April issue 2012

For the opening night of ‘Reconstruction: Cultural Heritage and the Making of Contemporary Fashion,’ Karachi’s British Council pulled out all the stops. The travelling exhibition included clothing by British designers Vivienne Westwood, Hussein Chalayan, Peter Jensen, Paul Smith, Sophia Kokosolaki, Marios Schwab and Osman Yousefzada. The main aim of the exhibition was to demonstrate the impact of culture on modern designs. The show started in October of last year in Kazakhstan and reached Pakistan after travelling to Uzbekistan and Bangladesh. The launch, which took place on March 10 at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, included a fabulous fashion show by none other than the celebrated design house, FnkAsia. The retail brand known for drawing inspiration from ethnic styles, fittingly presented a collection of modern, stylishly cut dresses and jumpsuits with traditional, brightly-coloured embroidery.

The clever choreography played a key role in setting just the right mood for the show. It kicked off with a soft, airy flute song played on the ramp by a local musician that was in harmony with the theme of the event — culture and heritage. As the models begun to walk down the runway, the music slowly picked up pace, adding a bit of excitement to the atmosphere.

The show was followed by a lovely selection of fine cuisine and a display of clothing by British designers.

This article was originally published in the April issue under the headline “Cool Britannia.” Look out for the latest issue ofNewsline at newsstands across Pakistan.