SGC I was waiting for your review!!! This should have a separate thread. So RimJhim and Jabeens for formals...got it! I've been told that by others as well :-) Justa few questions... What's a good place for clutches and shoes? Also, other than gulf, where did you see excellent quality fabrics? Did you go to see any designer work? How did it compare with RJ and Jabeens? Were RJ and Jabeens willing to copy things for you or do they have their own designs? Do you remember any specific places in Zamzama that had awesome stuff (other than the one's you mentioned)?
Naqsa, we didn't have a designer budget, so we didn't visit any designers. But as I said, what I saw in the markets was so nice that I didn't feel like we missed out on anything. And another thing, this designer-need is primarily from us folks coming in from abroad. I met ONE person in my entire trip who had her bridal made by Mrs. Kazmi and her valima by Dr. Haroon. I was all over the city too - in Defense and in other neighborhoods so it has very little to do with money, I feel. Most people prefer to get their designs copied from places like Jabeens/Rim Jhim or for formals/semi formals, from Kehkashan. And thats another thing- don't get your bridal from Kehkashan. Once you visit, you'll see what I mean. Its just nt the right venue for something thats going to cost you so much money.
Specific places in Zamzama, not really. I'm sorry, I don't remember names, but if you walk around there, you'll see what you like and what you don't.
I know Threads & Motifs is in the Pie in the Sky lane. And like I said, of all the boutiques I saw, the ones on the lane as Royal Silk Palace had the nicest ones.
Oh, and I found the card for them:
Royal Silk Palace
I-C Zamzama, Commercial Lane 9
Tel: 5824150, 5370793
My hubby's sherwani is raw silk and the entire ensemble including the inner kurta and shalwar was 18,000 rupees. Hubby is also extra tall so they needed more fabric. Pricing mainly depends on the fabric you use, i.e. jamavars will be pricier than plain fabrics, etc. They also have lots of kula/pagri styles and fabrics. And did you know they make kula/pagris out of three piece suit materials? Hahaha I found that hilarious! But the guy was like, once you're done wearing it, just unwrap it and make a suit for the Mrs!
Clutches and shoes we didn't really shop for but you won't have a problem finding them. A lot of the shoe stores like EBH and also the independent ones have clutches too. Oh, there was this little stall in the middle of the Forum Mall that had gorgeous clutches, so definitely check that mall out too.
Gulf has a lot of variety for fabric but you can also check Ashiana for that too.
Oh! I forgot to mention this store on Tariq Road- its called Diana Fashions. They're very good for formals too. And they bargain. They're in the same side of the road as Jabeen's, just further up the street, so definitely visit them too.
And yes, Rim Jhim and Jabeen's have a lot of beautiful original styles of their own, but if you take a magazine, you can show them what you want and they'll copy it for you. Just make sure you pick the kind of kaam you want to get copied from their existing outfits so you have a better sense of what you are getting. Thats how I ordered my outfit for the wedding- I saw a shirt style I loved and I paired that with a lehenga and the kaam from another shirt that I saw, and I gave them my colour swatch so iA it's going to end up looking gorgeous! The mehendi jora I saw hanging there and fell in love with it as-is, so I just ordered it as it was.