Honoring the resilience, diversity, and strength of women.

Pakistan’s iconic couturier HSY is set to stage the finale of the 8th edition of PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week 2018 with the brand’s new A/W Bridal couture collection titled ‘Zmarei’ or  ‘lioness’ in Pashto.

With ‘Zmarei’, HSY pays tribute to the powerful woman of today; but specifically pays tribute to the strength and resilience of women from KPK as envisioned by the couturier. As HSY sees it, taking charge of the narrative and fighting back to take control, these women are going into battle each day of their lives and are challenging the world around them. They are their own knights in shining armor. The collection also attempts to subtly celebrate the beauty of diversity in the women from strength from that region.

For the collection HSY has collaborated with 35 of the most aspirant designers specially handpicked by the designer himself through the brand’s HMP [HSY Mentorship Program]. These individuals come from diverse academics and demographics in line with what the collection itself stands for ‘the beauty in diversity’.

The collection uses swirling hemlines, gold edgings, delicate paisley motifs and detailed design and embraces alluring silhouettes of flowing organza, draped watercolor silks, structured raw silk and rich velvet textures. Colors are effused and combined to tell a story of today and long ago which resonates with the region. All motifs and accessories for the collection are all made in Pakistan by Team HSY using local materials and artisans.

“Being raised by a single mother, my mother has always been a pillar of strength in my life. I can’t imagine where I would be without her support and love. She is my woman of strength but if I look beyond my own life and though my mother made a lot of struggle in her own life, she was lucky enough to be in a part of country where woman compared to other parts still have the freedom in society to stand what they believe in. Whenever I look at the women of KPK, I’m cannot imagine how much inner strength and resilience these women have put up to be where they are in their lives. Their challenges are two folds and so is their strength. This collection is a tribute to those lionesses” said designer Hassan Sheheryar Yasin.