LAHORE: Day two of the bridal extravaganza continued on Friday with more of the glamour, glitz and statement bridal wear as witnessed on day one.

Show One of the second day kicked off with The House of Arsalan Iqbal’s ‘Mata-i-Jaan Ceremonial’ collection, which was inspired by the 11th century Muslim culture of Granada. Ace designer Munib Nawaz walked the ramp for Arsalan Iqbal. The collection was emotive, thoughtful and soulful, buoyed by the soul mates’ profound emotional connection and a sense of true eternal love. It featured 14 festive menswear outfits, including sleek jackets, debonair suits and elegant sherwanis, crafted with pure, meticulously hand-woven intricately embedded textured fabric with stunning hues of regal blue, turquoise, black, gold and mahogany. The collection also presented four women’s wear outfits.

This was followed by Faiza Rehman’s ‘Peony Dreams’ collection that incorporated timeless styles with modern cuts and applications. It was an embodiment of beauty and love, incorporating timeless styles with modern cuts and applications. The collection used unique embroidery techniques incorporated with luxury to create a perfect mix of contemporary and traditional fantasy. Actress Ayesha Omer was the showstopper for the designer.

The next showcase was by Karismash by Ahson Shoaib with his ‘Dastaan-i-Mohabbat’ collection based on the endless tales and endeavours of love and pain. The colour palette ranged from rustic tones to royal reds encompassing the true shades of love. The rustic fragrance of Heer Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwaal, Laila Majnu rising from the lands of Asia, intertwined with melancholy of fate bringing eternal memory to the tales is what the brand was set to showcase. Shoaib had actress Hira Mani walk as the showstopper for him.

Show One came to a close with Tabya’s ‘Khaas Mahal’ that was a tribute to the diverse Mughal-era heritage and the artisans that have preserved the treasures of the craftsmanship for generations. The collection was a trove of traditional celestial patterns influenced by modern flares, argyles and handcrafted embellishments. Actress Mawra Hocane was the celebrity showstopper.

Show Two started with the debutant Kashee’s collection, ‘Parihaan’, with a wide range of hand-embroidered bridal wear with beautiful patterns of embroidery, embellishments, motifs and intricate dabka, kora, pearl work, diamantes, naqshi, sheesha work. The collection had a diverse colour palette, including red, yellow, green, orange, black, white, maroon, and purple. He had an array of stars walk for him as showstoppers, including actresses Sana Fakhar, Fiza Ali, Sahiba, Alizeh Shah and Urwa Hocane, as well as Shaista Lodhi.

This was followed by a special segment, titled The Gentlemen’s Club, featuring capsule collections of J., Almirah and Diner’s comprising grooms’ wear and formals especially curated for the 21st century man. The very charming veteran actor Aijaz Aslam walked the ramp for J.

Day Two of the bridal fashion week came to an end with Umsha by Uzma Babar’s ‘Zeenat’ collection that embodied the poise, regality and grace a bride of today possesses. Her collection encompassed all the qualities, colours and festivities that come with the wedding season in Pakistan, down to the meticulous sequins and elegant motifs. The collection showcased remarkable silhouettes, extravagant textures and an impeccable attention to detail.

With memories to cherish and bold colours to explore, Umsha’s bridal collection stood out due to its compelling uniqueness, creating a world of its own, filled with stories waiting to be told. The designer brought TV’s most followed and loved artists Imran Ashraf and Yumna Zaidi to close the show for her.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2021