While our designers look to the West for inspiration – some too blatantly for comfort – the West also seems to be developing a considerable liking for South Asian fashion. Last year saw Versace take the quintessential ‘kurta pajama’ from the confines of an Urdu poet’s wardrobe onto the international runway for its Spring/Summer 2016 menswear collection. And of course who can forget the uproar following the launch of Paul Smith’s ‘Robert’ sandals –
While our designers look to the West for inspiration – some too blatantly for comfort – the West also seems to be developing a considerable liking for South Asian fashion. Last year saw Versace take the quintessential ‘kurta pajama’ from the confines of an Urdu poet’s wardrobe onto the international runway for its Spring/Summer 2016 menswear collection. And of course who can forget the uproar following the launch of Paul Smith’s ‘Robert’ sandals – a long lost twin of Pakistan’s staple Peshawari chappals.
Come 2016 and the latest international designer to draw inspiration from Pakistan is Stella McCartney. And guess what the source of this inspiration is? 2016’s newest fashion rage: the dhoti shalwar. McCartney’s pre-fall 2016 collection features pieces that have an uncanny resemblance to the extremely popular tulip shalwar that every designer in the country is cashing in on these days. While McCartney’s collection, which was showcased at the Amoeba Music record store in Los Angeles, is said to be inspired from the ‘70s, we feel credit should be given where it is due. From truck art to kameez-like tunics to the tulip shalwar now, we like that Pakistan is influencing global runways!
