bridal

Of silhouettes and brides

This week You! features beautiful Urwa Hocane flaunting Saira’s Rizwan’s
stunning bridal costumes...

A typical Pakistani wedding is a vibrant and elaborate affair.  So the event comprises much fanfare and grandeur. Also the choice of bridal wear is a very delicate decision as it must complement the skin tone of the bride. The jewellery, makeup and hair-do must all be in accordance with the bridal outfit. Also, the bridal dress must stand out in the crowd and complement the bride. The choice of bridal wear is important as it must look attractive in the wedding photographs as well.

The Pakistani bride has a variety of bridal wear options to shimmer, sparkle and glow as she drapes herself in embroidered fabrics and elegant jewels. Traditional bridal costumes are now made available with more options in terms of the colours as well as the embroidery patterns. The traditional embroidery of course retains the old-world charm but the contemporary embroidery patterns offer to add a modern streak to bridal wear. Rich fabrics such as silk, organza, jamewars and brocades are generally the fabric of choice in traditional bridal attire.

Contemporary bridal  designers choose vibrant colours to spread the embellishments and sequins. They offer customised services that include designs, shapes, sizes, patterns, colour, embroidery and embellishments. Their motto is to create fabulous silhouettes for eastern brides to look radiant on their weddings. The bride celebrates her womanhood by wearing these exclusive bridal wears and enhances the essence of femininity.

When it comes to contemporary bridal designers Saira Rizwan’s name instantly comes to one’s mind. Saira Rizwan has been designing clothes since 2007 and in a short span of time her label has made its presence felt in the fashion industry. Saira creates a diverse array of designs for a modern woman ranging from traditional, contemporary to fusion designs and are in-sync with the on-going trends. The brand made its fashion week debut in October 2011 at Bridal Couture Week (BCW) in Lahore with the collection titled ‘Jehan’. Since then Saira has participated in major fashion events of the country. In 2012 Saira opened its flagship store and bridal studio in Lahore.

Her latest collection is the essential bridal wear dresses which features some stunning bridal and formal pieces best suited for traditional weddings and formal events. The vibrant shades such as beige, fawn, golden, brown and others have been used in this collection. The collection also comprises softer tones of plum, turquoise, green and warm shades of maroon and brown.  The shirts are fully embroidered with different materials like stones, laces and patches. They are decorated with tilla, nakshi, cora and dabka work. The intricate embroidery done on these formal dresses are beautifully spread across the flawless fabric and speak eloquently of designer’s creativity. 

Bringing out new stunning designs, Saira Rizwan’s execution is a combination of grace and glamour. The brand’s ultimate goal is to provide women more style and make them feel even more beautiful with their exquisite range of deigns to bring out royalty.

Handle with care - six ways to make sure your wedding dress is in tip-top shape:

You only get to wear your wedding dress once, but it’s something to cherish for years to come so it’s important to keep it in the perfect shape:

• Leave it at the boutique:  It’s better to keep your wedding dress at the boutique.  Ask the designer to hold on to your dress until 48 hours before the wedding.
• Give it some breathing room: Once you have it home, take it out of the bag (so it doesn’t get crushed) and hang it from something sturdy and high - preferably in a low-traffic room, like an unoccupied guest room at your parents’ house.
• Wait till the last minute to put it on: You’ll be super excited to step into your dress when the day arrives, but hold off until just before photo time  in order to avoid uncalled stains on your dress.

 

• Have emergency supplies on hand. Include a needle and thread and a lint brush in your stash of emergency supplies, to take care of any last-minute mishaps.
• Leave spots to the professionals: Be careful during wear, especially around drinks and food, but also avoid contact with damp confetti and mud around the hems.  If you do get a smudge or a stain on your dress on your big day, don’t try to remedy it yourself. Instead, go to a dry cleaner who has experience with wedding dresses. Arrange your dress cleaning as soon as possible after the big day as the longer you leave them, the harder they are to remove.
• Once it has been cleaned, the wedding dress should be wrapped in acid-free tissue paper before storing. This will help prevent light damage and discolouration.
• Once wrapped, there are two main options for storage. The first is a breathable bag, which you can buy in synthetic or natural fibres. However, all textiles contain moisture and, over time, mildew and mould damage can appear.

 

Credits

Text: Sadaf Jabeen Designer: Saira Rizwan Model: Urwa Hocane

Styling: Haiya Bokhari  Photography: Alee Hassan Hair & Makeup: Shoaib Khan

Jewellery: Project Rich Location: Katas Raj Temples