Khadija Shah at the launch of her new home division, Sapphire Home.
FASHIONFOCUS
The designer talks about the expansion of Sapphire andÉlan and where she sees the brands going.
Lahore: A couple of years ago Khadija Shah was an exclusive and private couturier. Today, she is one of the most widely known bridal and lawn designers in Pakistan as well as the Creative Director of Sapphire. While her luxury brand Élan is now only showing solo, Sapphire has also continually been expanding its ranges and has amassed a considerable number of lines in a span of the last two years alone. It has extended its reach from stitched and unstitched lawn, ready to wear, bags to accessories and even included a menswear collection. The most recent addition is Sapphire Home which was launched with their second concept store in Lahore at the colossal, brand new, Packages Mall.
As the Creative Head at Sapphire, Khadija feels that a home division is a natural extension for her and that her eclectic and decluttered aesthetic for lifestyle transitions well to the brand. “Everything else in the market is very bright, colourful and ethnic and I wanted to do something completely different.” Sapphire’s home range includes something for everyone, from the more contemporary, classic, ethnic or basic and more luxurious prints including items for newly married couples and baby boys and girls.
The designer takes a final walk after Sapphire’s debut show at PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week.
While others are resorting to the bright and garish rather than the minimalistic, the run-of-the-mill over the out-of-the-box, a regurgitation of print and mish mash of embroidery, Sapphire is continually upping the ante with its offerings.
“I’ve done an extensive recce of the market and I’ve personally seen that every product is different from the others out there,” she spoke to Instep at the opening of the Sapphire home store. “It can’t be mundane or something people have seen before.”
What’s praiseworthy is that her inspirations and aesthetics run deep in her ever expanding ranges. Whether it’s the swathes upon swathes of embroidery on her Elan bridals or the prints on her Sapphire pret – one can easily spot a real design on close inspection. Everything seems to come together effortlessly - the flamingoes you find placed around their concept stores are a recurring feature in the clothes and bedsheets and similar cranes are found in Shah’s detailed bridal designs.
It is true that a number of textile houses have recently branched out into home furnishings. The Linen Company is one such store that is probably the closest in aesthetic to Sapphire Home. Shah doesn’t seem bothered.
“Sapphire has been exporting bedsheets for the past 20 years to places like Ralph Lauren so the quality is topnotch. I bring in the design and they bring the fabric, it’s a win win.” Other high-street brands who have a home targeted presence in the market like Gul Ahmed, Khaadi and AlKaram have more ethnic inclinations than Sapphire does so she feels the consumer base is entirely different.
In another first, Sapphire recently debuted its western pret collection at PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week and the very practical and wearable Fall/Winter collection will be in stores come August. Shah was also recently in Berlin representing Pakistan at their Pakistan Day celebrations on the 23rd of March. Here she debuted her The Bejewelled Rosecollection, in collaboration withSherezad Jewellery, at the grand reception held by the Ambassador of Pakistan inBerlin. Earlier this month, she was also in London with 30 of her most iconic designs to show at a charity gala by SOS where Élan was the only designer showcasing.
With her second concept store up and running and another coming to Karachi this year, Shah has only strengthened her brand of aesthetic in the market. “At Sapphire, we’ll keep adding whatever isn’t available in Pakistan, giving people more variety - we want to make it a one stop shop.” As Khadija Shah sets herself up as one of the industry leaders, it’s not hard to imagine competitors aspiring at the standard that’s been set. In her own words, “just because my aesthetic works doesn’t mean all designers should only work towards that.”