy waistcoasts and sherwanis, they are well prepared for a diverse bridal clientele.

^{Nauman Arfeen's The Legacy Collection.}

Which designer label caught your eye in this fashion show? Share your comments below.

^{Photo Credits: www.images.dawn.com, www.tribune.com.pk

Main Image Photo credit: www.brandysnario.com}

Sonia Malik

Author

Sonia writes on current affairs and pop culture. An English graduate from the University of Toronto, she identifies as a global citizen, feminist and nature lover. She will be ready to shake a leg to a peppy Bollywood beat any day.

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Fashion Pakistan Week: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

by Sonia Malik

The bi-annual fashion show, organised by Fashion Pakistan, took place in Karachi, welcoming the festive season with pomp and glamour.

Sonia Malik

COMMENTS

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