By Sana Panjwani
For a country often associated with bad press in the news, Pakistan is a place often underestimated when it comes to art and culture. The South Asian nation is, however, brimming with artistic and cultural heritage that shines through its runway designs.
Just this month, Pakistan was host to two separate fashion weeks; one in Karachi, and the other in Lahore. Intricate and sublime are just two of the many words that are being used to describe these events.
The Lahore and Karachi Fashion Weeks both presented astounding collections, showcasing the culmination of years of hard work on the designers’ end. Focusing on fashionable wear for Pakistan’s long, hot summer months, designers defined and presented some of the hottest trends for 2015.
Both fashion weeks were organized by the Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC), a non-profit organization conceived with the aim to provide Pakistani designers with a much-needed platform to effectively showcase and share their talent with the rest of the fashion industry. According to their website, PFDC acts as a “mouthpiece for the industry, representing and promoting Pakistani designers at all levels, both domestically and internationally.”
Through these events, the PFDC has successfully nurtured the talents of many local starter-uppers, and effectively provided a platform for those in search of it. However, it is not easy to make it in the business.
Sehyr Saigol, the chairperson of the PFDC, rules with a firm but fair fist.
“We can’t lose vision and cater to everybody’s demands,” she said. “Textile brands have often tried to masquerade as designer wear, professing that their collections are created by in-house design teams. I tell them that they are welcome to try out for the luxury-prêt slots but then, I would be judging them in comparison with the bona fide designer creations. If they aren’t up to par, they won’t be allowed a slot at all. It’s surprising how many cringe and complain and yet, we’ve had a strong list of participants showcasing in our textile and fabric categories.”
Some of the designers showcased, including Saira Shakira, Zonia Anwaar, Hina Butt and Natasha Kamal, were groomed by the PFDC themselves and presented head-turning collections. Others, like Misha Lakhani, mesmerized the audience with her minimalistic anglicized glamour while Sana Safinaz’s brilliant prints left the people star-struck. It was Amir Adnan’s menswear that stole the show though, with Fawad Khan modeling the designer’s signature sleek and sophisticated suits.
Saad Ali, CEO of PFDC, said PFDC aims to improve the structure and content of the show each year in order to provide the best possible platform for the fashion industry.
Pakistan’s Fashion Weeks are also beginning to open new doors for the country’s fashion industry, expand horizons for local designers and showcase some of the best the country has to offer. Collections showcased this year were far more diverse with bold cuts and patterns beautifully blending with traditional elegance.
Hassan Shahryar Yasin (more commonly known as HSY) is also of the opinion that the PFWs are having a positive effect on the country’s fashion industry.
“Designers before were just doing stuff when they wanted to do it and how they wanted to do it, now there is a discipline, there is a schedule,” he said. Pakistan’s Fashion Weeks are also garnering a lot of interest, especially as its textile industry is one of the largest in in the work, second to China’s manufacturing.
“If we want to get the international market interested,” said HSY, “[we need to] get the synergy between textile industry and fashion industry and take it forward.”
These fashion weeks are not the only project for the Pakistan Fashion Design Council. The organization is also planning to set up a Textile Museum, outlining some of the classics of Pakistan’s rich heritage and showcasing the progress made to more current designs. “It is,” said Saigol, “what we absolutely need as a country with a huge textile-oriented business.”
Despite being a fashion platform like many global design events, PFWs are unique. These events are infused with the patriotism and national identity of Pakistan with the audience invited to join in honouring the country’s national anthem before the start of every show. Unlike other fashion weeks, Pakistan’s Fashion Weeks also allows for no breaks in between segments, highlighting the dedication of the fashion industry in Pakistan towards the creative business. Instead, they would rather “create memories than invest time in making huge sets and adding drama on the ramp,” says a Gulf News correspondent.
“To orchestrate a fashion week,” said Saigol, “one has to take risks, set new precedents and if some egos get provoked by this, then so be it.”
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Elan.tv
I visited Lahore once and I absolutely loved the experience and it’s so different from what you read or watch on the news. Inshallah more stories like these come up and change what people think about such a beautiful country.
Beautiful.