Bridal fashion expo graces Karachi for the first time

By
Haseem uz Zaman
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Bridal fashion expo graces Karachi for the first time

KARACHI: Prepared to be dazzled by the wedding, casual dresses and accessories, complete with the cufflinks, bowties to heaviest bridal gowns, put on display at the Dolce Vita Exhibit Bridal and Fashion Expo.

The day-long event, which was held at Marriott Hotel on Saturday, has previously been held in three of Pakistan's major cities - Lahore, Islamabad, and Faisalabad - which is why the organisers put in additional effort to bring it to the nation's biggest city, Karachi.

"I think we were ready [to bring it to Karachi], and that's why we went for it," remarked the organisers.

Geo.tv met with the organisers Sania Hasnain Ali and Alyzeh Rahim Shirazi during the expo to talk about wedding festivities and the associated style.

Ali is the creative head of Boho's clothing line, while Shirazi is the face behind Arsazi.

A common belief among Pakistanis is that the wedding season peaks in the winter months, especially December and January. However, Shirazi disagrees with that notion, adding "it's all year round now."

Celebrations leading up and pertaining to a wedding have also grown in number, said Shirazi noting that there are seven or eight functions on average. This, she mentioned, is a good boost for the industry.

Ali added, "Everyone needs clothes and jewellery. [Plus, people need dresses to] wear on dinners, lunches, on a daily basis."

A majority of the items on display - comprising dresses, shoes, dupattas or capes - sported tons of intricate embroidery. Some were crafted by hand, while others had paintings, calligraphy, and digital prints.

It is interesting to note that "people are adopting everything," stated Shirazi listing traditional, modern, and funky wear as examples. She said, "These days, it's not [about] following one particular trend."

The present time is one where many are open to experiments on their big days. In addition, it "doesn't look like people are going to move back [from the new styles they adopt]," Shirazi believes.

Considering how the fashion space is "growing by billions every year," coupled with the fact that there is a lot of popularity and exhibition on social media, numerous people opt for counterfeit products, which Shirazi thinks is unavoidable.

She said that the industry is "not making losses, [so a designer should rather] take it as flattery" if someone copied their designs. Sania agrees.

"If someone wants to look perfect on their wedding, they'll go for something that's stitched well."

Brands present at the event included Hassan Sheheryar Yasin (HSY), Sania Maskatiya, Tena Durrani, Amrapali Jaipur, Élan, Karma, and Blood Orange.