KARACHI, April 13: The premier bridal show of the city that is Pantene Bridal Couture Week 2012 by the fashion channel Style 360 opened in Karachi to showcase the bridal wear talent of leading couture designers from all over Karachi. The three-day event will feature a total of 19 designers in six shows, including some big names in fashion design from India.

Opening Day One’s first show was designer Mona Imran with a melding of vibrant hues of pinks and reds with darker shades of black, blues and greens comprising a traditional bridal spectrum with silver zari, mukesh, dabka and silver work with a hint of gold gota. Ayesha Omer was the showstopper in this segment.

The elaborate and grandiose set design featured a four-tiered archway that opened onto the ramp with oversized flower vases, all bathed in ivory and gold. The side panels featured early Victorian-era paintings with stain-glass effect that lent a look of uber sophistication and elegance to the ramp and show area.

Karachi School of Art graduate designer Aamir Baig designed primarily for the Asian woman with select menswear. The outfits featured multi-tiered dresses and paneled kameezes worn over hijars in colourful combos, and worked over with appliqué gold-silver and resham embellishments offset by paisley print and jamawar borders.

Model-actress-host Gia Ali shone out in a beige and orange ensemble among the rest of the female models with Nida Yasir as the showstopper in a sherwani-cut green-and-blue number.

PBCW 2012 features hair and make-up by Saba Ansari of Sabs Salon with event management and show design by the Hum TV Network team.

Next, a showreel depicting a pre-wedding festive ceremony followed by a mayun celebratory dance number choreographed by Hasan Rizvi of Bodybeat along with Zarmina and Brekhna, and featuring TV actress and show host Kiran set the mood to full entertainment mode before the last show of Act One featuring the design sensibilities of Obaid Sheikh.

Paikar-i-Jamal was the title of the collection the designer put on the ramp with full-on drama in the clothes that comprised elegant churidars, ghararas and shararas with zardozi work, and detailed embroidery. Preceeding the showing was a show reel that highlighted the ancient culture of eastern embroidery and lifestyles along with jewellery designs. Tissue and organza was the fabric of choice of the designer who also showed groom wear in this segment. Models Rubya Chaudhry in a purplish-maroon sari, model Koni in green with a banarsi border and Nomi Qamar in a deep maroon sherwani stood out in the segment. Actress Madiha Iftikhar and Aijazz Asalm were the showstoppers for couture designer Obaid Sheikh’s superlative collection.

Saba Ansari’s hair and make-up show featured her collaboration with fashion designer Zaheer Abbas to showcase Musk. The show opened with models in pristine white and dramatic make-up along with extravagant hairstyles bordering on the risqué to redefine the concept of beauty and style.

Nadia Chottani with Argentum showed designer jewellery collection with polka, kundan and zarcons for shadi and valima wear. It was a fusion of eastern and western design influences and trends. TV stars Sarwat Gillani and Ahsan Khan were the showstoppers in this segment.

Nomi Ansari was the last designer to show on Day One at the PBCW 2012 held at the Expo Centre with a performance by Club Caramel preceding the much-sought after Karachi-based designer’s fine sensibilities when it comes to bridal couture wear.