Truly Sublime
By Saman Qureshi | Fashion | Life Style | Published 18 years ago
Sara Shahid is going places. In fact, she already has. Her label, Sublime, is sold internationally in Manchester, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, where it has been very well received. And she’s done it in short order.
After returning from London with a degree in fashion design, she started work at Subculture as a designer. Then three years ago, she decided to start her own line. The emphasis was on cuts and minimalism. Starting very small and operating out of her home, she only specialised in women’s evening wear, but within six months demand mushroomed, forcing her to expand extensively.
There has been no looking back. Sublime is in great demand. With a studio outlet in Lahore and fresh stocks on display at Designers on Zamzama in Karachi, there are now tentative plans to open another shop in Lahore. Shahid’s success is attributable to her basic design philosophy: keep designs chic, elegant and timeless. Today, a two-year-old Sublime outfit is as fashionable as it was when it hit the stores.
Shahid’s forte is making women look smart by using cuts, textures and styles that compliment their bodies. She is capable of putting together an outfit that does not take away from the individual’s beauty but instead enhances it. She does not believe in too much embellishment, which is why her bridal outfits are also simple yet elegant.
Critics might argue that her clothes are too safe, but in reality her designs constantly, but subtly, change while sticking to a basic signature style. According to Shahid, a designer needs to have an identity, a style which is unique to them alone. “Designers need to know themselves, believe in themselves and their design philosophies, and stick to them.”
For this year the trend worldwide is that of more volume, lengths going longer, front-open jackets, ruffles, exaggerated collars and bright hues. Shahid plans on incorporating a little bit of everything into her collection while staying true to her own style and philosophy.
A perfectionist at heart, Shahid believes in strict quality control as well as taking everything one small step at a time. She is determined to join the ranks of the top fashion designers of Pakistan.
The featured collection is an amalgamation of her best work over the years and shows how she has grown and changed as a designer — a designer who has much to offer.