The genius of Sabyasachi’s craftsmanship and the grandeur of Élan’s ensembles demanded an equally extravagant setting to serve as the perfect backdrop for their creations. It is perhaps why London’s much-awaited South Asian wedding show moved from The Dorchester to one of the city’s most prolific arts and culture venue - the 17th century built Somerset House - for this year’s showcase.
InstepReport
Running in its fourth year, the coveted Aashni & Co. Wedding Show seems to be opening its doors to welcome more Pakistani representation in the UK.
London: The genius of Sabyasachi’s craftsmanship and the grandeur of Élan’s ensembles demanded an equally extravagant setting to serve as the perfect backdrop for their creations. It is perhaps why London’s much-awaited South Asian wedding show moved from The Dorchester to one of the city’s most prolific arts and culture venue - the 17th century built Somerset House - for this year’s showcase.
Since its launch in 2015, the Aashni & Co. Wedding Show has become a go-to event for discerning brides-to-be and their entourage to get a head start on their wedding planning. The venue is lit up with decadent floral archways while the roster includes top names from the bridal couture industry; read: Manish Malhotra, Anita Dongre, Tarun Tahiliani and more.
With each passing year, the organisers have only made sure that the event becomes bigger, better and more diverse in its offerings. From wedding wear to jewellery to vendors and suppliers, it’s a one-stop shop for all of one’s wedding needs. And what was introduced as a purely Indian designer showcase, now also welcomes representation from Pakistan. 2016 saw Faraz Manan exhibit at the show; leading couture label Élan made its debut last year and this year both Élan and designer Shehla Chatoor participated in full grandeur.
Even though there is a considerable participating fee to pay, it makes sense to do so. The UK is home to a sizeable desi community and hence boasts of immense business potential for both Indian and Pakistani designers. A case in point is high street label Khaadi, which now owns three flagship stores in three different cities within the country. Not to mention the many homegrown labels that stock at various South Asian multi-label studios within, and outside, London. But for Khadija Shah of Élan, international shows like these are her modus operandi.
“We like it this way. We recently had a fashion show in London and we are now back here for the Aashni & Co. wedding show. Stocking in a different country altogether can create a lot of coordination issues which can be difficult to manage,” Shah said while simultaneously answering a million other queries by her eager customers. “It’s a great way to connect with our customers and for them to meet us. We have a lot of clients here and many in India as well and so the Aashni & Co. wedding show works as the perfect platform where we can cater to them as well.”
Indeed, there were in fact far too many clients Élan was catering to this past weekend. The makeshift fitting room was buzzing with some excited and some really hyperactive brides, with the most popular choice of outfit being ‘Mahira Khan’s ice blue sari’ from the brand’s Champs de Patchouli collection. There were many takers for that gorgeous, handcrafted number, which was priced at well over 10,000 pounds.
Khadija Shah of Elan with ace Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee.
It’s safe to say that Élan was one of the only four labels with queues of women stretching across the entire hallway. The others being Tarun Tahiliani, Shyamal & Bhumika and beating all three by a mile, was of course Sabyasachi Mukherjee, the brand with a VIP status. His collections were guarded behind closed doors, allowing limited access so as to not even allow a sneak peak to those choosing not to brave the horribly long queues. And why not? Striking velvet lehngas with intricately crafted Mughal-inspired handwork, sherwanis brimming with fine zardozi work and sparkling, one-of-a-kind polki diamond neck pieces are what priceless heirlooms are made of. It’s not every day one gets to witness such design prowess and so it’s no wonder that almost every South Asian designer aspires to be Sabyasachi. The designer, on his Instagram feed, apologized for the 25-person-at-a-time access to his exhibits but justified it by saying he had to safeguard the priceless jewels inside.
Shehla Chatoor made a successful debut with her unique design sensibilities. Her edgy creations were appreciated for their construction and drapery, with her signature formal jackets simply flying off the racks one order form at a time. One of our favourites was a fringe-helmed velvet lehnga paired with an elaborate, fully hand embroidered off-white shirt.
As a Pakistani away from home, it was heartening to see local designers get such an amazing response at London’s most sought-after South Asian event and one only hopes that this trend continues. Despite over a decade of evolving from strength to strength, the Pakistani fashion industry still struggles with international exposure and the right kind of recognition. And high-end wedding shows like these are a step in the right direction. One hopes to see more labels take the plunge next year because the demand surely exists.
