KARACHI: Everlasting love, ambition, passion and a strong will defined Shamaeel Ansari’s I Am Red collection as the opening act on the third and the last day of the QMobile Hum Showcase.

Shamaeel Ansari fused the richness of the many shades of red with the contrast of gold filigree work, working on the theme that a woman in red is bold and supremely comfortable in her own skin.

Classic and in a class of its own, Shamaeel’s I Am Red was a triumph on many counts. The jewellery for the segment was by Nazneen Tariq.

Zaheer Abbas’ Cosmology was a study of the universe, astronomical beliefs, movements of celestial bodies and charts.

Simplistic in his approach, Zaheer Abbas’ ‘wet drapery’ minimalistic pleats in white to black chiffon fabric intended to portray the lunar cycle and its transitions. Microscopic embroideries, life-size figures, kamdani and braiding stood out as the key elements in the collection.

Kayseria with Victoria’s Bengal stepped back in time to feature Bengali traditional outfits and change with the colonial influence in cuts, silhouettes and embellishment. A palette of gold, rust, beige, off-white, peach and gray aimed to play upon the warm skin tones while the attention to detail, elaborate puffed sleeves and jewellery attempted to accentuate the magic and mystique of Bengali culture.

Sania Maskatiya’s luxury prét evening wear in metallic colours, fusion silhouettes and embellishments was a combination of elegance and intricate embroideries. It bore the designer’s signature cuts in peplums, maxis, pantsuits and tunics that can also be worn as separates. She also presented select menswear. The footwear in the presentation of the collection was by Charles and Keith.

Chapter 2 by Khaadi was all about minimalistic urban fashion in hand-woven fabric with focus on colour and composition. Clean, straight and androgynous silhouettes aimed to create a sense of comfortable while maintain an individual look that is the ethos behind the brand. All in all, Khaadi’s Chapter 2 was complex in its simplicity and highly appreciative of the craftsmanship that went into its creation.

Celebrated menswear designer Ahmed Bham’s Spring/Summer line featured formal menswear in fine linen, wool and silk. Bold spring-time colours with just a hint of embroidery gave the well-structured suits and jackets accompanied by the signature bow-tie a radical, modern twist, and to be worn by men with impeccable style.

Umar Sayeed’s Ode to Zainab Market used denims, animal imagery, bright colours and bohemian accessories to invoke a sense of youthfulness in the onlookers. Of course, the intricate and delicate embroidery, beadwork and attention to detail was all there as well that is the calling card of the designer. The process of creating it was dubbed as ‘enjoyable, enriching, exciting and transformative’ by Umar Sayeed himself, and watching the fascinating Ode to Zainab Market unfold on the ramp proved to be every bit as breathtaking as well for the front-row fashionistas.

The show direction on all three days of the QMobile Hum Showcase was by Rizwan Beyg with hair and make-up by Nabila’s N-Pro and N-Gents, backstage management by Munira and Amir, and media management by Tehmina Khaled and her team at Take-II.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2017