By Maliha Rehman
The red carpet at the 22nd Hum Lux Style Awards was not just star-studded – it was also packed with some very cool fashion statements. A lot of stars finally seem to have gotten the memo that an awards ceremony is not equivalent to shaadi-wear. They opted to eschew embroideries and bling and collaborated with stylists who steered towards them interesting new cuts and sleek, glamorous gowns. It was refreshing.
There was, of course, a considerable crowd of stars who still opted for glittery saris and clothes suffocated by embellishment. One really can’t place too much blame on them. Celebrities – particularly TV drama actresses – face the singular dilemma of choosing looks that walk the fine line between glamor and modest-wear. Should a neckline dive too deep, they would have all of social media attacking them for their lack of religion. Should they try to counter this by choosing a basic shalwar kameez or sari, commentators will raise sardonic eyebrows and declare that they look like they are at a shaadi. It’s very difficult winning over the masses when you’re a drama actress associated with chaste, long-suffering good bahu roles on TV!
The good bahus can, then, continue to float about in their flowing, glittering kameezzes and saris – and save the clothes for attending a Valima later on. Countering them were a host of fabulous sartorial statements. A cape that designer Fahad Hussayn wore pronounced, ‘I grieve fashion’, making a jibe at how the fashion categories at the awards had been shrunk unfathomably. And yes, while this is certainly unfortunate, there was a lot on the red carpet that one did not need to grieve about at all …
Kiran Malik
Who else but Kiran Malik? Topping the list is Kiran with her long, long legs and an innate flair for fashion which, in fact, even many local stylists lack desperately. Dressed in a Balmain outfit – that she’s worn before as well – Kiran put up her hair in a messy updo, opted for makeup that complemented her bronze skin tone and swept away all the red-carpet accolades.
Quite gorgeous – the fact that she’s acting so well in the drama Jaisi Aapki Marzi makes me hopeful that she’ll be flying out from Dubai, where she lives, for local events more frequently. She just makes the red carpet a better place.
Saheefa Jabbar Khattak
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Saheefa Jabbar Khattak oozed glamour in a figure-hugging floor-length gown by designer Mariyam D. Rizwan. The gown was a bright shade of yellow, with a flared skirt that added a touch of drama. It was also great that she didn’t go crazy with the styling. With her hair tied up, her makeup minimal and the strapless silhouette accentuating her bone structure, Saheefa dazzled.
Amar Khan
Amar Khan belongs to the lot of drama actresses mentioned earlier who are encumbered with the task of somehow looking glamorous-but-chaste, film siren-but-good-bahu, sexy-but-not sexy! Thankfully, I feel that she doesn’t allow herself to get bothered by this too much. Young, vivacious and talented, she’s always been very inclined towards making distinctive sartorial statements. And she did so very well in a bespoke Adnan Pardesy gown. The all-black silk gown had net in the bodice and back and detailed tone-on-tone embellishment that added just the right dose of bling. The silhouette was structured and very, very neat – I wouldn’t expect less from Adnan Pardesy!
The minimal jewelry, tied up hair and winged eyeliner worked perfectly with the look.
Vaneeza Ahmed
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The last of Pakistani fashion’s super models, Vinnie may have left the catwalk a long time ago but she still steals the spotlight every time she makes a red-carpet appearance! She was a vision in a floor-length symmetrical draped knit dress, draped and cut by Fahad Hussayn, with a leather belt and some sequined lace details. She put her hair up and wore minimal jewelry and of course, it helps that Vinnie is just so gorgeous – the height, the bone structure and her natural grace are goals!
Yasir Hussain
Standing out in the crowd of suited booted men was Yasir Hussain, wearing Hussain Rehar’s latest ready-to-wear line Jugnu Lahore (which had launched that very evening!). The monochrome black and white kurta and pants set, paired with a matching waistcoat and an oversized bag defined fashion-forward pret which could be amped up for the red carpet! Very, very cool.
Ayesha Omar
When does Ayesha Omar ever look bad? The actress has a knack for always standing out, intrinsically knowing what will work for a dress, from the accessories to the hair and makeup! At the LSA’s, Ayesha wore a sari by Rashmi Kumari, with a beaded cape draped over the strappy blouse. The old-school ‘70’s Hollywood hair, the statement earrings and the dewy makeup were perfect!
Kaifi Khalil
The young Kaifi Khalil may be camera-shy and generally media-shy but his colossal popularity means that all eyes are perpetually drawn towards him. Whether he likes it or not, he has to dress up for the red carpet – and he did so very well.
Nevertheless, Kaifi didn’t want to wear shoulder pads. He wanted easy breezy, casual lines. Accordingly, designer Humayun Alamgir created an oversized white suit for him, set off by a funky floral at the front, created out of katt-dana embroidery. The floral, says the designer, adds a pop of color and additionally, was selected particularly because Kaifi’s next song refers to ‘gulaab’ (rose) in the lyrics!
The look was youthful and fresh and very much in tune with the singer’s no-fuss persona.
Bilal Maqsood
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When in doubt, wear Ahmed Bham! And that’s exactly what Bilal Maqsood did. The superbly cut blue suit matched his funky blue spectacles and the ‘Lalbaig’ pocket square added a bright pop of color. In case you didn’t know, Lalbaig is one the characters from Bilal’s recently launched collection of skits and songs for children in Urdu, Pakkay Dost. It was a fun detail – and a very individualistic one.
Amna Ilyas
You can’t go wrong with Zaheer Abbas. This is probably what Amna Ilyas thought, when she collaborated with the designer for her red-carpet look. Her chiffon sari was paired with a one-shoulder silk blouse with a bow at the shoulder and she opted for a long, long braid and statement earrings to complement the design. Distinctive and designed impeccably, it was a red carpet look that would please the discerning fashion enthusiast.
Nimra Jacob
Nimra Jacob always looks fabulous and Fahad Hussayn knows how to create fabulous looks. That’s fabulous times two! The super model looked standout in a couture dress constructed out of refurbished silks. The jewel tones were a far cry from the staid pastels and monochromes that frequent the red carpet and the design techniques were quintessential Fahad Hussayn, with the corseted top twisted and draped and an exaggerated deconstructed bow at the hip line!
Add to it the elaborate, statement jewelry also custom-made by the designer and you had a look that was one of the very best of the night.
Sarmad Khoosat
The talented Mr Khoosat is so unique and individualistic in all that he does that it made sense for him to wear a design that suited his persona. The look, custom-made for him by fledgling label Shoaikh the Brand, consisted of a draped cape in silk, paired with an overcoat accentuated by steel shoulder-pads. The color palette was a pristine ivory and zooming in on the details, the shoulder pads were created by hand-stitching hundreds of metal-leaves. Even Sarmad’s shoes were created specially by the same brand, the cut-outs allowing just a bit of skin to show!
The drapes, the free-flowing silhouette and the monochrome palette was very artistic and suited Sarmad so well. He went on to win the award for Best Director that night – and he was absolutely wearing a winning outfit!
Hussain Rehar
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What would Hussain Rehar wear but Hussain Rehar? The designer opted for his just-launched Jugnu line, stepping out in an embroidered blazer and pants set. It was an easy breezy, casually stylish red-carpet statement and Hussain amped it up with a glinting brooch and matching earring, just in one ear.
Yasser Darr
Yasser Darr dresses himself quite the same way he styles fashion shoots, mixing and matching, pairing a certain color with another unconventional one, accessorizing just a bit but not too much. And he always ends up being one of the very best dressed men at an event. For the LSA’s, the stylist wore shiny red leather pants and an oversized light grey blazer with a blue and white pin-striped shirt with a bit of text on it – all hand-picked during a recent trip to Bangkok! He added a pair of cool glasses, wore big shoes purchased from ZARA and borrowed a tie from a friend.
Put it all together and you have a sensational red-carpet look. Yasser is a pro at styling shoots but really, he styles himself just as well!
Mohsin Ali
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Mohsin Ali wears Sana Safinaz – and he wears it so well, that he makes everyone around him also make a beeline for the brand. The focal point of his outfit at the LSA’s was the lacy white jacket with 3-D embellishments, reinvented from a Sana Safinaz couture piece. Matching lacy pants and a silk shirt completed the look. Add a bit of pouting just for the cameras, and you have yet another contender for the Best Dressed list!
Nomi Ansari
Nomi Ansari is one of those rare designers who understands the importance of a fine fit, may it be a risqué choli or a man’s suit. And I have long believed that Nomi’s own dress sense is testament to his keen eye for design and details. The designer wore a black and white pin-striped suit to the LSA’s, amped up with a red tie – but what made it rock particularly were the embroidered motifs dotted all along the design. Birds, deer, honeybees and butterflies flitted about Nomi’s suit – the tailoring was perfect, of course.
Saim Sadiq
Saim Sadiq came wearing an all-black suit – but it wasn’t your usual suit. Created by designer Fahad Hussayn, the tropical linen design was accentuated by just a touch of bling: a single gold-rimmed turquoise gem button! Paired with a silk shirt, it was an elegant look for the Best Director nominee.
Umer Aalam
Emraan Rajput knows how to cut a suit well, keeping an eye on silhouette and fit and opting for subtle, sophisticated color palettes. The design that he created for Omer Aalam was a particular winner. The blue silk jacket, bow tie and black cummerbund was old-school Hollywood and suited the young actor extremely well.
Usama Khan
More old-school glamor was delivered by the very style-savvy Usama Khan. The blazer and matching pants, the bow tie and the impeccably cut, classic lines made for a sophisticated red-carpet statement.
What do you think?