KARACHI: With an average of eight designers showing everyday along with a grand couturiers segment, the three-day Telenor Bridal Couture Week got under way at the Palm on Friday night.

In its 10th year now, the bi-annual show held in Karachi and Lahore has matured into an event that showcases the latest in bridal trends by both established and emerging designers and one that also triggers and introduces new trends.

Hassan Sheheryar Yasin opened Day One with a collection that encompassed traditional embroidery tankas in festive colours in both menswear and women’s wear. A matador short jacket stood out in the men’s line while the fanciful women’s line featured outfits inspired by the royal darbars of the subcontinent and fused with chic modernism.

HSY opened the show with heavily embellished traditional bridals in a palette inspired by nature — Publicity photo

Rizwan Ahmed’s paid tribute to his departed mother with the Jannat collection in ivory tones and play with sheer volume with lots of razzle dazzle and shimmer and shine. Ayesha Ibrahim’s Khaista collection used net, silk, chiffon and jamawar mostly in fuschia and pink bridal tones while the silhouette remained traditional with angarkha cuts and short-tail ghararas.

Ayesha Ibrahim's cotton candy collection blushed for the bride — Publicity photo

Shazia Kiyani presented Zarbano or ‘golden woman’ with a nude palette and silk thread embroidery fused with metal work, jaal kaam, rangoli motifs on the back and the more traditional red fused with contrasting colours for a bewitching effect.

Zebaish by Sana Abbas featured panelled, voluminous shirts in wispy green fused with pink in a timeless classic combination but with a refined twist. Saira Shehroz featured in a showstopper creation in this segment.

After a few performances depicting the popular folk tales of the region and a song and dance performance by Ahsan Khan and Amna Ilyas, Goal by Fouzia Hammad saw An Ode to Colours put on the ramp with patterns and embellishment inspired by more traditional design elements. It was followed by yet another performance by Ahsan Khan, Zhalay Sarhadi and Fia.

Fouzia Hammad's ode to colour began on a sober note — Publicity photo

The final presentation was menswear by Junaid Jamshed and it saw sherwanis, with shalwar kurtas and waistcoats in dark tones. It also set the mood for the coming wedding season for grooms wear and was the first of its kind presentation on the TBCW ramp.

Junaid Jamshed presented sherwanis, shalwar kurtas and waistcoats in dark tones — Publicity photo

Day Two features Tabassum Mughal, Arsalan Iqbal, Erum Khan, Sarah Gandapur, Umsha by Uzma Baber, Amina Yasmeen by Mansoor Akram, Timas and Zainab Chottani while Adnan Pardesy, Mifrah, Almirah, Mohsin Naveed Ranjha, Gold Stars featuring 10 designers, Asifa & Nabeel and the UAE-based Amato Couture.

The hair and make-up of all the models on all the three days is being done by Saba Ansari of Sabs Salon.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2015

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