Pantene Hum Bridal Couture Week 2023 commenced on Friday with the likes of nine designer showcases divided into three acts; a solo show and two separate showcases. Couture brands including some big names and veterans with significant following displayed their collections over the night. Here’s our roundup of Day 1. FAHAD HUSSAYN The collection titled Collateral Convention aimed to feature all the brands under the FH umbrella. It was a diverse collection that showed saris, gowns, lehnga cholis, mini dresses, drapes, coats and then sherwanis and suits for men also. With this collection, Fahad Hussayn stepped away from his signature designs and experimented with over the top, loud and ambitious couture that was daring, stylish, modern and distinct. Not sure if the ultra mini heavily embellished dresses would strike a chord amongst the masses, but the green and purple Anarkali dresses with side dupattas really had our eyes set on them. Actress Mehwish Hayat showstopped for the designer in a red bridal wear that was heavily embroidered with strong dupatta borders and intricate work. KOMAL CHAWLA A very bold and daring collection that stood out for many reasons! Backless saris, lehnga cholis, cape dresses, fishtail lehngas and mermaid tail skirts were some of the outfits that we truly loved. Actor Feroze Khan showstopped for the designer wearing an offwhite kurta pyjama. ALMIRAH Almirah with their avant-garde designs fused tradition with modern aesthetics, the runway was a visual feast for fashion enthusiasts and industry insiders alike when charming and handsome Emmad Irfani walked the ramp as the show stopper for the show! HARIS SHAKEEL His collection titled Nawabzadi was wearable, practical and quite sellable with decent designs and common cuts. It was a coherent collection set in a wide array of colours for Anarkali dresses and angrakhas. Actress Saboor Aly showstopped for the designer wearing an off white and gold bridal. ATOOFYS STUDIO Atoofys studio of Atoofys spun an entire new angle on mens suits with daring embellishments and out of the box hues. Would they sell? No one knows. Perhaps the designer should stick to sherwanis and kurtas only. We loved showstopper Imran Ashraf’s sherwani although it did come across a little too tight. ARIF ASHRAF Designer Arif Ashraf’s collection Inteezar, was a journey of anticipation, timeless elegance and enduring tradition. This enchanting ensemble captured the essence of cherished celebrations, from a mehndi’s radiant glamour to the wedding day’s regal splendor show stopping for him was Komal Meer. KASHEES Now Kashees was a brand that went all out with its collection. From lehnga cholis to angrakhas and the signature twirl of the dresses, Kashees managed to cement its place amongst the bigwigs and be noticed for his work. We especially liked the bubble gum pink lehnga choli. The cast of ‘Baby Baji’ stopped for the designer, including Javeria Saud, Neelam Munir and Tuba Anwar. AHSAN NAZIR Ahsan Nazeer’s “Embroidered Romance”; whose inspiration weaves a tale from the intricate tapestry of Persian geometric patterns, paying homage to the architectural wonders of Multan and drawing on the delicate artistry found in pottery. This collection was a seamless fusion of tradition and modernity, the designs in the intricate embellishment motifs, inspired by the beauty of chintz patterns. Walking for him was actress Resham. SHAZIA KIYANI The intricately crafted bridal ensembles included designers like Shazia Kiyani who had actress Dur-e-Fishan walk the ramp for the very first time! Angrakhas and lehnga choli and then sherwani coats for men were part of the collection. The designer played safe with nothing new or experimental in the collection.