It might seem counterintuitive to hold an event which would see the TV, music and fashion fraternities come together in one space amidst a pandemic, but somehow the Lux Style Awards pulled it off this year. There were stringent checks to ensure attendees were fully vaccinated, masks were available at each checkpoint in case someone forgot theirs at home, and social distancing was the order of the day. All that somehow did nothing to affect the very palpable excitement that defined the atmosphere. People were just happy to dress up and turn up on a red carpet rolled out to celebrate their achievements. It had been too long.

Mindful of the fact that certain SOPs would have to be enforced, the red carpet and show area was spaced out and the show area had only a few single tables placed strategically at measured distances to seat nominees. The ceremony itself was broken into three segments to cater to the categories of music, TV and fashion, in the absence of film releases last year. Nominees were called in and seated only for the duration of the announcement of their nominations and the winner. Winners picked up their trophies on the way to the stage, and made their speeches far from the hosts. It was by no means the groundbreaking gala event that a 20^th year merited, but it was more than sufficient, given the limitations.

Of course, as with any crowded venue, there were bound to be a few gridlocks. We can observe procedures as closely as possible, but the unquantifiable variable that is people interacting with each other in social situations did come into play. That said, there was a lot less air kissing than usual!

This wasn’t just the return of the LSAs, though. For the first time in a while, we understood what the new normal actually looks like.

Past intimate events with close friends you know and trust, many of us haven’t really ventured out in a larger public gathering in almost two years. And truth be told, it wasn’t as scary as expected. Life must go on, and it was evident that we’re ready to work with the hand dealt to us by nature.

Besides, how can you watch the literal rebirth of the entertainment and fashion industries and remain unmoved? One of the most exciting aspects of the LSAs this year were the fresh faces who won their first or second acknowledgments; fashion celebrated the new pool of models in Mushk Kaleem, Sachal Afzal and Sarah Zulfiqar. Boy wonder Hussain Rehar picked up a well-deserved trophy for Luxury Pret while Najam Mehmood and Sunil Nawab got their first nods for Best Photography and Best Hair & Makeup respectively. Amongst the veterans, it was encouraging to see frequent winners Generation awarded for Best Pret, Ismail Farid for Best Menswear and Shehla Chatoor for Best Bridal Couture. Bunto Kazmi was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement in Fashion and one can’t think of anyone who deserves it more; her legacy has put the craft of bridal couture on the map, literally. Everyone turned up and added oomph to an already dazzling affair.

Not many ladies stole the red carpet but those who did, made headlines, amongst whom were all the Best Model nominees, male and female. While all celebs pulled out the stops to their best capacity – elaborate gowns ruled the evening – those that caught our eye were Mansha Pasha, Ayesha Omar, Mehwish Hayat, Aima Baig and then some more. It’s nice to see a well-cut jacket every now and then, especially if Bilal Maqsood is wearing it, though Hasnain Lehri cut just as dapper a figure in both his evening looks. While some outfits really stood out, like Sachal Afzal’s tribute to Sultan Rahi and Ali Xeeshan’s dazzling ensemble, others subtly made their presence felt.

And then, of course, there were the disasters. Is disaster too strong a word? Perhaps a certain TV actor holding her leg out of the slit of her turquoise gown (as what we can only imagine was homage to Angelina Jolie’s meme-friendly 2011 Oscars look) wasn’t exactly a fashion disaster, but she just wasn’t making it work. It didn’t help that the slit had been evidently stitched up a bit as an afterthought.

We do judge just a little, one famous musician and his faithfulness to the contemporary-sufi look over the years. 1998’s done bro, it’s time to go shopping.

Between one star’s glitzy white, albeit shabbily constructed dress and another’s just as ill-fitted black satin gown, there were several malfunctions that may not have been disasters but they were disappointing nonetheless, especially considering the merit of work these guys manage to put out. It’s a let-down to be let-down by your wardrobe. The red carpet itself though was sexy; one expected nothing less from Jalal Salahuddin who created the spaces, from red carpet through that photo arena that offered several settings for the narcissists amongst us. And there were many, one was happily reminded.

The show itself was fun. There were touching tributes, energetic performances, and whether you like him or not, Tabesh Hashmi’s banter with the audience.

Hashmi wove through his sparse audience comprised of nominees, posing questions that needed equally quick-witted replies, and showed that he can engage a live audience just as well as a digital one. This is the kind of energy that we need more of in the industry, instead of politically incorrect jokes and below-the-belt quips. There were a couple of those too, from old hands that should know better by now.

As we made our way back and forth between a gallery seating press and media, the red carpet and the little smoking area outside where everyone stepped out for some ‘fresh air’ (yes, the irony), we picked up on the little stories that brought some of the winners to this evening, and the hiccups that contributed to the show being ridiculously delayed. It was essentially a television recording opened up to the press that completely missed out on the event last year (which had stricter SOPs and therefore just photo ops for winners) but the delays had less to do with retakes, of which there were many, and celebrities that just can’t turn up on time. And there were many of those too.

That said it was great seeing every member of each industry showing up for the others and celebrating with them. It was incredible to see the mechanics that go behind producing a show of this scale. We are by turns both in awe of the teams that pull this off and respect them for dealing with crises without losing their heads.

Outside, we could see that some celebs forgot to bring their invites and had to have the on-ground team argue to get them in. Some of them brought along plus fours instead of the plus one they were allowed. Loads of them turned up way later than the time indicated for their arrival. We may take all of this in our stride as part of what the profession is about, but we should also remember that if this is the 20^th year of the LSAs, then surely anyone participating, or winning, understands the process of accepting an invitation and punctuality. Inside, show director Frieha Altaf won herself newfound respect for repeating the same directives over and over for anyone going up on stage without losing her cool for even a second.

The 20^th Lux Style Awards delivered a moment of quiet emotion too. While they honored those who left us in the last year, with a special tribute for Farhad Humayun, they also celebrated the next two decades with an anthem produced by Bilal Maqsood, and sung by various young artists including Young Stunners, Uzair Jaswal, Asim Azhar, Natasha Baig and Aima Baig. Various artists from a glamorous cross section of fashion and entertainment shook a leg for this segment. An equally energetic segment was dedicated to Farida Khanum, recipient of the Unilever Chairman’s Lifetime Achievement Award, while Haseena Moin was posthumously awarded the newly introduced Lux Changemakers Award. To add to the celebrations, superstars Mahira Khan and Sheheryar Munawar revived the Parey Hut Love soundtrack with a colourful medley that kept everyone humming along, through retakes and revisions.

A little chaotic, a little fun, and just the right amount of crazy, let’s just say that the 20^th LSAs were defined by the obvious fierceness of spirit to just burst back to life, on-stage, on-screen, and in life.

– The 20^th Lux Style Awards will air on GEO Entertainment at an
upcoming date.