LAHORE: Pakistan Fashion Design Council’s L’Oreal Paris Bridal Week 2019 (PLBW) came to a close late Saturday evening, ending its glamorous three-night run in the eastern city of Lahore, with a runway soiree of the country’s veteran designers. Fahad Hussayn, Nickie Nina, Republic by Omar Farooq and Hasan Shehryar Yasin (HSY) each brought to the ramp their artistic vision on what makes a great bridal collection.
FAHAD HUSSAYN
Opening up the night was Fahad Hussayn Imaginarium with “Labyagawachi - The Musical,” a performance of his bridal-wear for the season, included actual dancers and performers, some of them the models themselves. The collection itself grouped together things the designer loves from art to dance, music and fashion, all elements which together created a collection that was glitzy and glam, across a whole palette of oranges, corals, crisp black and white looks.
NICKIE NINA
Veterans of the bridal world, Nickie Nina brought ‘Gulabkaar’ to the ramp, a collection that stayed true to the bridal approach the duo have taken for years. Nickie Nina’s approach to bridal-wear is to bring forth collections that evolve every year, but without sacrificing the details that make a classic Pakistani bridal ensemble. Regal cuts and recognizable silhouettes were delivered in embroidered packaging, and everything brought together with a wide range of colour palettes. Gulabkaar was feminine, elegant, ethereal and very wearable.
REPUBLIC BY OMAR FAROOQ
A little something for the grooms! Republic by Omar Farooq’s ‘Adamah’ was a testament to the designer’s efforts of creating fun, compelling menswear that pushed the envelope, but that Pakistan’s men would still want to wear. Pakistani grooms are more conservative than others in the subcontinent, and Republic plays in that restricted, ‘safe’ space for the grooms and guests that want a little bit more out of fashion. Adamah produced the sharp tailoring Republic is known for and added palatable whimsical touches like light catching the black beading, embroidered printed shawls (and turbans!) and statement-making fabrics.
HSY
HSY’s Empire lived up to the name, taking the ramp in groupings of colours, and producing a bridal squadron that was a fine finish to PLBW ’19. Empire was true HSY, a designer who has honed a portion of the bridal market under his image, which is glamorous, a touch traditional and covered in heavy work. His colour palettes included some of his iconic mixes of black and red but also some slate greys ideal for winter along with ice blues and pinks. Empire is a perfect fit in HSY’s oeuvre, due to it’s familiar structuring and the intricate touches that have become synonymous with HSY the brand.
