A sight to behold!

jewellery

Want to know about the latest trends in bridal jewellery, hair and makeup? Read on as You! highlights some of the trends as seen on the runway of Elan’s debut bridal show...

Outside the venue, immaculately dressed up people waited patiently for their turns before the invites were double screened for verification; soon after they were whisked away for red carpet photo ops. Inside, the atmosphere buzzed with the fashionable lot who came out in their finery to mingle with each other. And many were seemingly bewitched by the ambiance and magic spun by Khadija Shah and her team.

Pakistan’s premier luxury designer Khadijah Shah celebrated a decade of her brand Elan with its inaugural bridal show and unveiling of ‘Palais Indochine’ at her residence in Lahore. The Bridal Collection Couture 2016 featured an unprecedented 51 models.

It was a sight to behold as if of a fairy land that was conceptualized and directed by Yousaf Shahbaz. The ambiance transported one into the era of Moguls where everything was majestic and grand. The first-of-its-kind curated evening was opened by an exciting live performance by Sachal Jazz Orchestra followed by the unveiling of ‘Palais Indochine’. Featuring both men and women wear, the collection was inspired by the French Indochina colonies, and featured the brand’s signature craftsmanship with innovative new techniques, embellishments, motifs, embroideries and unique colour palettes. The designer has collaborated with jewellery designer Sherezad Rahimtoola who created bespoke pieces for the bridal showcase and Nabila (N-Pro and N-Gents) as the beauty partners.

The best part of the event was that everyone got to see everything up close thanks to the cube like platform seating.

“This is a step in the right direction for the brand while going solo is an idea which allows us to have complete control over the models’ look. I would have never imagined that something I started from my small workshop would one day become one of the most established fashion houses in Pakistan. We didn’t just want to showcase our new collection but we wanted to reflect the romanticism and grandeur associated with the brand. I think having this solo show to celebrate the brand’s ten years in the industry was the perfect way to substantiate our successes thus far. Featuring our stunning 2016/17 bridal couture collection, we have a treat prepared for all the brides-to-be with new silhouettes and our exquisite craftsmanship,” says Khadija Shah.

Gems fit for royalty

You! got a chance to speak to jewellery designer Sherezad Rahimtoola, who took up her passion for creating jewellery after she got married.

“Khadijah is a dear friend. I have seen her grow from a single handed operation to an industry which is very commendable. We share great synergy and work together on shows, shoots and exhibitions. I was very excited when she discussed doing a solo show which was challenging and very exciting,” she says.

Khadijah Shah’s exquisite collection required regal jewels to go along with it. Rahimtoola did not want to use the pieces from her regular collection, so she decided to create a collection that was custom made to become an integral part of the ensemble design.

Coming back to the showcase, the ‘Kohar’ collection was custom-made and the most important aspect of the jewellery collection was that it blended with the collection hence it was a complete bridal ensemble. Pieces orchestrated had peacocks, lotus flowers with a combination of tanzanite and emeralds, the main focus being chokers and jhoomar.

Makeover moves

“We wanted the ensembles to do the talking and didn’t want to take away their richness by adding layers of heavy makeup on the faces. Nabila and her enterprising team managed to fulfil the requirements as per discussed with them,” informed brand’s Image Director, Mahnum Kabir.

Surprisingly, there were no smokey eyes which worked in favour of the heavily embellished couture pieces as they stood out in forefront without taking away the limelight from them. The nude makeup with brown and glossy eyes and just a dash of eye liner made the face look soft and dewy. There were no harsh lines or colours to distract the viewer. It was a simple way of styling the model with nude makeup palette for a flawless neutral look. It definitely lifted the overall view and packed a major punch setting some serious trends for fall/winter makeup looks.

Hair goals

There were three distinctive looks for all the three segments:

The glam factor: The hair was coiled demurely at the nape of the neck; high-bun topped with a slight parting and braided bun oozed glamour and looked seductive at the same time. The traditional gajra added that last final touch to complete the look.

Flower power: Pulled back hair with two buns was accentuated by adding motia and orchids. This hair-do had the potential to look stellar on the runway and made each and every model look regal from top to toe.

Loose & wavy: Elan chose to associate socialites and celebrity show stoppers; Fatin Gondal, Natasha Monnoo, Maheen Taseer and Maryam Mahmood, with their brand and specifically went for the look with loose, waved hair pulled back from one side complemented with a gorgeous looking jhoomar. The elements of Indochine (Burmese and Chinese) influence with braids, orchids and local additions of gajra made things look fresh and unique - not done before.

Credits

Makeup

Nabila & her team

Jewellery

Sherezad Rahimtoola

Photography

Faisal Farooqui and team at Dragonfly

Coordination

Shazreh Khalid