LAHORE: The first day of the prestigious and the eagerly-awaited PFDC L’Oreal Bridal Week commenced from Tuesday, attended in full by eminent personalities of media, fashion and the entertainment industry. With five esteemed brands showcasing, the mention of two solo shows also added excitement among the attendees. Here is our roundup of Day 1.. NOMI ANSARI — we could not have asked for a better beginning to PFDC’s biannual show. Nomi Ansari poured out his heart with this one. Featuring mainly black cotton nets, the remainder of the outfits consisted of bright and vibrant florals in lehnga choli, angrakhas, saris and lots of monochrome and bright coloured sherwanis for men. Parrot colours, brights with intricate gota work and multi coloured turbans for men were some of the highlights of Nomi Ansari’s collection called Maya. The collection’s namesake superstar Maya Ali walked the ramp for Ansari, looking breathtaking in a blue lehnga choli heavily embellished with colourful florals. The designer worked with tulle, pure organza and sheer layers to create voluminous silhouettes, including flowing skirts, wide pants and pajamas dovetailed with sleek, tailored cholis.. HUSSAIN REHAR — it is all about setting trends when it comes to fashion and this young designer does not think twice before giving us something outside the box. I liked the simple and loosely embellished outfits, consisting of gowns, ghagra cholis and V-neck ball gowns. The collection was sophisticated, distinct and very marketable. It was titled Rgyaal-Mo. REMA SHEHRBANO — next up was debuting duo Rema Shehrbano who wowed us with their fusion of east meets west collection titled Sophia. Made in a mix of bold and pastel shades, the collection stood out for its sophistication, wearability and a modern touch to an otherwise traditional bridal garment. The short black choli with a matching black lehnga, lightly embellished, added to the collection’s glamour. Knee-length kurta shirts paired with shalwar are another trend to be followed this fall/winter. With an overall something for everyone approach, the collection also targeted youth who do not have to don heavy desi bridal dresses and can play around with their look by opting for off-shoulders, short cholis and light angrakhas. The fabrics consisted of velvet, tissue, organza, cotton net and jamawar for box kurtas, modern as well as classic bridals and peshwas. The pieces also incorporate hand work of gota, zardozi, mukeish, tilla, dabka and hand embroidery. Top model Mehreen Syed showstopped for Rema Shehrbano. SAIRA SHAKIRA — the brand has certainly made its presence felt in a short span of time. Showcasing their bridal collection titled Fairuza, the collection was based in a colour palette of nudes and reds. The collection also featured menswear pieces. Actress Saba Qamar showstopped for the designer duo. What I liked the most about the collection was its solid embroidery, ivory shades and beautiful pastels. ALI XEESHAN — esteemed designer Ali Xeeshan concluded Day 1 with a solo show titled Ijaazat. Hues of red were a major part of the colour palette for the collection. The designer is known for creating statement lehngas and cotton net duppatas, fused with cholis with printed long sleeves. Talk about giving the traditional bride a hip look to go with her desi outfit. Ivory lehngas with bold borders, white and black embellished sherwanis for men and turtle green ghagras with yellow paisleys were some of the highlights of the collection. Young actress Neha showstopped for the designer. photos by faisal farooqui & dragonfly team Published in Daily Times, September 6th 2018.