Pantene Bridal Couture Week- Day 3 Journal
Karachi May 11, 2014: The final day of Pakistan’s most anticipated bridal show, Pantene Bridal Couture Week 2014 attracted a huge number of celebrities, socialites and fashionistas. The audiences were treated to the beautiful aroma of fresh flowers and fun activities in the foyer area, where they captured the fun moments in the beautifully designed lounges amidst fresh flower arrangements, and were further enthralled by the change in décor of the ramp area which was lined with fresh flowers and had a new central motif.
The fashion show started with Nida Azwer’s “The Kothari Parade II”. In her PBCW 2014 collection, Nida Azwer represented her love of the subcontinental culture and history, working across fabrics such as French Chantilly lace, fine silks, masuri, brocades, nets and cotton nets in a range of hues featuring shades of red, rust, navy blue and turquoise with accents of purple and grey. The main highlight of Nida Azwer’s showcase was the introduction of unchi goth ka ghara, layered panel shirts and lenghas paired with jackets and net duppatas, which truly gave the critics something to write about.
Nida Azwer’s collection was followed by that of renowned designer Mifrah’s. She unveiled contemporary gowns and traditional bridal outfits which have ruled our culture for an indefinite period. Her collection, inspired by the “Lucknawi culture” had intricate and delicate hand-embroideries donned by the women of the Sultanate. Yasir Mazhar, Faisal Qureshi and Aijaz Aslam were her showstoppers.
Next to grace the runway were the perfectly tailored sherwanis and intricately embroidered ensembles by the iconic Pakistani designer Nauman Arfeen. His ensembles were a true reflection of how perfect tailoring can enhance the look of not just the outfit but also the wearer. His segment was packed with celebrities walking on the ramp which included Aijaz Aslam, Aliya Imam, Farhan Agha, Mansha Pasha, Shamoon Abbasi and Faisal Qureshi.
Act 1 of the final day ended with a grand showcase by Tabassum Mughal Haute Couture. Her PBCW 2014 collection titled ‘Floral Tapestries/’Embroidered Dreams’ was deeply inspired by nature and the royal courts of the 16th century. The collection was a glorious interplay between art, nature and fashion, with artistic representations of vases and urns filled with aromatic blooming flowers. Notably, the house’s ruby- red bridal coats featuring richly embroidered depictions of wildlife and gold urns added an element of art to the collection. Soft, sheer fabrics including lace, net and chiffon were juxtaposed with rich elements such as pure silk and velvet in three distinct palettes: ivory and gold; gradient tonal ombré, and rich and regal hues such as deep ruby-red, effervescent emerald green and claret.
Act 2 started with the much-awaited show of Day Three by none other than the guru of our fashion world, Deepak Perwani. His Pantene Bridal Couture Week collection 2014 was inspired by the bygone Ottoman Empire, the silk route and the subcontinent. Net, tulle, organza, silk, chamois, digital, screen, hand-work and exquisite block prints defined the mood of this collection.
Deepak Perwani was followed by Asifa Nabeel. The collection titled “NOOR-E-KUAAR” was designed to perfection, keeping in mind the need to have something magnificent, traditional yet contemporary and with the trendiest of styles to give a pleasant bridal look this season. Asifa & Nabeel’s collection was gracefully adorned with the mesmerizing artistry of the “Mahal” but had a supreme cultural feel to it that further added to its luxuriousness. Singer Gauhar Mumtaz and the beautiful and glamorous Anum Gauhar.
Gearing up for the grand finale of the 8th Pantene Bridal Couture Week, the audiences were given the last treat of the night with a special performance by filmstar Noor. Choreographed by Bodybeat, the performance further charged up the attendees, setting the mood for the grand finale.
The choreographer and designer extraordinaire, HSY dazzled the audiences with his unique, edgy and chic “Orchid” Collection. The Orchid Collection derived its inspiration from the radiant bloom and created a captivating harmony of fuschia, purple and pink undertones combined with intricate embroideries and fabric textures. HSY’s magical collection intrigued the eye with its clever layering and sparked the imagination with its use of colours inspired by the beauty of nature. The finale closed in a grand and dramatic style with brilliant choreography and huge round of applause from the audience.
The show was produced by the in-house team of HUM Network, choreographed by the designer and choreographer extraordinaire HSY, with backstage management by Production [021]. The make-up and styling was done by Saba Ansari and her team at Sabs. The event’s lead sponsor was world’s renowned shampoo brand, Pantene. The event was powered by Telenor, with FM106.2 as its radio partner, food partner BURGER KING and fragrance partner Junaid Jamshed J. PBCW was refreshed by Diet PEPSI. Faisal Farooqui and his team at Dragonfly along with in-house photographers Ahsan Qureshy and Haris Usmani were engaged for all official photography of the event. PR of the event was handled by the PR department of HUM Network Ltd and Xenith PR.