The most recent addition to the list of fashion showcases this year, Made in Pakistan 2017, took place in Karachi last weekend. It offered a change of pace as numerous design labels, including young and upcoming ones, brought their capsule collections to the runway.
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Made in Pakistan 2017 fashion showcase, a joint venture of Fashion Pakistan and TDAP, brought multiple capsule collections to the fore.
Karachi: The most recent addition to the list of fashion showcases this year, Made in Pakistan 2017, took place in Karachi last weekend. It offered a change of pace as numerous design labels, including young and upcoming ones, brought their capsule collections to the runway. The event was a joint venture by one of Pakistan’s leading platform for designers, Fashion Pakistan, and TDAP (Trade Development Authority of Pakistan), which served as title partner for the three-day run.
The idea behind the Made in Pakistan 2017 fashion display was to create collections for export and strengthen ties with fashion businesses abroad. It aimed to promote Pakistani art and culture overseas through fashion and increase the production of value added products from the country. This not only gave up and coming designers a chance to showcase their work internationally but also allowed for strong representation of Pakistani fashion on global fronts.
According to Feri Rawanian, CEO Fashion Pakistan, “We at FP [Fashion Pakistan] want to develop our designers and provide them a stage so they have the right market in sight and the tools to get into this value added segment in-line with international trends and consumer demands, and this collaboration with TDAP also aims to just do that.”
Sharing his views on the initiative and partnership with Fashion Pakistan, Saeed Tamimi of TDAP observed, “TDAP has been instrumental in facilitating and promoting Pakistan’s fashion industry for the last many years. It supports and facilitates the participation of Pakistani fashion designers in mainstream local and international fairs, fashion weeks and other related activities. Similarly, each year, on the occasion of TDAP’s mega event, Expo Pakistan, it encourages and supports the designer industry to showcase their masterpieces before hundreds of foreign buyers and international media.”
Designers who brought their ‘A’ game to this initiative included Deepak Perwani, who opened the show with his collection, D Philosophy that was all about bright colours. It was followed by a display of Amir Adnan’s menswear collection, Fnk Asia’s ethnic pieces and Nova Leather’s trendy leather outfits while Hassan Riaz presented a fashion forward collection and The Pink Tree Company remained true to their design ethos with Bougainvillea Diaries. Tena Durrani closed the show with her smart, short and long dresses that made for a perfect finale for Day One.
Proceedings on the second day began with Aamna Aqeel’s The White Susi that offered a blend of eastern and western trends. Wardha Saleem joined forces with M. Jafferjees to showcase her collection, Orchidaceae and the two brought thoughtful looks to the ramp in collaboration with each other. Other designers who took centre stage on Day Two include Zuria Dor whose collection was dominated by matching separates with accessories from 9Lines. Adnan Pardesy’s Subculture was denim-inspired with hues of metal while Nauman Arfeen presented his all-white collection, Blanche that was inspired by Kintsug, the Japanese art of mending broken pottery with gold. The final presentation of the day, Gulabo by Maheen Khan was a hip, trendy collection that resonated well with those in attendance.
With the purpose of highlighting local trends that have an international appeal, the fashion display turned out to be a success with several designers being approached for their creations. Such events only add to the credibility of Pakistan’s fashion industry, which is definitely one of the most bankable businesses in Pakistan.
Speaking to Instep on the sidelines of the event, designer Nauman Arfeen shared his thoughts on the subject, “It’s all about merging fashion with art and bringing something new to the table. I’ve blended eastern and western trends in my collection, Blanche. Made in Pakistan is all about promoting Pakistani culture and with eastern trends embedded in the collections, it has a strong appeal for international buyers. I am already getting orders as a lot of people have approached me. I think it’s a very good platform.”
– Photographs by Tapu Javeri
