Inside Day 3 of PLBW 2015: Bridal Week comes to an unimpressive end
Day 3 of PLBW 2015 had little to keep the excitement of the previous two days up.
That came as a shocker as a handful of pioneers of the industry were showcasing their collections. Nonetheless, PLBW comes to an end without any one collection standing out as a whole — only a few elements from certain collections caught the eye.
Shamaeel Ansari
The designer brought out structured silhouettes with high top collars and layered separates. Shamaeel's strong suit has to be her command over the colour red and and her attention to detail when it comes to embellishments.
With 'Absolutely Oriental', Ansari juxtaposes silk screen prints with blingy velvets and while the concept is interesting, the aesthetics of the print pulled the collection down.
The collection started off with knotted kimono capes in taupe and ivory hues and further progressed into maroons and reds. When viewed separately, Shamaeel's pieces were beautifully crafted but the bold prints paired with bold embellishments just did not work.
The best piece in the collection? This exquisite red bridal overcoat worn by Rabia Butt.
Nomi Ansari
The master of the colour wheel brought out yet another vibrant collection with the first piece being a colourful harlequin print, sprinkled with sequins.
Ansari puts out horizontally sectioned lehngas, that give the illusion of chattapati and with simpler duppatas, he brings back his printed silk lehngas from last year. However, this time around, we loved his embellishments more than his prints; the collection is full of floral embroideries and a lot sequins.
With bright waistcoats for men and loose crop tops for women, there were some ensembles that just did not make the cut. The combination of dusty salmon pink with mustard and purple remained one of the least favorite combinations. In retrospect, 'Oudh' was one of the better collections of the evening.
Saira Shakira
The duo remained in the hues of pastels and showcased voluminous palazzos and wraparound jackets with frayed, fringe edgings. One of the best pieces from the collection would have to be a pair of silver palazzo's with different embellishment on each leg, an interesting composition for the runway but one that would be tricky to pull off in reality.
Crop tops with belted dupattas over wide-legged pants was another silhouette the young designers presented. However, the mistake that brought their collection down would have to be their pairing of deep red with silver embellishments for one outfit; this combination rarely looks good and should be avoided at all costs!
Asifa and Nabeel
This design house has been on the block for many long years and it is still a mystery why they cannot get it right!
The combination of black chiffon with rose printed silks was just jarring to the eye and became a bore after a while. The brand is clearly not evolving and what makes matters worse is that even after so many years of experience, the fittings are still haywire! For a label that has been operational for as long as Asifa and Nabeel, this is one problem they should not be facing.
Ammara Khan
Khan showcased two capsule collections, luxury pret and bridal, within her collection, giving the audience a feel of her entire brand.
Her initial pieces were toned down from her previous collection, the newfound design element was evident. Sadly, what pulled the collection down was the color palette; rather than being regal and opulent that is Ammara's style, the washed out dusty pink took away from the ensembles instead of adding to them.
As far as structure and artistry is concerned, Ammara's collection was sound and collected. The strong suits of the collection would have to be her feather detailing that was beautifully crafted. With attention paid to individual motifs, her cut-out embellished pants made a statement.
The collection gained momentum with her silver pieces and a beautiful, creamy, white sari but the embellished lace lehngas did not bring anything new to the table. The collection would have come together better with brighter colours in the mix.
HSY
The master showman himself presented a collection that remained in the metallic hues, starting off with a blue and silver jumpsuit with heavy embroidery worn by Cybil. HSY presents his signature style in peplum coats over lehngas and long voluminous gowns.
What caught our eye was the printed dupatta Rabia Butt wore with a heavily embellished teal and bronze bridal -- it was an interesting touch that cut the opulence of the embellishments. Even though HSY has a very distinct aesthetic, his choice of colours pulled him down.
He presents Nehru jackets and well-tailored pants for men but the excessively crystallised silver jackets made for men were a bit over the top and cannot be translated into reality.
One can trust HSY to present a show that is worthy of a finale, with fantastic choreography and all the drama and he did just that!