Some golden truths emanated at the conclusion of the second Bridal Couture Week (BCW) held in Karachi: there is a bridal wear designer for every taste, running the gamut from the fiercely minimalist to the generously ornate. Secondly, innovation and creativity are not the hallmarks of great bridal design but rather timelessness, palpable beauty and suitability. Here, Images on Sunday features six outstanding collections presented at the recently concluded BCW.

Deepak Perwani: Deepak Perwani’s New Romance collection began with photographer Tapu Javeri striding out in a sparkly black sherwani over his signature black shalwar kurta wardrobe which introduced the traditional and ethnic tenor of the ensuing presentation.

Long, gold-panelled and tiny pailette-spangled opera coats were glamorously paired with chundri ghararas, some tinged with velvet; while gold and salmon tunics heavily embellished with resham, zardozi and beadwork and offset with Chinese-red jamavar details offered a regal vibe worn with Chinese red shalwars; and an extra long beige Empire-line tunic with jamavar-detailed panels, and gota, dabka, kora and beadwork on the Chinese collar and bodice offered a contemporary yet deeply traditional vibe. The highlights of this collection included lace churidar tights for the adventurous bride; red churidar pants for the bold groom as well as the menswear dhoti shalwars worn with an elegant-textured silk and embroidered sherwani.

What was comforting and appealing in the collection was the capsule’s consistency with the use of gold, and maroon used throughout including in showstopper TV and film star Mona Liza’s deeply traditional bridal ensemble; as well as the consistent use of ethnic chundri.

Deepak’s bride is one seeped in ethnic traditions but with an eye on the future.

J.J. Valaya: The ‘monarch’ of Indian Fashion J.J. Valaya’s collection was inspired by Alika, a fictional courtesan who was brought to life at his finale by showstopper, Pakistani film actress Meera dressed in a sunset-red lehenga embellished with paisley-patterned resham, mirror work and gold shimmer.

What was energising about the rest of the collection was the deft juxtaposition of the contemporary with the traditional: women’s slate grey and navy Mughal-inspired pleated frock coats and gold textured sherwani jackets paired with modernistic padded Jodhpur pants; men’s slim beige paneled pants worn with a three-quarter sleeved richly-embossed chogha/open-sherwani hybrid and black contemporary-cut sherwanis richly embellished in threadwork worn with churidar pants.

Some of the highlights in the collection included the mauve grey and gold net lace sari worn by model Iraj Manzoor and the pleated and tiered white trailing gown worn with a fitted bronze Chinese-collared jacket. The final melding of the antique and the new came in the form of an array of identical slim, shiny gold lamé short jackets paired with godet-laden fish cut lehengas in burnt sienna, cerise red, light turquoise, dun grey/white embellished with resham and Swarovski crystals.

The regal collection literally shone because of its use of restrained shimmer and inclusion of slim well-tailored silhouettes buoyed by colours such as slate, black and beige that morphed into a sunset bright colour-burst, representing the emotional journey of Alika from despair to joy.

Rehana Saigol: Jewellery designer and doyenne of the no-holds barred glitzy-bling sari opines that “to look like everyone else is death.” With this individualistic impetus in mind Rehana showcased some of the traditional sharara ensembles and tunics and churidars (a fawn angarkha tunic worn with tangerine churidar pants stood out) that she had shown earlier at the first Islamabad Fashion Week some months ago, along with the much more successful array of dizzyingly glittery and sumptuous saris which are definitely the artisan’s forte and where she often throws caution to the wind.

The old world net saris evoked a powerfully ornate aura with their generous use of floral, nature and jewel-inspired appliqué and aari threadwork, offset primarily with traditional zardozi and sometimes detailed with jamavar and velvet notes. Some of the standouts were an ethereal powder blue sari embossed with deep pink rose embroidery and olive details worn by model Ayyan; an autumnal dark olive number with sprawling fern-like details and an emerald net one with a richly-encrusted claret and gold border worn with a sexy backless gold blouse.

This is an unabashedly glamorous collection for the bride who wants to retain a dose of tradition while emitting an unbridled sexual allure.

Maheen Khan: The empress of minimalism Maheen Khan, who eschews over-embellishment and instead endeavours to create for “the complete woman” presented a timeless bridal collection entitled Madamoiselle Dentelle, named for the delicate lace often used in Parisian haute couture ateliers.

Maheen, who ordinarily only designs bridal wear for a few select clientele used white and the lightest fawn chiffon and lace to create a poetic and pristine capsule that included sheen saris worn with pretty lace blouses and mysterious lace carnival masks; polite Chinese-collared tunics worn with sinuous double-layered wide trousers and generous round neck, lace fleurette-laden short tunics dovetailed with floaty half-sari-lehenga hybrids worn by model Mehreen Syed.

Standouts for their modernity included a double-layered top with a cowl-hoodie neck and a sequin encrusted off-the-shoulder shrug. What further lent the collection a contemporary yet romantic edge was the styling by Maheen’s niece Mallika, a Barcelona-based designer with the use of delicate lace masks and hair accessories.

The Maheen bride is understated and timeless and almost a little rebellious for eschewing bling over bare elegance.

Faraz Manan (Rouge): One of those designers who believe that bridal trousseaus should include a strong mix of party wear, Faraz Manan of the label Rouge (which also includes Faraz’s sister Sundas) presented a bridal-resort collection for newlyweds.

This glamorous wardrobe included a beige, bejewelled high-collar kaftan; a shimmery dull-brown pleated asymmetrically-cut trapeze backless kaftan with butterfly sleeves and jewelled neckline; a pistachio off-shoulder floaty organic cotton trailing tunic with turquoise and gold fleurette motif details worn by model Neha; as well as more formal evening looks including a slim and well-tailored off-white polka-sequin dotted tunic with an elaborate bead and pearl work neckline worn with churidar pants by model Tooba.

The notables in the experimental collection included the vibrant yogi-orange shimmery chiffon georgette kaftan with a printed chiffon underlay with one green inlaid batwing sleeve corresponding with another tilla and marori-embellished tapered batwing sleeve worn with zardozi and gota-enhanced churidar pants modeled exquisitely by Iraj.

What also stood out was the menswear, not so much the sherwanis with their slightly off-kilter placing of the beadwork and crystal embellishment, but rather the blowsy cotton-silk Jodhpur pants that made a bold statement.

Rouge’s free-floating and breezy collection exudes an elegant east-west vibe that will certainly travel well.

Mehdi: Designer Mehdi was the finale show that concluded the second BCW 2011. His collection Glamour & Glitz began with a bevy of male models marching in, dressed in dark beige kurtas and wearing taselled Nehru caps which set the theme of the deeply traditional old world sartorial presentation. Long lean silhouetted tunics with jamavar hems worn with velvet Dhaka pajamas dovetailed easily with antique noir and scarlet saris embellished with dabka and resham.

Some favourites included a light sea-green high collared halter-neck tunic with dabka, sequins and resham on the hem, with the label’s signature naqshkari work on the bodice, worn by model Cybil with a light ruby resham, dabka and naqshkari-embellished dupatta for a typically regal touch.

Other stellar pieces were the indigo self-silk (designed in-house) sherwani worn prince-like by model Emmad with pearl and faux ruby details and the finale outfit worn by Mehreen; an impeccable ivory chiffon tunic and pistachio-tinged pure Banarsi silk sharara with delicate dabka and Swarovski embellishment.

Mehdi has become a master couturier of old world charm juxtaposing exquisite embroidery with perfectly melded colour combinations. Mehdi’s bride is one who revels in her femininity enhanced by the romance and tradition of her bridal sartorial pickings.