Stylefile: Inside Fahad Hussayn’s heritage of household and bridal trousseaus

By Shahjehan Saleem

There’s fashion, and then there’s bridal fashion. The latter, it seems, is the one where consumers are ready to put their money where their mouth is. Why not? Among the many rare spectacles of fashion we get to see in Pakistan, it is the one where every designer seems to be innovating the most. Fahad Hussayn is no different, but he is a cut above that list.

Showcasing proof of this, the last week of November set the stage for the couturier’s solo display, Ghar, Gharasti, Gehnay, which served as a hybrid between a walk-in fashion show and an art installation with the models serving as living art in resplendent ensembles. Each section of the farmhouse – which was done up in the form of a live royal wedding (including a throne at one side) – put forward a kaleidoscope of options for each bride looking for an elegant and timeless look.

However, what set Fahad apart was more than just the timelessness of the collection. The designer had quite actively chosen to curate the designs for the season according to the palette he feels is best. The shades of antique gold, rusts, reds, and maroons set the mood for a more ethereal and heritage-centric look and did truly work in his favour. Having said that, there’s never a time when Hussayn doesn’t surprise us, and of course, this time was no different. Out came an all-black bridal ensemble that piqued the interest of everybody out there, proving that the theatrical and avant-garde Fahad Hussayn never fails to impress.

It also proved that when it comes to creating looks that are royal, there are rarely any who could compete with Hussayn. There’s an approach that perfectly creates an aura around the bride, and one has to give credit where it’s due, as Fahad did that quite well with Ghar, Gharasti, Gehnay and his mélange of glimmering pieces from Fazal Jewelers and his own set of unique embroideries.

On the other side, the menswear that Hussayn chose to add to the solo show added that much-needed glamour into the lives of prospective grooms. The designer does not go down the hackneyed path many menswear couturiers tend to use, and instead explores more royal silhouettes for the groom’s special day as well. One would breathe a sigh of relief seeing a play on the angarkha for men rather than just going for a prince coat. That sort of ingenuity in his ensembles is what makes the designer a much-needed talent in the industry.

Adding to this, the designer also chose to do away with the runway, which may be a polarizing topic for many. While some may take this as an extreme approach to the concept of the fashion show, that too a solo one, it did truly make things easier. There was neither unnecessary drama over the front row, nor a horde of extra ‘influencers’ wanting to be everywhere. It was a show done for the right audience sans the PR-induced mess one has seen in the past with fashion shows. Ghar, Gharasti, Gehnay was about Fahad’s collection and that was it. It was a no-BS approach, which is what has become the need of the hour.

“This solo show is done to bring out what I consider some of the most important colours and silhouettes for the bridal season,” Fahad Hussayn told Instep. “I did not want it to be about people and who is in the front row. Instead, I wanted my clothes to speak for themselves, for people’s focus to be on my craft. I think I have achieved that completely.”

And Fahad has, over the last year, truly proven that he does know the art of craft, and amidst any upheavals, he has, and can, come through. This show was yet another feather in that cap, a showcase where he has found his footing and his art, and does not shy away anymore from doing things the way he knows best: with oomph!