PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week 2012: Day 2

PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week 2012: Day 2 Journal

[05 October, 2012]: The pioneering Pakistan Fashion Design Council [PFDC] and L’Oréal Paris, the world’s leading beauty brand, presented day 2 of the PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week 2012 on 04^th October 2012 – a platform that endeavours to define and present contemporary and traditional Pakistani Bridal fashion and make-up trends, fusing to create the ‘look’ for the bridal season 2012 – 2013!

The second day of bridal week opened with an exclusive trend show by Maram & Aabroo featuring designer Zara Shahjahan followed by solo fashion showcases by Asifa & Nabeel, Teena by Hina Butt and The Ali Xeeshan Theater Studio respectively as summarised below. Each day of PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week is being styled by a different creative and make-up team and to this end, Day 2 was styled by Maram & Aabroo with male model styling by Khawar Riaz.

The green room/backstage for PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week is sponsored by L’Oréal Paris with exclusive furniture designed for the L'Oreal Paris lounge by Yoc'a, the black carpet is sponsored by Zong with Bank Al Falah as the official banking partners for PFDC, associate sponsors PepsiCo, show production by HSY Events, choreography by HSY, front stage management by Maheen Kardar Ali, backstage management by Asim Naeem, business consultancy by Eleventh Retail, photography by Faisal Farooqui and team at Dragonfly, The Royal Palm Golf & Country Club as the hospitality partners, Hum TV/Style360 as the official media partners, Radio1FM91 as the official radio partners and public relations by Lotus.

Trend Show: Maram & Aabroo

PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week 2012 Day 1 was opened by make-up artist, stylist and photographer duo of Maram & Aabroo with their trend show, ‘The Glorious Brides’ in collaboration with designer Zara Shahjahan with styling by Fahad Hussayn.

Maram & Aabroo’s make-up looks for this bridal week were inspired from the generation of women in the 1940s who did their own make-up on their wedding days; applying a face cream as foundation, kajal as eye make-up, a pinch on the cheeks for blush and moisture enriched lipsticks.

Making use of subtle liquid foundation that give a close to natural finish, kohl pencils and small eyeliners to define the eyes, sheer neutral colors as eye shadows, the duo used pinks and peaches on the cheeks to give a natural glow to the skin and moisture lipsticks from reds to nudes to finish the look.

The Maram & Aabroo salon and studio started as a simple idea, which both Maram Azmat and Aabroo Hashmi conceived in their first year at college in 1995. The only female-duo working as stylist and photographer in 1996 at Kinnaird College and then professionally since 2000, both Maram & Aabroo are self-taught in photography and make-up. With a post-graduate degree in Public Administration and after four years of photography experience in Abu Dhabi, the duo came back to Lahore and set up their studio in 2005 bringing their own very distinct signature style of work. Known for their regal and stately concepts which they beautifully incorporate in their fashion makeup and photography, bridal makeup, photography and interior decorating, the duo is recognized at par with the most sought after names of the industry.

Winners of the Best Stylists Award MTV Pakistan Style Awards in 2008 and a diversity of LSA Nominations, the team at Maram & Aabroo will bring their interpretation and forecast of bridal trends 2012 – 2013 on day 2 of PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week 2012.

Bridal Showcase: Asifa & Nabeel

Following Maram & Aabroo’s trend show, the designer duo of Asifa & Nabeel showcased their bridal collection - a ‘Tribute to Jahan Ara Begum’ - the eldest daughter of Shah Jehan and Empress Mumtaz Mehal. Taking inspiration from this revered sub-continental icon who was an engineer, a writer, a painter and an artist, she was known for wearing the most opulent chadors and kameezes, her passion for rubies, diamonds and sapphires and her robes were resplendent with motifs  delicately embellished with beads, rubies, sapphires and shimmering sequence. Asifa & Nabeel’s ode to the era was reflected in this collection based in fabrics such as net and lace velvet interspersed with intricate beading and zardozi works with elegant cuts. The collection was presented in hues of midnight blue, earthy greens, golden and maroon. Asifa & Nabeel also showcased their menswear collection comprising of kurtas, shirts and jackets inspired by Mughal Royalty.

Speaking about PLBW, Asifa & Nabeel said, “PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week has always been a splendid affair, painstakingly organized at the best possible venue. Ms. Saigol and the crew of PFDC has worked hard to give the designers this platform to always participate in the event proudly.”

The label Asifa & Nabeel has been established for the past 13 years and is well renowned and respected for its Bridal, Prêt-à-porter and Haute Couture lines. In 1998, their innate creative talent and keen sense of design resulted in an exhibition that completely sold out during the set up for display. This proved to be a compelling source of encouragement for the duo and since then, their efforts are manifest in ensembles that spell ethereal elegance and panache. Indeed, their signature style is found in their flamboyant use of diverse fabrics and unique interplay of colours and cuts. The brand currently retails in three of Pakistan’s major cities as well as to an international clientele.

Bridal Showcase: Teena by Hina Butt

Following Asifa & Nabeel’s bridal showcase was Teena by Hina Butt with her collection ‘Ode To Sophia’ - a romantic lyrical song for Queen Sophia, of the baroque era. Heavily influenced by Baroque; a style of architecture and decorative art that flourished throughout Europe from the late 16^th to the early 18^th century, characterized by extensive ornamentation, the collection took inspiration from this era’s paintings, architecture and costumes. Hina used a variety of fabrics for this collection ranging from pure silks to satin, chiffons and velvet trimmings, giving each creation a luxurious and opulent bridal look. Opting for rich fabric edgings, laces and nets to add a whimsical, romantic element to the designs, the color palette for this collection was vast and rich, consisting of hues of green, pastel pinks and nudes with burgundy and ruby red to pale pastels, beiges and whites. Ode to Sophia also included menswear pieces. The bridal showcase also featured couples Omar and Natasha Nabi and Anusheh Asad and Asad Muzaffar who walked the ramp for Teena by Hina Butt.

Speaking about PLBW, Hina Butt said, “Fashion/Bridal weeks are essential in helping a designer develop a strong footing for herself and to give the media, critics, buyers and customers a look at what is coming up for the next season...The bridal industry is one of the largest industries in Pakistan in terms of the revenue this particular industry generates every single year. We have seen a tremendous growth in the bridal industry in the country with innovations, grandeur and opulence becoming the new names of the game.”

Designer Hina Butt is the fashion force behind her label, designing clothes they best describe as feisty, fun and funky. A graduate from LUMS, Hina launched her brand from scratch out of a small workshop located inside her house: over the last year, she has managed to expand. Rapidly and currently stocks at multiple locations such as the PFDC boulevard, FP Lounge, Tehxeeb, Labels Lahore and L’atelier Islamabad to name a few. Teena by Hina Butt began as a fashion forward and reasonably priced prêt label, but over the last few months, the brand branched out into semi-formal and formal wear with the brand’s signature style of trendy and modern cuts with unique embellishment to create contemporary outfits. ‘Teena’ also provides a platform for fashion school graduates to experiment with new designs, besides giving them an opportunity to jump straight into the world of fashion retail. This October 2012, Teena by Hina Butt marked the brand’s ramp debut at PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week 2012 in Lahore.

Bridal Showcase: The Ali Xeeshan Theater Studio

The fourth and final solo show of Day 2 was staged by the Ali Xeeshan Theater Studio with the collection ‘Cinderella after 12’. For this collection, Ali used fabrics such as custom designed jamavar, kamkhab, pure silks, chiffons and block printed cotton. ‘Cinderella after 12’ also included 10 menswear pieces.  

Ali Xeeshan is a graduate of the Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design (PIFD) and holds an honors degree in Couture and an award for the Best Collection at the institute. He takes inspiration and stimulation from within the Pakistani culture which the designer feels is still an untapped reserve of creativity. While predominantly a couturier focusing on formal and bridal wear, Ali has also diversified into a diffusion prêt-à-porter line, a formal collection for men and a complete range of accessories. Ali’s signature style can be found in his use of unusual shades of colour and high end luxurious fabrics merged with unconventional embellishment techniques in both traditional and contemporary cuts, all of which were on display at the PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week 2012.

To be continue....