While our designers look to the West for inspiration – some tooblatantlyfor comfort– the Westalsoseems to be developing a considerable liking for South Asian fashion. Last year saw Versace take the quintessential ‘kurta pajama’from the confinesofan 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 Peshawarichappals.
Come2016 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: thedhoti shalwar. McCartney’s pre-fall 2016 collection features pieces that have an uncanny resemblance to the extremely popular tulipshalwarthat 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 tokameez-like tunics to the tulip shalwar now, welike that Pakistan is influencing global runways!