In many ways, Hum TV’s Pantene Bridal Couture Week (BCW), now in its 15th year, marched on with a confidence similar to the catwalk models parading bridal wear. But in other ways it also fumbled and faltered, as did showstopper Saba Qamar, and nearly tripped over the ornate yet lacklustre too-heavy-to-wear garments peddled as trousseau collections.

Still, the 15th edition of BCW retained its true identity, one that it remains committed to and which it has always stuck to from day one — as a marketing platform for bridal collections and a glorious shop window display for all prospective future brides-to-be.

THE HITS

BCW got off to a rocking start with Fahad Hussayn’s elemental bridals scoring on two counts — drama and design — given the designer’s penchant for infusing an element of theatrical exaggeration in his presentation. Shaan Shahid and his wife, Humaima Malik and Mohib Mirza — the stars of the upcoming film Arth — all walked the ramp for the powerhouse couturier. Pink turbans, a symbol of pride in subcontinental and especially Hindu culture and traditions, reinforced the subtle ceremonial streak running throughout Hussayn’s ramp presentation.

With its share of hits and misses, 15 years on Hum TV’s Bridal Couture Week still soldiers on

Meanwhile, breaking free of tradition, designer Reema Ahsan’s fitting double-breasted, rose-red, smart, short velvet jacket with a peplum border worn over a heavily-worked sharara-fied bridal norms and was a look that hinted at a much-needed evolution in wedding wear, something fashion critics would like to see more of when it comes to boring bridals. But a single outfit maketh not an entire collection nor a good ramp show. Sadly, everything else was lacklustre and paled in comparison.

The performance by Zoe Viccaji and her dance troupe about women tapping their inner strength played on the concept of hatchlings breaking free of their confines while coming forth in this world, and brought much-needed respite from the bridal couture overdose. Zoe and company were lucky they got it right even though they were allegedly under-rehearsed.

Large doses of drama also came from Ziggi Menswear’s Faris in the form of military fatigues or uniform elements such as ornate shoulder-flaps, sashes and double-breasted looks a la colonial infantry soldiers in sherwanis and kurtas with asymmetrical hemlines in army tones of black, blue and green. The edgy, funky look might not always work for traditional grooms and the concept remains pretty much fluid.

With Shahtaabi, the Karachi-based duo Deepak & Fahad’s self-embroidered white sherwanis, black and sepia bridals and two-tone menswear in neon hues and a floral print forecast a new colour spectrum in summer wedding wear.

When it comes to doing things right, nobody does it better than the veterans. Classic 15 showcased a selection of outfits by Pakistan’s top couturiers — Elan, Farah Talib Aziz, Honey Waqar, Nida Azwer, Amir Adnan, HSY, Karma, Mahgul, Mehdi, Rana Noman, Republic by Omar Farooq, Sania Maskatiya, Shamsa Hashwani, Nilofer Shahid and The House of Kamiar Rokni — further charged by a performance by the Verna star, singer Haroon Shahid. While more is good, two outfits each made it hard to keep track of what was unfolding on an overcrowded ramp.

Fashion is always on the lookout for new blood and Aneesa Kiyani of Kian-E Couture was welcomed with open arms as she introduced outstanding ensembles in red and dull gold embellishments, and a vibrant sea-green number that stood out for the sheer brilliance of its workmanship and design aesthetics.

The models got younger as Eden Robe’s ceremonial menswear clicked on account of the younglings who bravely walked the length of the ramp with confidence and poise, applause-worthy accomplishment for those so young. The collective stares from the audience can be quite an unnerving experience and a formidable task. Modern Man by Royal Tag followed with casual jackets and smart suits, a selection of tux and dinner jackets. But the stand-alone black velvet, double-breasted suit ticked all the boxes with critics. So did Ahsan’s Menswear with Tabeer inspired by the architecture of the Mosque of Cordoba in Spain, with heavily-worked sherwanis and matching footwear. A word to the wise here — less is more.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Maheen Taseer has risen above personal trauma and turmoil to venture forth as a credible couturier. She dove deep into a sea of oversized pearls, gota and zari tilla work to resurface with an indulgent collection about strength and beauty that was sheer poetry in motion in mostly reds, whites and gold.

When the time came for the sartorial philosophy of Ali Xeeshan with Decent, wave upon wave of colourful ceremonial processions, pomp and grandeur, sunglasses on brides and the theatrical element came into full thrust. It was accompanied with a very valid and relevant social cause — that of child marriages and the urgent need to put a stop to them. The presentation in collaboration with UN Women raised the pertinent and relevant question: ‘Are all brides meant to be celebrated’? With its victims suffering from countless psychological issues, Pakistan needs laws to prevent all such underage marriages. The segment closed with the disturbing yet intense visual of a nine-year-old schoolgirl in uniform wearing traditional bridal ornaments. But the question lingers: is a marketing platform for bridal collections really the place to make such socially relevant and important social commentary? And more importantly, is anyone listening?

THE MISSES

Even as Mifrah’s peep-shoulders on a stand-out bridal sported by Shaheefa Jabbar Khattak with gharara pants flapped its way into the hearts of many brides-to-be in the ongoing bridal season, the predictable palette and silhouettes that followed undid all the good that the label achieved on the ramp.

A somewhat similar fate befell Humayun Alamgir with his heavily-worked velvet sherwanis in rich hues. He revisited the traditional pug and kullah with his groom-wear but, for his die-hard clientele, the surprise look may have been very unlike the award-winning designer celebrated for his minimal aesthetics and conservative approach to fashion.

Designer Aisha Farid started off horribly and on the wrong foot before graduating on to something much better and decent. Even Impulse by Aisha Farid appeared to be a waste of time and effort during her lacklustre opening segment. For this very reason, editing collections before they are put on the ramp cannot be stressed enough. Even veteran Aisha Imran showed a predictable palette and collection inspired by … you guessed it … the Mughal era! Enough already.

On the other end of the spectrum, Chinyere’s Thumri defined mild eroticism with an attempt to recreate classic pieces with influences of chatta-patti and metallic embellishments such as tilla, dabka and gota on white-base shararas with imagery and floral bridals. All said and done, embellishments such as golden armchairs and stage coaches look expensive when a high-end couturier does it. On anything less, it just looks cheap and gaudy, and the purpose is lost.

While East-meets-West sounds quite intriguing, the theory doesn’t always translate well into practice and has been worn to the bone. And so it was that Demesne celebrated womanhood with French patterns incorporated into local bridal design and sartorial sense.

When designing for the present or future, it’s better to improvise and keep up with the times, something Zonia Anwaar needs to keep in mind while working with old-school silhouettes in an attempt to create timeless heirloom pieces with Secret of Beauty.

And finally, it seems Munib Nawaz is in the process of rediscovering himself as a menswear designer. His funky menswear scored on two counts — cuts and patterns — but his signature style was nowhere to be found.

Published in Dawn, ICON, December 17th, 2017