Lux Carnival de Couture

The fashion melie-cum-society ball, Lux Carnival de Couture 2004, slated as "a glittering ensemble of global high fashion" created a buzz at a private space in Karachi, and presented the show-stopping creations of Delhi-based couturier Tarun Tahiliani and the socialite-inspired designs of low-key Karachi duo Sana Safinaz.

Amid an ambience created by pristine, orchidaceous flora, cozy lounges, 'tables of 10' and an operatic blanket of white stage created by Ahsan Najmi, the two disparate design teams presented their alternately brashly sexy and quietly ethereal concoctions. DJ Asif opened Tahiliani's sequence with a medley of Bluesy, chanteusesque torch songs that correlated well with Tarun's provocative Josephine Baker inspired 'looks'. These included a camel-coloured flowing skirt over straight pants, worn with a bustier that was festooned with elaborate faux sapphire, ruby and emerald body jewellery that covered the bodice and hips. Armlets and an exquisite sapphire hair-pin end-noted the Parisienne flapper look.

Tarun is one of India's preeminent fashion designers and the founder of the Tarun Tahiliani Design Studio. His artisinal couture sensibility has allowed him to show his innovative structural forms with their fusion of Indian basics, dovetailed with a contemporary and international aura, at Paris and Milan.

Despite the emphasis on opera performance impact, with lush, stage-light-savvy outfits and a kaleidoscope of splashy mouth-enticing colour and motifs: strawberries, poppies and lemon sorbet, Tarun also offered interesting design elements including cowl necks, asymmetry, pintucking, ruching and trompe l'oeil ('trick of the eye' embroidery). The latter was gorgeously evident in an asymmetrical, tomato bandeau dress ruched into frothy streamers and trompe l'oeiled with an elaborate crest-like jewelled motif set below the bodice.

One also admired Tarun's use of ombri (tie-dye) in a sleek asymmetrical one-shouldered shalwar with intricate sitara embroidery burnished with only a touch of salmon sunset. Perhaps because of his exposure to European couture, with its intermittent nod to the past, Tarun's 90-outfit collection also included an elaborate yet exquisite satin, pin-tucked, multi-layered, backless lime and crimson paisley-motiffed Delphos gown with a Rajistani aura, that was end-noted with delicate crystal spaghetti straps.

Egypt was visited via a beige sari that had a swirl motif inspired by Nefertiti's colour palette worn with a similar motiffed checkboard halter blouse; while the Orient was re-discovered in a Tang Dynasty red and cornflower blue floral printed cheongsam top, paired with slit black satin harem pants. In the same oriental sequence, Tarun introduced a '80s Parisienne construct in the form of a terracotta and cerulean floral motiffed one-shouldered asymmetrical mini dress, tied on the derrihre and to one side with a satin ombri, tasseled sash.

A collection that exuded seduction also included a jersey, body-hugging off-shoulder, knee-length, burnt sienna dress with paisley motifs that was highlighted with an oversize trompe l'oeil pearl design on the open collar. The 'look' was accessorized with a dark tan faux alligator belt and an oversize Perspex and embroidered Kelly tote. What made all of the myriad looks gel was the hair, make-up and styling by Tariq Amin, responsible for both Tarun and S&S's sequences.

Thirteen models from Pakistan that included industry premiers: Vaneeza, Iraj, ZQ, Suneeta, Iman, Gia, Tanya Shafi; and newbies Neha, Rachael, Sherry and Zhalay; and eight Indian cabines that included 'supers' Carol and Sapna; and Sonalika, Diandra, Joey, Laxmi, Vidisha and Bhavna, were given sleek, gelled side partings, flawless, natural and complementary complexions, dark eyes and soft glossy mouths.

Vinnie received applause whenever she appeared on stage, specially in a sequence in which she wore a '40s inspired bikini-bandeau blouse with a salmon and tangerine sari held up by an exquisite brooch. A rather embarrassed Tanya Shafi was also cheered (most probably from a table of her relatives, many in the fashion business) specially when she appeared in a mauve, lilac and magenta candy-striped bandeau worn with a frothy crimson streamer-like skirt.

A 'Best Model of the Evening' competition was added to make things more interesting. The competition was judged by industry veterans fashion designer Maheen Khan, stylist Nabila and fashion photographer Arif Mahmood. Initially, one of the sponsors had chosen fashion designer Umar Sayeed to be a judge. "Yes, Umar's name was put forward," explained Freiha Altaf, the choreographer of the event, "but Collectibles does not have much of an insight into fashion. We added Arif instead purely because of superiority. Maheen, Nabila and Arif are fashion pioneers who have been there from the beginning."

Tarun's collection was added its own drama with a series of noir (black) ensembles that included a chiffon see-through '20s flapper dress with strategically placed hand embroidery and styled accordingly (jewelled hair pin, armlets and smoky eyes); and long-fitted opera coats with kaftan sleeves worn with spangled tailored corsets.

Tarun's love of Indian tradition was evoked by his iridescent colour palette that was highlighted by the lighting arranged by Show Works and lighting director Viraaf from Tarun's Indian team that included choreographer Aparna Bahl of Aparna-Tanya. Rajasthani pink and salmon on a gold-silver sitara speckled sari dovetailed easily with a lime green and tangerine fishtail gharara worn with a round collared crotcheted geometric tiled blouse; while pure ethnicity was presented in the form of a powder blue sitara embroidered sharara and the pihce de resistance: an ornate crimson and salmon gharara heavily embellished with intricate crystal, sitara and zardosi worn with a draped dupatta with delicate ruby and emerald trinkets.

"Tarun's collection was so modern, fresh and sexy with its iridescent colours and chiffons," said fashion designer Hassan Shehryar Yasin who had just returned from Fashion Week in New York.

However, a party-mode Tarun was not in a selling mood. "I don't want to play shop," Tarun explained. "Anyway, I don't think my clothes are really for the Pakistani woman," he added archly.

"We stayed true to our philosophy," explained Safinaz Bilal of Sana Safinaz. "Our cuts are very simple, not fussy but streamlined. We never were, nor will we ever be fussy. Our look is very sleek and not overly embellished. Our clothes are for the confident, sexy woman." Sleek, understated socialite-inspired creations with an emphasis on simple cuts and minimal embroidery remain the design duo's hallmark.

In lieu of the fact that their understated 45-piece 'pret-couture' fusion collection appeared after Tarun's comely showstoppers, many audience members grumbled that S&S's collection was anti-climatic.

In their defence, Safinaz explains: "There was no competition between the two fashion houses. We are very, very different. Sana & Safinaz are quite low-key and don't do many fashion shows whereas Tarun has had extensive international exposure; has never-ending amounts of money; as well as support from the Indian government and export agencies. We are not comparable. We also design keeping in mind Pakistani social mores and wearability. We design according to a practical ethos."

Says Vaneeza Ahmed (Vinnie), who was runner-up to Indian supermodel Sapna, who won 'Best Model' for the evening: "Ask the models who wore the clothes. Tarun's clothes were showstoppers created for runway impact at fashion shows in fashion capitals around the world. Pure drama and commerce. On the other hand, Sana & Safinaz's clothes while also exquisite had the adva