LAHORE: The PFDC L’Oreal Bridal Week (PLBW) is one of the most anticipated fashion events of the year because it not only sets the fashion trends and mood for the upcoming wedding season, it gets bigger and better with every passing year.
The week saw fashion-goers from all over the country descend to Lahore to attend the eighth Pakistan Fashion and Design Council (PFDC) Bridal Week in collaboration with L’Oreal Paris.
As always, PLBW was an elaborate affair and was attended by who’s who of the fashion fraternity putting their best fashion foot forward. Moreover, last year PFDC set a benchmark in the fashion realm with a revised format for the fashion week, by introducing two sets of shows: the early evening shows and the evening shows.
Furthermore, the event provides a platform for both established and contemporary designers to showcase their upcoming collections.
Being the only fashion platform that follows the international fashion week standards, the PLBW, this year, lived up to its expectations by introducing new trends for the upcoming wedding season.
With a great lineup of designers, PLBW saw the country’s top models sashaying down the ramp carrying the stunning outfits elegantly. Moreover, the finale was one of the most anticipated nights for the fashion week as the evening show line up featured Faraz Manan, Nickie Nina, Hira Ali Studios, Republic by Omar Farooq and a grand finale by HSY.
Faraz opened the finale night with a solo show presenting his A/W bridal collection ‘Al-Hambra’, with sleek silhouettes, statement sleeves and a soothing colour palette of blush, sandstone, terra cotta and jewel tone dominating the ramp. The 40-piece collection featured ensembles with an intricate amalgamation of beaded detailing and embellishments.
Considering that Faraz caters to both Pakistani and international clientele, his collection carried a mix of both eastern and western silhouettes. The elaborate work and details were inspired by the Arabian grandeur which presented a visual treat.
From lehenga cholis to statement sleeves on floor-length ensembles, from heavily embellished shirts and straight pants to saree/lehenga choli hybrid, the collection had it all. In addition to that, the menswear collection featured kurtas and trousers that were topped with perfectly tailored embroidered blazers. The collection shouted ‘Faraz Manan’ from the very beginning and it left the audience enthralled. Manan definitely upped the glam factor at the fashion with this latest collection.
As the designer got a standing ovation, next in line was the grouped show featuring Nickie Nina, Hira Ali Studios and Republic by Omar Farooq.
Nickie Nina’s collection ‘Noor Mahal’ featured vibrantly coloured ensembles, giving mostly mehndi vibes. Chunri, block prints and printed chiffons with delicate work dominated the line which had a variety of cuts from velvet cholis, lehengas, heavily embellished short kameez’s, shalwaars with gota work on them along with bell bottom pants and straight pants. Moreover, the men’s collection featured sherwanis that were styled with pastel-coloured waistcoats with varying embroidered motifs.
Next up was Hira Ali Studios showcasing bridal collection ‘Snap Trapped’. The collection was a contemporary take on bridal ensembles. From edgy silhouettes to statement jackets; Snap Trapped was a rather different addition to bridal trends this year.
The vibrant colour palette and sparkly outfits was definitely a bonus point for the collection. Hira Ali, stuck to her style aesthetics as she brought her boldness to the ramp, yet again.
Having said that, the collection paid tribute to women “who are not afraid to live life without a filter”. The music perfectly complemented her range which included traditional pieces with a twist of contemporary style. The highlights from her collection included the black velvet jumpsuit paired up with a tie around skirt, the lilac saree paired up with an embellished jacket as well as the other embellished skirts and high waisted pants.
The last designer in the grouped show was Omar Farooq who presented his collection ‘Hunar’. Omar is known for bringing perfectly tailored suits and sherwanis to the ramp. However, we were slightly disappointed with his collection as the ‘Republic’ vibe appeared to be missing. The collection, which had embroidered and embellished sherwanis, jackets, kurtas and trousers in pastels, felt rushed and done half-heartedly. However, the limited suits in the collection were something that we will definitely give him brownie points for. The traditional pieces were accessorised with velvet shawls and turbans.
As the audiences settled in for the much-anticipated finale, everyone was surprised and excited to see the L’Oreal Paris’s spokespersons Mahira Khan and Mehreen Syed grace the ramp and talked about beauty and women empowerment.
As the much-awaited finale finally rolled in the stage was taken over by KP-based band Khumaariyan, who provided live music for HSY’s bridal/couture collection titled “Zmarei” or ‘lioness’ in Pashto, paying a tribute to all powerful women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
HSY’s collection featured silhouettes with intricate bronze work on each ensemble. This collection saw velvets ruling the ramp, yet again, as the models walked down carrying each ensemble so perfectly.
Layered lehenga cholis, kameez’s, sarees, peplum tops and heavily embellished shalwaars were part of his collection. Each ensemble in the collection channelled swirling hemlines, gold edgings and delicate paisley motifs keeping it traditional yet adding the perfect amount of contemporary to make it relevant to the current trends. The women accessorised their ensembles with turbans, trendy shades and hair accessories.
The menswear also featured velvet sherwanis, trousers, shirts and blazers with embroidered detailing. Mommy-to-be Mehreen Syed show stopped for HSY’s finale in a red lehenga and kameez as she donned an orange dupatta, being the true personification of grace.
As PLBW 2018 comes to an end, the trends that we saw making their overall mark on the ramp include statement sleeves, velvets, gota work and printed fabrics.
Photography Credits: Faisal Farooqui and his team at DragonFly.
