AQUAFINA RISING TALENT SHOWCASE — the PFDC, in continuation of their consistent efforts to introduce fresh forces of fashion to the industry, brought to PLBW the Rising Talent showcase. Abbas Jamil showcased his collection titled ‘The Dauphin of Versaille’. The headgears, clothing style of Marie and the classical baroque interior of the palace were merged together to make the collection which also featured layers of fabrics, Swarovskis, pearls and crystals depicting the richness and delicacy of the collection. Elaha Ahmed showcased her collection ‘Beauty in Ashes’. Inspired by the fictional character of Daenerys Targaryen from the fantasy drama series, ‘Game of Thrones’, the collection portrayed ‘self-made woman who are feminine yet resilient; such women bloom like roses from ashes and smoke’. Mehak Yaqoob’s collection for PLBW’s Rising Talent showcase, ‘Transmutation of Louis Trunk’ was a fusion of structured Louis Vuitton’s trunks with the soft folds of Bisterband. Urwah Ali’s collection for the Rising Talent showcase was titled ‘Masculine Femininity’. Inspired from Deridda’s concept of binary opposition, the theme of Biker Ballerina by Rei Kawakubo was chosen and applied further to emphasise how woman are perfect example of this notion, being sensitive and intense at the same time. HUSSAIN REHAR — Pakistan Fashion Design Council L’Oreal Paris Bridal Week (PLBW) 2019 Day 1 was opened by Hussain Rehar who showcased his bridal collection titled Fateh Pur – The Amour Proper of Punjab. The collection was a blend of rich potent colour contrasts with defiant bold cuts and layering of sheer fabric. The collection had a lot of Punjabi motifs coming together with bold and uncommonly brilliant handcrafted work making it as rare as it could be yet dramatically impassioned. Former supermodel and talk show host Iffat Omar participated in the designer’s showcase as a celebrity showstopper. SAIRA SHAKIRA — the finale for Day 1 of PLBW ’19 was presented by the designer duo of Saira Shakira who showcased their bridal couture collection titled ‘Kali – a bloom’. The garments revolved around florals and nature, playing with traditional craftsmanship on pure fabrics, exploring the art and techniques of Chatta Patti and resham. The collection featured ravishing couture pieces with intricate work of crystals, pearls, gota and delicate sequin art in hues of pastels with a contrast of bright colours to lift the palette. The end result was a gorgeous floor length gowns in magical net, organza, tissue, silk and jamawaar fabrics embellished in crystals and pearls that shine bright from a distance. NIDA AZWER — Nida Azwer showcased her bridal collection titled ‘Anarkali’. Inspired from the rich Mughal heritage of art and textiles, Nida Azwer revived the age-old techniques of cuts and fine embroideries made in zardozi, marori, wasli, gota, kamdani, mirror work and fine silk threads and velvet work. Voluminous kalidars, anghrakhas and peshwas were paired with magnificent farshi ghararas, lehngas, izars and chooridaars that were complimented with richly worked duppatas and chaadar. Miniature paintings and Mughal architecture were finely intertwined with delicate florals. Heirloom pieces with immaculate detailing was seen. The collection consists of 16 distinct designs for womenswear using rich jewel tones of rubies, sapphire, gold and silver which are off white with lovely soft hues, with an option of pairing the separates in multiple ways. The ‘Anarkali’ collection featured custom designer jewellery by Print Therapy. ZUBIA ZAINAB — debuting designer Zubia Zainab showcased her bridal collection titled ‘Dare to Dream’. The collection emphasised on outfits that are both feminine and also carry an edgy twist. Actress Ushna Shah participated in the designer’s showcase as a celebrity showstopper.