My first thoughts on this year’s Fashion Pakistan Week 06 : Shorter, Sultrier, Sartorial.
Fashion Pakistan Week Spring/Summer 2014.
Compared to last year, where hemlines were longer, backs cover and necklines higher, this year’s Fashion Week seem to get the jab at rebelliousness. There were not only deeper slits, backless dresses and shorter hemlines but there was, a sense of voluptuousness reverberating off the stage.
The much awaited show, after multiple delays started 1.30 hour later than already planned. (But then, what is a Fashion Pakistan Week without the delays?) First show of the first day was none other than, HSY’s pret wear labelled ‘venom’. Inspired by snakeskin, HSY used chevron lines to play with nude, black and accents of red and orange hues. This entire year HSY plans to celebrate his 2 decade of excellence and success in the fashion industry. While intricate detailing of bead and sequin work on floor length gowns added glamour on stage, the chevron lines on coats and jumpers were like an ode to ranking service in military. One of the best pieces in his collection was the floor length nude gown with black bead work and splash of red hue under layer.
Second up was the Bank Alfalah Graduate Show, showcasing work of four IVS and AIFD graduates. Although the work young designers looked promising there was still plenty room to work upon the sartorial execution of their ideas. There were however, sparks of creativity lurking out of grunge military tutus, dusk hued gowns with accessorized guns and McQueen inspired color pop shoes which deserves to be applauded. What I loved the most about this particular segment was the encouraging first row of designers, Nomi Ansari, Deepak Perwani, Ali Xeeshan, who enthusiastically applauded and boost egos of these young designers.
A Lala Textiles capsule followed, introducing their SS-2014 print, styled by Designer Warda Saleem. Whats interesting here is, that if you showcase commercial lawn prints with designer pret wear, there’s bound to be disappointments – unless of course, you’re Gul Ahmed and you know how to sexy up your lawn into voluminous numbers to woo the crowds. Lala Textile clearly lacked the glamour, oomph and fine tailoring. There were too many prints sewn together like left over pieces and they did more than just color-blocking – they simply clashed and looked horrible. Even with Iman Ali by their side, they failed to pull it off like they should’ve.
Aamna Aqeel’s ‘After the Winter’ that followed was like a saving grace. This time around, Aamna ditched the studs for melodious symphonies of pastel hues, crystal stones, pearls and Swarovaskis embedded in her embroidery. One of the pieces that I loved was the peach knee length A-line dress with subtle crystal work which reflected uber sophistication. I also spotted a Dior inspired billowy skirt pieced with plain black shirt, which could’ve been paired with a vibrant choker to stand out. More than the collection itself, however, the bejeweled eyebrows done by Saba Ansari & co worked wonders on the runway.
Up next was Nida Azwer’s Arabesque which to be honest, was like a fresh breath of air. Nida Azwer brilliantly infuses traditional crafts of rilli, kantha, zardozi etc to conjure up classic and vintage designs with innovative cuts, silhouettes and tailoring. This year’s collection was dominated by bleached cotton nets and organza with accents of gold and silver. Every single piece from her collection was worth documenting. Her hemlines varied from long to short, including slim cut trousers and patyala shalwars.
The most awaited show of Act 2 started with splashes of digital sprints on filmsy cutting-edge western wear. Following the fame of Frida goes Khaddar, Deepak Perwani had a strong line to show this time around too. The capsule was predominately black, white and gold hues, mix matched with digital prints of monuments.
Following Deepak, was high-street brand LEVIS, showcasing their commuter, Coolman and Icons collection. The show made itself memorable and distinctive by using props. They had a wide array of denim shorts, western shirts and jackets which redefined urban wear.
Zainab Chottani’s Aqua presented an innovative pret line which left me in awe. Zainab Chottani is known for her bridal wear, but her new venture in ready to wear seems promising. Zainab used solid base colors as a canvas to embroidery crimson florals which looked hip and trendy. Zainab’s show was definitely the strongest one for Day 1 of FPW 06.
The finale of Day 1 was by Adnan Pardesy’s refreshing incorporation of Gota into contemporary silhouettes. .His collection composed of shirts, jackets, skirts and boleros, oomphed by glitzy gota.
Best of day 1: HSY, Nida Azwer & Zainab Chottani.
Pictures by: M. Haris Usmani and Ahsan Qureshy
Cashing on Couture 