The classic bride

weddings

Are you a bride-to-be? Read on as You! brings the latest bridal trends straight from the fashion runway...

Trends are getting bigger and better than ever before. Some are totally over the top and others are just perfect for adding a personal touch to your celebration. For anybody planning a big fat Pakistani wedding, they require a complete package that includes perfect bridal fineries, wedding wear for the bride and groom, shoes, jewellery, bags, accessories, the trendiest hair-do and makeup - in fact everything that requires to be a part of your big day. And the easiest way to find out the latest bridal trends is of course through fashion weeks/shows that are organised every now and then.

Celebrating its reputation of being the pioneers of bridal fashion weeks, this year too, Bridal Couture Week (QHBCW) brought a great deal of latest, trendy wedding wear with all its grandeur. Bridal Couture Week is the singular platform that holds its shows both in Karachi and Lahore and is in fact the only platform that offers a bride and groom the perfect bridal paraphernalia on their big day. From the myriad makeup looks to hair dos it is here that brides-to-be can decide on a particular look they desire. A one-stop-shop for all those tying the knot - you need look no further. This is not all! The 3-day event also brings to the forefront other key elements like music, dances and most importantly a perfect setting with beautiful floral arrangements. Read on to find out all about what’s hot and what’s not this bridal season...

Let’s makeup

Of course the bride needs to look all glammed up on her big day. And this year the bridal trends are all about a fresh face charm with dewy skin. For some designers, who showcased their collections during the BCW, the makeup team opted for a soft, subtle look with a light base beautified with a touch of translucent powder and highlighter. The lip colours used included nudes, peach and pinks. However, some of the bridal collections required a dramatic makeup look with shimmery smokey eyes and bold lip colours like reds and maroons.

The good ol’ hairdo

When it comes to bridals there’s not much one can do about hair. It is not a good idea to be experimental; certainly not on your big day. Yes, we can go stylish and that is exactly what team Nabila had conjured. Good old middle parting with the hair neatly tied in a bun at the nape remained the favourite at QHBCW. Since it is easy to accessorize this simple hair style with matha patti, teeka, jhoomar and other hair accessories, the ramp showcased some brilliant ideas to incorporate with such a traditional trend. In some cases one got a glimpse of a twist in the parting that continued with a soft bun or a low ponytail at the back. Most of the showstoppers sported soft curls or waves with hair let loose.

Trend alert!

Trends spotted in nearly all the designer lines were long gowns, angarkhas, shararas with tops in various lengths, peplum shirts, skirts, fishtail ghararas, Dhaka pyjamas, gharara pants and princess cut lehengas. The choice of embellishments was a beautiful mix of crystals, Swarovski, zardozi, gota work, resham, kora, dabka and nakshi. While the designers had employed silk, chiffon, jamawar, organza and net, it was a riot of colours one witnessed at this year’s bridal week - red remained the hot favourite as did blue, silver and gold besides subtle hues like beige, peach, light pinks etc.

Designer galore

The designer line-up this year included Amir Adnan, Yasmin Zaman, Rizwan Ahmed, Impulse by Aisha Farid, Naushad Imdad’s Eminence III, Arsalan Iqbal, QMobile stars Hassan Riaz and Ahmed Sultan, Hassan Sheheryar Yasin, Amina Yasmeen by Mansoor Akram, Ayesha & Usman Qamar, Faika Karim, Umsha by Uzma Babar, Fahad Hussayn, Asifa & Nabeel, Annus Abrar, Emraan Rajput, Sana Abbas, Nickie Nina, Ahsan Menswear and Sonya Battla.

HSY, Nickie Nina, Fahad Hussayn and Sonya Battla were the undisputed champions of this year’s QHBCW. Each had weaved spellbinding collections that elicited oohs and aahs from the audience. Not to forget, rising talent Hassan Riaz displayed his amazing collection ‘Gogi’ that was wearable and his choice of hues and intricate embellishments surely wowed the audience.

Go classy

‘The Classic Red’ was another highlight of the show featuring all the critically acclaimed and established designers who showcased one exquisite outfit in red, with a focus on depicting tradition, culture, love and vibrancy. Designers who showcased in this segment included, Adnan Pardesy, Ali Xeeshan, Faraz Manan, Farah Talib Aziz, Karma, Maheen Taseer, Mehdi, Misha Lakhani, Sania Maskatiya, Shamaeel Ansari, Tena Durrani, Elan, Zaheer Abbas and Zara Shahjahan.

A glitzy affair

BCW has always been known for their showstopper influx. This year too, everyone who is ‘a somebody’ in the showbiz and fashion arena was seen strutting the runway for various designers. Ayeza Khan, Zhalay Sarhadi, Mehwish Hayat, Gia Ali, Sara Khan, Anoushey Ashraf, Syra Shehroze, Neelum Munir, Sonya Hussain, Humaima Malick to name just a few, all dotted the ramp during the 3-day event.

Entertainment factor

While previously, fashion shows/weeks had only been about models showcasing designer wear, QHBCW introduced entertainment segments offering a much-needed breather in the middle of the show. This year too, the magnetic performances by Asim Azhar, Raga Boys and Fuzon stole the show especially the Sonya Battla’s segment. Asim Azhar entertained the audience with his energetic live performance for ‘Classic Red collection’. Fuzon performed live to conclude the bridal extravaganza as the models sashayed down the runway. Battla’s collection was dedicated to Dar-ul-Sukoon, for which Sister Ruth from Dar-ul-Sakoon thanked the designers and encouraged the audiences to come forward and support the good cause of providing food and shelter to the helpless.

Kudos to the team of QHBCW for managing yet another successful edition! We are definitely looking forward to the next instalment of bridal week.

C R E D I T S

Photography: Haris Usmani  l  Hair & makeup: Nabilas and N-Gents

Jewellery: Shafaq Habib  l  Choreography: Vaneeza Ahmed