The Wild and the Wonderful
Telenor Fashion Pakistan Week 2015 started fashionably late on its opening night. Scheduled for 7:30 pm, it began over an hour later. However, by the third and fourth days, the pace had definitely picked up and the venue was so packed that people literally began to feel the heat.
This year’s spring/summer collections comprised skirts, jackets, crop tops, gowns and pants — both slim fit and wide-legged. While some designers had an innovative approach to these age-old looks, others were ordinary, and some were just a big no.
DAY 1
Nida Azwer got the show rolling with her ‘French Trellis’ collection. Inspired by vintage and classical design elements, the collection featured mainly nude hues. Model Amna Ilyas started the show in an intricately embroidered ivory-coloured cape and matching cigarette pants. The colour palette was the collection’s biggest strength: off- white, ivory and beige exude an aura of ophistication.
Next up was the Bank Al-Falah Rising Talent display. Four fashion students showcased their creations. While their efforts were commendable, most, if not all, of the clothes were not wearable.
Hasan Riaz does get some points for originality, though. He used denim, suede and leather to create a warrior look (not exactly a spring-summer col- lection) with one model even wearing an inverted basket on her head. But the line was creative, and his handbags even drew appreciative murmurs from the audience.
The Lala Textiles collection was rather bland. Unfortunately their crinkled lehengas and long kurtas, flowing pants and long kameezes, were not par- ticularly in line with current trends.
The queen of prints, Sania Maskatiya’s collection was intended as a tribute to the unsung heroes of design — the karigars. And even though models wore print-on-print-on-print, the look was anything but tacky. Most pieces were multi-coloured, with the occasional black and white geometric patterns.
FNK Asia used a lot of white in a collection that had a Grecian but modern vibe. Lace was a common embellishment. It also showcased several colourful, bohemian-inspired pieces that the label is known for, in vibrant hues of mandarin yellow and blue in peasant style, pleated dresses.
Madiha Raza’s ‘Spring Myth’ tried to be bold and creative, but the ensembles did not grab the eye. The highlight of her fashion presentation was Maheen Khan walking the ramp to a standing ovation.
Sealing day one’s rather dull exhibits was Sadaf Malaterre, a designer known for her minimalistic philosophy. Opting for lilac-lavender shades with off-white and hints of brown here and there, Malaterre kept true to spring’s pastel palette using pearls and frilly detailing to embellish.
DAY 2
Veteran menswear designer, Amir Adnan was the first to showcase on Day 2 with his ‘Shah Zaday’ collection. Bejewelled ties and bazoobands, printed brocade and baroque jackets and waistcoats, this collection was for the daring man.
Pastel colours, printed pants with pearls, embroidery and lace details, crop tops, rope-belted tunics and cigarette pants, both eastern and western wear, Sanam Chaudri’s collection was every woman’s envy.
Jafferjees had an unexpectedly on- trend show, with a modern take on looks from the ’60s and ’70s. Models walked the runway with colour-blocked clutches, tasselled earrings, printed boho-inspired matching jackets and pants, lots of polka dots, leather- fringed bags and also a vanity case.
Abdul Samad’s ‘Uptown Funk’ was a menswear-only collection with emerald-green, tangerine and aquatic tones, as well as more gothic colours with lots of black and white geometric patterns. Some looks were half-decent, but the plaid overall was a big no. The highlight of his show: Zurain Imam, Hasan Rizvi and Shehzad Roy walked the ramp. Rizvi even did a bit of a jig.
‘Primavera’ by Zaheer Abbas stole the show on Day 2. With pieces mostly in white with intricate gold and rose-pink embroidery, the look was both regal and modern. The white chiffon and organza dresses, and the midi skirts with birds printed on them were perfect for a summer’s day.
Retailer of menswear brands from around the world, Caanchi and Lugari showcased casual looks for men from their ‘Bugatti’ collection. Lots of well fitted polos, rolled-up pants and chinos, loafers and lace-up boat shoes were spotted on the ramp.
Gul Ahmed went all out at this year’s FPW. Using the popular white and gold combination, the label gave traditional ensembles a contemporary makeover: the collection featured heavily embroidered floor-length jackets teamed up with off-white simple lehenga-cholis.
The King of embroidery himself, Fahad Hussayn brought to the ramp his ‘Dominionatrix Decoded’ collection. Hussayn’s outfits displayed lots of drama, intricate details and were occasionally a bit gaudy. The moss green bustier with dull gold detailing was an interesting imitation of a ribcage, and was accessorised with gothic, other-worldly headgear.
Day 3
Iman Ahmed of Body Focus Museum was the first to showcase on Day 3. Her ‘Sartorial Philology and the New Nomad’ collection was an ode to tribal culture. It comprised mainly white ensembles, and bold, oversized accessories, including stacked white bangles, metallic arm- bands and chunky jewellery. The collection included flowing capes, long, open-fronted jackets and loose pants, as well as crop tops and skirts, some in darker colours like red, gold and bronze.
Next came Levis. Compared to Ahmed’s bold opening statement, this collection was far too plain to arouse any interest. There were some rather dull, pale blue dress shirts for men and women, paired with ripped faded jeans. The only wow factor in Levis’ exhibit was their showstopper; Wasim Akram.
Somal Halepoto offered much needed relief with her colour-popping ‘Just Glam’ collection, in pinks and purples. Shimmery gold material was used for three-quarter pants and a poncho shirt to offset sheer jackets in black and white or elephant-printed pants.
Like the Body Focus collection, Yousuf Bashir Qureshi (YBQ)’s was also accessorised with massive pagris, flag poles, large beaded necklaces, all inspired by traditional Sufi attire. Using just three colours — red, black and white — the designer nevertheless managed to impress. Flowing red dresses and tang pajamas with massive gathers draped the female models, while the men walked out in loose-fitting pants and kameezes. YBQ’s showstopper was HSY, dressed in a black shirt with frayed ends. Wardha Saleem’s ‘Lotus Song’ collection offered a stark contrast to YBQ’s dramatic one. With summery pastel blues, peaches, pinks and golds, it featured eye-catc ing embroidery and embellishments. Cigarette pants, dupattas styled artfully to look like capes, floral belts and bell sleeves dominated the look.
Saniya Maskatiya was next, this time showcasing her lawn collection for Al-Karam. She managed to turn regular lawn into formal, evening wear. The collection comprised knee-length kameezes, straight cut, printed and flared pants, kaftans with high necks and off-shoulders, and jackets, giving life to the average lawn jora.
Inaaya by Naushaba Brohi was a minimalistic collection in classic colours. An all-black jumpsuit with an embellished net shrug, an eastern take on the working woman’s suit, harem pants and plenty of skirts. Brohi’s show-stoppers were the person behind the brand’s name — daughter Inaaya — and Mashal Chaudri of the Reading Room Project.
Day 3 wrapped up with HSY’s ‘High Octane’ collection, boasting suits for the trendy, modern man. The models paced down the ramp to fast-beat music, dressed in slim-fitting trousers, ties and dress shirts printed with outdated checks but also more contemporary polka dots. A camel-coloured leather jacket and a cream-beige ensemble were the standouts.
Day 4
The final day kicked off with Sonya Battla’s collection, ‘Manora.’ The digitally printed, high-neck, off- and bare shouldered tops in varying shades of blue were strongly reminiscent of the ocean. Ripped jeans and the use of ragged edges lent the collection a ’90s teenage grunge look.
Next in line was Syed Rizwanullah for Fifth Element, the official distribution partner for Swarovski in Pakistan. The all-white, elegant collection rendered the jewellery the star attraction. Models, sporting diamante-encrusted eyebrows and Swarovski jewellery, walked out in cream saris, draped dresses, Grecian one-shoulder gowns, as well as slim-fitted cigarette pants and palazzos. Rizwanullah’s embroidered, white net trousers and net bodice for a silky white gown, definitely stood out.
Maliha Chaudhry designed Daaman’s spring/summer ’15 collection. It consisted of some classic blue shirts with white stripes paired with white capris, as well as some flared net shirt dresses and cutwork and net crop tops.
Zara Shahjahan’s ‘Forever Boho’collection started out with flowing skirts and maxi dresses in a light summery material with large floral prints and tassels, and then wrapped up with some très chic, east- meets-west evening wear: A full-length black dress with traditional Sindhi mirror-work on the bodice and along the hemline, and slim-fitted black pants paired with a cream open-front floor-length jacket, with floral prints.
Deepak Perwani drew the most applause, with Pooja Bhatt and Ali Azmat walking the ramp for his ‘La Dolce Vita’ collection. Featuring digitally printed silk in regal reds and majestic blues with the odd purple and lime green thrown in, it was a blend of maxi dresses and jumpsuits, halter tops and printed silk trousers.
Raisa Vayani is an Editorial Assistant at Newsline