KARACHI: Packing a celebrity punch on its opening day, the three-day Q Mobile Bridal Couture Week kicked off on Friday with a special performance by the Raga Boys who opened the show for Amir Adnan, and then the designer proceeding with a typically classic collection titled An Ode to Heritage. The menswear couturier who is known for his groom wear most certainly did not disappoint when it came to showcasing the latest trends in festive wear while remaining close to our traditional roots.

Yasmin Zaman’s Jashn-i-Bahar celebrated spring with its multitude of colo­­urs and embellishments and variation in colours and fabrics with Anoushay Ashraf in a show­stopper creation while Sonehri by Rizwan Ahmed played on gold tones and all that they symbolise with actress Sara Khan and Agha Ali as the celebrity shows toppers.

Aisha Farid in Impulse showed beige on gold bridals for her trousseau collection with heavily metallic work on muted tones and vibrant hues. The designer stuck to tradition with hints of modernity. Sana Fakhir, Ayezah Khan, Danish Taimur, Zahid Ahmed, Noor Khan, Sami Khan and QYT walked for the designer. The last to show in the segment was Naushad Imdad with his sequel show Eminence III with gold on basic black and resham tread embroidery, and with suits and groom wear in somewhat exaggerated tones with cricketer Yasir Shah and Raeed Khan walking the ramp.

The jewellery was by Shafaq Habib with show direction and choreography by Vaneeza Ahmed. Backstage management was by Muneera and Amir.

For Show 2, Day 1, Arsalan Iqbal staged a live qawwali by Hamza Akram and his team and Ali Kazmi as showstopper presented a collection titled Zauq which was all about solids in jewel tones, dyed silks and raw silks in sherwanis, waistcoats, dhotis and kurtas.

Gogi by Hassan presented by Q Mobile was all about rich culture and heritage of the East with time-bound cuts and silhouettes for the traditional bride.

HSY with his Spring/Summer ’17 bridal couture selection 1909 chose to put on the ramp bespoke pieces that captured the senses and fired the imagination with pieces that were sheer poetry and excellence personified.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2017