Every bride planning a Pakistani wedding in the UK, USA, Canada or Australia has a folder of saved pictures, and most
of them come from the same twenty houses in Karachi and Lahore. Each has a signature: a colour, a silhouette, a kind
of handwork, a mood. Knowing who does what helps you say what you want. This guide names the houses brides ask us
about most and what each is known for, and then explains the thing brides abroad really want to know: how to have a
look you love made to your measurements, in your colour, with the changes you want.
A note on what this guide is not: we are not any of these houses and we do not sell their pieces. Every piece we make
is our own work, made in our workshop and inspired by a style. Their pieces are theirs; your piece is yours.
The houses, and their signatures
Bunto Kazmi. The grande dame of Pakistani bridal: museum-grade zardozi, dense traditional motifs, deep reds and
antique golds. The reference for "heritage bridal".
HSY (Hassan Sheheryar Yasin). Regal, structured, dramatic silhouettes, often with jewel-toned velvets and heavy
gold. HSY bridals, lehengas and maxis are among the most searched looks abroad.
Sana Safinaz. Polished, couture-finished bridals with modern cuts, pastel and ivory walima pieces and a clean,
international feel.
Elan. Glamour: embellished gowns, trails, crystals and pearls, pastel and champagne walima looks that brides
abroad love.
Nomi Ansari. Colour. Bright, playful, multicolour pieces, the mehndi designer's designer, and vivid bridals with
unusual colour pairings.
Saira Shakira. Modern luxury: soft silhouettes, pastel and ivory bridals, delicate handwork with pearls and
crystals, a favourite for walimas and nikkahs.
Mohsin Naveed Ranjha. Heritage with a twist: traditional ghararas, farshi pajamas and kalidar silhouettes in rich
colours, Mughal motifs, strong on the barat.
Ali Xeeshan. Theatrical, bold, high-fashion bridals with sculptural shapes and statement dupattas and veils.
Faiza Saqlain. Fine made-to-measure couture: delicate pastels, ivory nikkah pieces and refined tilla and pearl
work.
Farah Talib Aziz. Soft romance: pastels, florals, light handwork, dreamy walima and nikkah pieces.
Sania Maskatiya. Clean, contemporary, understated: structured pieces with modern embroidery placement.
Hussain Rehar. Vibrant and fashion-forward, with bold colour, fringe and modern detailing on traditional shapes.
Erum Khan. Rich traditional bridals with heavy handwork, a favourite for barat lehengas.
Republic Womenswear, Annus Abrar, Kanwal Malik, Mushq, Suffuse by Sana Yasir, Tena Durrani, Zainab Chottani,
Imrozia, Sadaf Fawad Khan, Ammara Khan, Nureh, Zara Shahjahan, Faraz Manan, Honey Waqar, Asim Jofa. Each has
brides who search for them by name; between them they cover every mood from bold red to soft pastel, from
semi-formal to full couture.
What brides abroad run into
Three things come up again and again:
- The piece they love is not available in their size, their colour or at all. Couture houses make limited
pieces, and a saved picture is often from a past collection. - Changes are hard. Most houses make their design as designed. A different dupatta, a modest version, a lighter
skirt or a different colour is either not offered or priced as a full custom. - The timeline and the distance. Fittings in Lahore are not practical from Toronto.
How to get a look you love, made your way
This is what we do. You send us the picture of the look you love, from any house, and tell us what you want: your
measurements, your colour, a different dupatta or sleeve, a modest version, lighter or heavier handwork. We design
our version of that look with you on WhatsApp, with fabric photos and a sketch where it helps, and then our own
workshop in Pakistan makes it by hand, about 90% handwork, in 8 to 12 weeks. It is shipped finished to your door in
the UK, USA, Canada or Australia, with progress photos along the way.
What you get is not their piece. It is yours: inspired by the style you love, made to your body and your choices. See
get a look made for what can change, and how it works for the steps.
How to describe the look you want
When you write to us, these five things make the first reply useful:
- The picture, and if you know it, the house and the collection.
- The event: barat, walima, nikkah, mehndi, or a formal.
- What you want to keep: the colour, the silhouette, the neckline, the dupatta style.
- What you want to change: colour, sleeve, length, handwork weight, a modest version.
- Your date and your country, so we can tell you honestly whether the timeline works.
Not a reproduction, a piece of your own
Some websites sell reproductions of designer pieces. That is not what we do, and it is not what brides come to us for.
A bride who sends us a look wants it fitted to her, changed where she wants, and finished to a standard she can see
in the progress photos. That is made to measure, inspired by a style. The pieces on this site are all our own work;
see the bridal page for pieces made in our workshop.
Send us the look you have saved, and tell us what you would change:
WhatsApp Omar Arshad Couture.