It was an evening adorned with vivacious colors, style and substance as the Pakistan couture was unveiled at Pakistan Women’s Forum. The brilliant blues, paprika reds, dramatic silhouettes and richly embellished outfits with timeless elegance hit the runway with a bang.

It was a feast of Pakistani fashions in myriad colors, designs, cuts and textures at the recently held Pakistan Fashion Extravaganza. The event was hosted by the members of the Pakistan Women’s Forum of Kuwait, in collaboration with Fashioneastas.com and Designers Lounge Dubai, at the Holiday Inn in Salmiya.

Fashion collections of renowned designers like Sana Abbas, Naz Junaid, Waseem Noor, Lubna Elahi, Maharani, Alishae and Uzma Hai were showcased at this glittering event. The fashion paid tribute to the glorious textile culture of Pakistan. The event saw models sashaying the ramp in spectacular salwaar – kameezes, anarkalis and churidars, swirling peshwas and churidars in dreamy textures like silks, chiffons and banarsis in myriad colors.

The show opened with Sana Abbas’s collection of cool palates of soft delicate shades, with a soft feminine touch, achieved through intricate embroideries and impeccable finishes. Uzma Hai’s collection was dominated by silk fabrics, rich colors and a medley of patterns and stripes. Meanwhile, Lubna Elahi’s collection was in an array of colors, fabrics and techniques. Maharani’s magical collection, highlighting exquisitely embellished long kameezes with intricate detailing in zari, swarovski crystals and diamantes sequins, was indeed a splendid line of opulent traditional techniques.

Designer’s Lounge collection showcased clothes with strong feminine aesthetics that spelt simplicity and grace.

Rich in style and silhouette, Wasim Noor sent a beautiful mixture of vibrant colors down the catwalk, capturing the essence of timeless sophistication in his embellished couture. Putting a twist on the classic was Naz Zunaid. The collection captured the audience’s attention with a dramatic display of anarkali-churidar suits and peshwas with impeccable embellishments and touch of brocades. Alishae’s whimsical collection took us on a journey with clothes aimed at the modern women.

True to PWF style, the fashion odyssey featured the perfect balance and juxtaposition of glamour and culture. The mehendi scene (henna) and dance sequence totally floored the guests. There was a raffle with great prizes donated by local businesses and community members.

The overwhelming attendance was a clear indication of the successful job by the committee members. “I would like to thank all those who lent their support to the event and made it such a success,’ said the Pakistan Woman’s Forum (PWF) President Yasmin Mirza. “We had a great turnout and people enjoyed the show. The event was an endeavor to showcase that Pakistani women are smart, progressive and committed.”

She expressed her appreciation and gratitude to the committee, PWF members, the fashion designers, models, makeup and hair artists, and various companies for their sponsorship, contributions and support for the event. She explained, “We are an organization in which our main focus is working towards the betterment of children and women and are actively involved in charitable causes both in Kuwait and in Pakistan.”

Over the years PWF has contributed its fair share in promoting Pakistani culture and improving the image of our women as motivated and committed towards making a difference in the lives of the less fortunate.”

The guest of Honor for the event was Sheikha Hessa Al Salam Al Sabah, Chairperson, National Development Project, Atamana. The event was graced by the PWF patron Dr. Husna Iftikhar, wife of the Pakistani Ambassador to Kuwait. Among those in attendance were wives of the ambassadors of Republic of Bangladesh (Punam Shahad), Republic of Nepal (Sita Paudel), Republic of Sri Lanka (Jayalakshimi Marry Ann Wijeratne), Mynamar (Mu Mu Cho), Brunei Dar al Salam (Pengiran Muspapa Aliuddin), Republic of Indonesia (Eva Adamhar), and Republic of Korea (Hee Sookkim).

Naseem Tahir, a Yemeni expatriate said she was delighted to see the fashion fiesta. “Very feminine and gorgeous collection,” she said. Safiah Amir Ahmed, a PWF volunteer who walked the ramp said that they had been practicing for the past two months for the show. “I feel extremely happy to be one of the participants.”

PWF-Kuwait is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by Yasmeen Muzaffar with the concept that women can make a significant contribution to society alongside the International community to achieve their common goals and is affiliated with the Pakistani Embassy in Kuwait.

Photographs courtesy: Photo Memorie/PWF.