The Other Side by SSK: Review: Ammara Khan showcases a Limited Edition Luxury Prêt Line and Bridal Wear at Ensemble

Acclaimed Couture House Ammara Khan showcased a limited edition luxury Prêt line a few days ago (27^th Jan) in Karachi inspired by its “The Winter Palace: A Celebration of the Russian Tsarina”, along with the Bridal Collection in its complete, original form at Ensemble Karachi. The Luxury Prêt line comprises of four exclusive diffused ensembles from the designer's acclaimed collection she first showcased in Lahore at Pakistan L'Oreal Bridal Week (PLBW) in October last year.

I had the pleasure to witness the collection myself at the Fashion Week and it was just as the title suggests, royally elegant! One of my two favourites from the collection is the piece worn by Sabeeka Imam. The gorgeous ruby studded net had a coral blouse inside and floral design all over in two shades of coral. The border was of a gold floral design merging perfectly with the nude and gold in the pants.

The top was a sight alright, but the straight pants are what caught my eyes and I'm sure everyone's heart. Based on nude, the pants have diagonal lines from two distinctly different textured gold stripes.The perfect fit pencil pants had pearl lining along the side as well as small ruby stones below the knees. Of course the way Imam owned the piece as if it were especially designed for her, is commendable in itself too. I believe the success of a dress relies to a certain degree on the way it is carried.

The showstopper, or rather heart stopper, was the mermaid tail bridal gown adorned by Mehreen Syed. Needless to say she carried it as beautifully as it is designed. The gown was heavily embellished with silver on a pastel base. I loved the silk ribbon at the back; it made the gown that much classier. The soft braided updo, charcoal black eyes and subtle cherry red lips went just perfect with the theme of the collection. Syed totally rocked like a queen!

The collection draws inspiration from the luxurious and opulent lifestyle of Russian Royalty. For the capsule collection, Ammara Khan employs exquisite age old techniques of embroidery using silver and gold thread with meticulous craftsmanship, embellished with crystals, semi-precious stones and lustrous pearls. The color palette is inspired by the festive colors of the historic Winter Palace and features hues such as rich gold, silvers, soft pastels, amber, taupe, Prussian blues, coral and ivory.

Yet another exciting and totally fit-for-a-king collection by Khan who founded the couture house in 2002. She is renowned for her signature focus on supreme luxury and exquisite craftsmanship which shows in her work as a harmonious blend of the classic and contemporary. With a childhood love for fashion, Khan pursued her dream and acquired formal education from the renowned Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) New York and Polimoda in Florence, Italy specializing in evening wear.

Here are a few snap shots from the showcase at Ensemble.