KARACHI: The atmosphere was taut with expectations. What would the newly coined Hum TV’s ‘Bridal Festive by Kashee’s’ (BFK) be like when it came to delivering on the promise of a well-presented and executed show?

The hype had been building up for quite a few days, ever since Hum TV announced the single-day event. After all, it was the first-of-its-kind ramp show this year, since 2022 started some eight months ago. Although rumours were that some (read most) from the elite fashion fraternity deliberately chose to stay away and disassociate with BFK, the fervour had reached fever-pitch by the time of the show started late evening on Thursday at the marquee of a reputed hotel.

Social media was abuzz with backstage preps and videos of the models all dolled up and attired in bridal finery, ready to take to the stage. The lounge area and red carpet pulsated with a life of its own with bridal installations, floor-mounted chandeliers and stuffed peacocks perched on stands.

The ramp show, which started more or less at the slated time, was divided into three main segments: Mehndi & Mayun, Rukhsati and Valima, and featured a plethora of celebrities and actresses mostly associated with the Hum Network. A stunning Reema Khan was the show-stopper towards the end of the show.

Kashee’s salon has created its own distinct niche and identity in Karachi’s burgeoning bridal industry ever since it opened its doors for business, and it added bridal trousseau designing services to its portfolio some years ago. Since then the brand has expanded to urban Punjab as well. Kashee’s also participated in Hum TV’s Bridal Couture Week some time back but BFK is the first time that it has partnered with the channel for a solo show.

To be perfectly honest, the outfits presented under the BFK umbrella lacked innovation in design or the effort to introduce new trends in bridal wear, and toed the very safe and already well-trodden commercial lines and avenues overall. The outfits catered to the average customer’s commonly placed aesthetics, and the bride who chooses to play it safe and is unwilling to experiment with her looks on her wedding day. These bridals can be found commonly in the city’s sprawling shopping centres at bargaining prices.

Finally, to say that the Hum TV Bridal Festive by Kashee’s redefined, or even revolutionised in any way the showing of bridals, would be a gross overstatement. What it did do was showcase commercially viable bridal wear bestsellers as well as define and introduce new trends in bridal makeovers and hairstyles. Where we go from here is pretty much up to us, or the brides-to-be.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2022