Whenever I get an invite to an extravagant family party or oriental style wedding, I’m overwhelmed with excitement. I have to selfishly admit most of this excitement is due to the fact that I can wear something special for the occasion and spend weeks in advance shopping and planning my outfit. The first question on my mind is ‘do I wear traditional ethnic clothing to this event or something contemporary?’. I usually grab every chance I get to create an oriental look and express my culturally diverse background. I imagine myself entering the party, looking like a Bollywood starlet, attracting everyone’s attention and feeling like a true socialite. People will be snapping pictures to capture my outfit and grand me the fashion it-girl status. As my fantasy evening continues in my mind, I see myself on the dance floor…but my sari starts falling apart when I try to bust a move and the heavily embroidered top is making me itchy, while the entire ensemble starts slowing me down and tiring me out. You understand where I am going with this? Wearing traditional ethnic gowns can make you feel like an oriental princess, but can also be very heavy or complex when you are trying to have fun at a party. The solution is to opt for prêt a porter collections. You get the best of both worlds, the oriental look and the comfort of contemporary fashion.
The Timur Collection
Today I present to you, a prêt a porter collection by Mahgul for Nasreen Shaikh named; The Timur Collection. A collection that combines traditional Pakistani design with ready to wear silhouettes.
The fabrics used for this collection are satins, silks and georgettes. They are embellished with unique mother of pearl inlay as well as detailed threadwork. The idea behind this collection is that less is more when it comes to embroidery and the inspiration behind this collection is the idea of versatility. The color palette is bright and flirty with yellows, reds and blues taking center stage.
Collection Review
What I like about this collection is that it has the embellishments we all admire about oriental style clothing, but it isn’t as heavy as most couture or evening wear pieces. These are very wearable items. I like the playfulness of the silhouettes and the different cuts, like the top with cut-out shoulders or the floral cape with open back. Most items consist of pants combined with embroidered tops, which look simple and comfortable to wear. I really like the red, embroidered tunic combined with white pants and the yellow skirt combined with an embroidered yellow top. I am a big fan of lehenga ensembles and the shalwar kameez styles are perfect for those opting for a modest look. This collection is very young and playful, the use of color is very vibrant and perfect for spring/summer. This collection shows that ethnic clothing can also be comfortable and ‘simple’. If you get tired of wrapping yourself into a sari and don’t feel like carrying heavy layers of embroidered fabric, it is a good idea to go for collections like these that give you both the beauty of the orient and the comfort of contemporary prêt a porter.
Let me know which of these ensembles you would want to wear for a special occasion!
For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/MahgulForNS
Photography by Sara Khan