The second day of the Pantene HUM Bridal Couture Week (PHBCW) 2021 showcased some exceptionally good collections with a couple of bad ones too. 9 designer lineup boosted the fashion scene. One can imagine how exhausting it would be for the models who perform the most difficult part of the job by wearing the clothes.
We at Fashion Times Magazine bring you a detailed rundown of the Day 2 of PHBCW 2021. Scroll down…
Emraan Rajput
Emraan Rajput’ menswear collection ‘Slate’ had our heart. It wasn’t just dazzling but a testimony of his craft where quality met luxury. What followed were the three-piece suiting and black-tie affairs perfect for summer, casual and formal. Special mentions for the strong ER touch that made the collection stand out. The outfit worn by superstar Imran Ashraf was definitely my favorite. Rarely do we see stars grooving the way Imran did alongside singer Bilal Saeed.
Fatima Salamat
The designer’s ‘Kelaya’ featured archetypal wedding-wear exploring the mysteries of the magical garden that Salamat once saw in her dreams. It navigated an alluring palette that ran from a wide array of luxury and formal pieces with organza, chiffon embroideries embellished with tilla and thread work. The outfits were undeniably neat that can work well for the wedding season. Actress Sara Khan and her husband Falak Shabbir walked as showstoppers.
Arooj Aziz
Aziz ‘Gulbadan’ was inspired by Gulbadan Begum, the daughter of Mughal emperor Babur, one of the most popular female Mughal royals. It showcased intricate architectural and calligraphic motifs with colors flowing in bright blends with detailed hand embroidery. I feel the fittings could have been better, other than that, the collection was a bankable wedding wear. I liked the outfit worn by show stopper Kubra Khan, the combinations of beautiful pastels with florescent colors uplifted the royal ambiance.
Rizwan Ahmed
‘Leyla’ was inspired, according to the press release, by the various wedding festivities, the emotions these festivities depict along nature. Ubtan, motia, to rose petals, colorful shamiyanas to kaanch ki chooriyan and from dandiya to dholak, thematically, it was a cohesive collection. This, however, did not mean it was a particularly inspiring one. Neater embellishments and better finishing could have certainly helped things along.
Umsha by Uzma Babar
Usma Babar’s ‘Heer’ was all very pretty, as the big Pakistani wedding tends to be. Babar’s idea was to make every dulhan feel strong and confident and uplift those around them with strength and positive energy. The palette ran far and wide, traversing a tale of power, passion, dreams, positivity and strength. Each bridal ensemble was handcrafted with utmost intricacy and love by the artisans. A designer with a great aesthetic sense doesn’t need to hide behind embroidery to prove his or her craft. The clothes at Uzma have a distinct style and even the outfit with the maximum embroidery looks sophisticated. So classy, Uzma always is. The singing sensation, Ali Tariq, performed for Umsha while Ali Rehman Khan and Hania Aamir walked as showstoppers promoting their upcoming film ‘Parde Mein Rehne Do’. [we assume]
Edge Republic – Tehzeeb
‘Tehzeeb‘ depicted a proficient, elegant and truly royal range of male contour wear. A series of inspiring kurta shalwar and sherwanis were followed by equally exciting turbans paired with waistcoats. The key to great menswear lies in the fitting. Edge Republic made sure of this department too. With subtle embroideries working on a detailed South Asian culture of eastern art, ‘Tehzeeb’ came across as highly refreshing.
Hiba Asim
The collection ‘Mitti Dae Rung’ offered nothing new in terms of design and palette. It further moved towards too loud OTT embellishment. Well, this is a common phenomenon in the case of bridal wear but the designers’ sensibilities and aesthetics seemed far too restrained. The lack of finesse made it one of the weakest of the day.
Mina Kashif
With ‘Khat-e-Ishq’, Mina Kashif broadened her horizons, putting forward a collection that offered an ode to the emotions and experiences of unheard and unspoken true love. Exquisite outfits with adda work came with heavy embellishment and hand embroidery lined with a light color pastel palette, and dark shades. The clothes were beautiful, created with great finesse, but this was a collection that exuded the best of Kashif. Hareem Farooq’s showstopper outfit looked good but I wish the cancan beneath shouldn’t have caught my attention.
Humayun Alamgir
Humayun Alamgir has established himself as one of the foremost menswear designers. And he proved it yet again at the PHBCW 2021. The collection ‘Shah Savaar’ offered the richness and royalty of a man. There were innovative eastern formals, the embroidery and splash of cut danas on contemporary sherwanis blended very well together. Some designs sparked the contrast of colors over embossing on velvet fabric. It was, surely, one of the designer’s stronger collections and it thankfully wrapped day 2 on a great note.
Stay tuned to Fashion Times Magazine for the finale review (Day 3) of PHBCW 2021.
