The 23rd edition of the Sunsilk HUM Bridal Couture Week (BCW), held in Lahore from December 20 to 22, 2025, was a visual feast of gilded opulence and intricate threadwork. Under the watchful eye of show choreographer Rizwan Beyg, the runway shimmered with the collections of veterans like HSY, Fahad Hussayn, and Ali Xeeshan. But as the dust settles on the final walk, the industry finds itself at a crossroads. While the event was a commercial triumph, it cemented a divisive trend that has been brewing for a decade: the total displacement of the professional model by the “celebrity showstopper.”
In 2025, the ramp was no longer a platform for fashion; it was a stage for social media stats. From TikTok sensation Jannat Mirza closing for HSY to TV actors like Ahmed Ali Akbar and Muneeb Butt taking the final bow, the message was clear: the garment is a secondary character to the face wearing it.
A History of the Invasion: From Cameo to Takeover
To understand why this is a crisis, one must look at how far we have drifted. In the early 2010s, a “showstopper” was a rare, high-stakes finale. One remembers the electric moment when Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan walked for Umar Sayeed during the height of the Humsafar craze. It was “essential gimmickry”, a single, calculated burst of star power that added a layer of narrative to a collection already proven by professional models.
Fast forward to 2025, and the gimmick has become the standard. At this year’s BCW, the “invasion” was complete. Many designers, such as Shoaib Ismail, relied on influencers like Alina Amir to carry their flagship pieces. Where we once had icons like Vaneeza Ahmed or Cybil Chaudhary who could make a simple fabric look like a royal decree, we now have influencers who often struggle to manage the sheer weight of a 20kg lehenga.
The Erasure of the “Liquid Walk”
Modeling is a technical discipline. It requires an understanding of the “liquid walk”, the ability to glide so that the fabric drapes perfectly, the embroidery catches the light, and the silhouette remains undisturbed. A professional model, like this year’s standout Eva Anderson, knows how to disappear into the clothes.
When a celebrity or TikToker takes the ramp, the opposite happens. The “stumble-stopper” effect was on full display in December. We saw actors lifting their lehengas as if they were in a parade, and performing awkward, rehearsed “theatrical bits” that distracted from the needlework. When Jannat Mirza walked for HSY’s collection, the conversation on social media wasn’t about the Mughal-inspired grandeur or the gold tiaras; it was about her “expressions.” The fashion became a footnote to the personality.
View this post on Instagram
The “Numbers” Argument vs. Artistic Integrity
The defense for this shift is always economic. Designers argue that a professional model doesn’t bring a million Instagram followers to a brand’s page. In a struggling economy, “reach” is the only currency that pays the bills. Stylists like Saim Azaan Khan noted during the week that BCW has become an “entertainment promotion” as much as a craft promotion.
However, this is a short-sighted victory. By prioritizing virality over virtuosity, the industry is devaluing the very craft it claims to protect. When a dress is designed specifically for an influencer who cannot walk in it, the design itself is often “dumbed down”, simplified so the celebrity doesn’t trip. This leads to a sea of “commercially viable” but artistically stagnant wedding-wear. As critics have noted, we are seeing a “mixed chutney” of silhouettes we have seen a thousand times before, because real innovation requires a professional canvas that can handle edgy, difficult drapes.
View this post on Instagram
The Missing Middle
The most tragic casualty of 2025 is the mid-career professional model. Modeling in Pakistan has become a thankless job where the ceiling is incredibly low. If the highest honor in a show, the finale, is reserved for someone who has never been trained in the craft, why would any young talent pursue modeling as a career? We are effectively killing the profession that gives fashion its life-blood.
While there were “saving graces” this season, Fahad Hussayn’s riot of color and Adnan Pardesy’s technical precision, these moments were often drowned out by the noise of celebrity reveals. Even the most beautiful collections had to share the spotlight with the “TikToker of the hour.”
View this post on Instagram
Reclaiming 2026: A Call for Balance
As we enter 2026, the organizers of BCW and the designers of Pakistan must ask themselves: Are we running a fashion show or a talent show?
The industry needs to return to a “Model-First” philosophy. Celebrities should be in the front row, wearing the clothes as guests, not as mediocre proxies for professionals. If we continue to trade the ramp for clicks, we will eventually reach a point where there is no fashion left to click on, only a series of famous faces wearing increasingly generic clothes.
Bridal Couture Week has the potential to be a global export engine for Pakistani craft. But for that to happen, the “Couture” must once again become the showstopper.
Check out our latest video:
