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Ali Xeeshan is one of the names to look forward to at the upcoming PLBW.

It is quite a mouthful, I agree. But the PFDC L’Oreal Paris Bridal Week will launch as Pakistan’s first council-endorsed therefore credible bridal fashion week in Pakistan. The implications of this title are huge, given that bridals constitute the most lucrative segment of Pakistan’s fashion industry. To a Pakistani designer, bridals are what oil is to the Arabs. Bridals lubricate fashion’s finances, if not trends and we are about to see them recognized and regularized at PLBW (that’s my self coined hashtag for the PFDC L’Oreal Paris Bridal Week until Lotus comes up with a better abbreviation).

Other than pump up the purse, bridals are ideally supposed to either revive ancient crafts of the South Asian region with samples of excellent craftsmanship and intricate embroidery OR they are supposed to modernize culture and create contemporary samples of modernity. To showcase diversity in culture and to help culture evolve would be the purpose behind a bridal week. That and giving designers a platform to sell more bridals, that is.

Here’s a list of what you’ve all been waiting for. Keep in mind that this an informal list and I refuse to take responsibility for any changes that may occur at the last minute…

Ali Xeeshan: Young, energetic and modern, Ali Xeeshan will surely put up theatrics that will lend his funky bridals the perfect backdrop.

Asifa & Nabeel: Expected to be safe and predictable, at best.

Emran Rajput: I’m unsure whether Emran is showing bridals or groom’s wear but I hope he manages to showcase the Rajasthani grandeur that one associates with his surname.

Fahad Hussayn is rapidly gaining steam on the popularity radar

Fahad Hussayn: I’m sure Fahad would make a completely black bridal collection if he followed his heart but given the taboos he probably won’t. That said, one does expect an  interesting element of the surreal and one black bridal at least.

Karma: Being at the forefront of Lahore’s bridal market for the longest time, Maheen Kardar’s forte is bridals and this is one show everyone will be looking forward too. I do expect to see Karma Princess duplicates walking out with the brides 🙂

Karma will be in its true element at the PLBW

Maria B: For most of us, bridals are as alien to this largely R2W label as they are associated with Karma so only time will tell whether what Maria puts up impresses or not.

Nida Azwer: Nida’s bridals have a huge following in Karachi and from what I remember from her debut show several years ago, she knows how to work them.

Nomi Ansari: This is Nomi’s forte and having seen a glimpse into the glorious sparkle of Nomi’s bridal wonderland (at the recently help UAE Expo anniversary), one looks forward to the complete show.

Rouge: Despite being a low key brand, Faraz and Maimoona Manan of Rouge do have a handle on bridals and one can expect a beautiful collection from them.

Sara Rohail Asghar: To be honest I’ve never heard of this brand so I don’t know what to expect.

Sonia Azhar: Sonia is quite popular and has a niche clientele in Lahore but whether she has the flair for fashion week, only time and her debut will tell.

Umar Sayeed: Bridals are Umar Sayeed’s true calling and one hopes he sticks to being the revivalist that he is.

That’s twelve labels in total. Three designers will show a day along with one jewellery  designer, the four of whom are:

Kiran Fine Jewellery: never disappoints. Always a show to look forward to!

Damaas: a huge brand, apparently also sponsoring the ‘Black’ red carpet.

Solitaire: another big brand, though not as well advertised.

The fourth is still undecided… 

And now a list of all those bridal couturiers who should have showcased at PFDC’s first Bridal week and one will miss…

From Lahore: HSY, Kamiar Rokni, Sublime, Elan, Saadia Mirza and the far fetched from Karachi: Bunto Kazmi, Shamaeel, Sana Safinaz, Faiza Samee, Rizwan Beyg, Deepak Perwani, Sonya Battla.

Leaving you with two interesting images from Bridal Asia…

Sabyasachi Mukherjee is a regular at bridal shows and his bridals never bore.

Ritu Beri ups the ante and diversifies the way bridals should look.

Back to PLBW, there will be four show a day with sets created by Hamza Tarar. All four days will be styled by different people: Nabila, Toni&Guy, Depilex and Ather Shahzad. Again, this is an unconfirmed list and is subject to last minute changes.

See you at the show!

 

The Haute Team

This article is written by one of our competent team members.

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