“I follow my heart when I design”

After making a debut at Fashion Pakistan Week S/S’18 with the collection titled Katputhli Tamasha, Bohème by Kanwal has made a mark in a very short span of time. Bohème’s popularity has been fuelled by celebrities like Sanam Saeed sporting traditional designs like ghararas and ajrak print shirts by the brand on various occasions and even in some scenes in the film Cake.

Before launching her brand formally in the summer of 2015, Kanwal worked under her own name. Even though she hasn’t had any professional training or education in fashion design, she was always passionate about craft and hence learnt cutting, stitching and embroidery from her mother and grandmother when she was in her teens.

“I have had my own sewing machine since I was in my twenties and because I was eager to learn, I collected books and researched for years before entering into the fashion industry,” Kanwal told Instep during the course of this interview.

According to the designer, the world of fashion always fascinated her. “I took a keen interest in learning about fashion from different eras,” she shared. “I love to create and started to design and stitch my own clothes from an early age, then moved on to designing for my family and friends. I believe this is something I was born with. The cultural heritage of Pakistan never ceases to amaze me and is the major source of my inspiration.”

In an exclusive interview with Instep the designer talks about her FPW debut, her design philosophy and more.

Instep: What made you decide to put out a collection at Fashion Pakistan Week S/S’18?

Kanwal: I received a call from the Fashion Council asking me if I would be interested in showcasing my collection for the FPW S/S 2018. I was delighted and humbled as I hadn’t seen it coming and immediately decided to avail this opportunity to introduce my label to a wider market.

Instep: This was the first time you displayed your collection at FPW. What is it like to create a collection for fashion week?

Kanwal: It was a huge honour to create a collection for FPW S/S 2018, and at the same time it was a great learning experience for me. In this past, I had always designed and produced pieces I felt like but FPW gave me focus and the ability to broaden my spectrum perspective. I learnt to be my own critic like never before.

Instep: How much work is put into what we eventually see on the runway?

Kanwal: Designing a collection for the runway is a big responsibility. First of all, one must start with a solid vision and a theme for the collection, followed by choosing the correct fabric and colours. A great deal of brain storming, methodical planning, research and sampling is necessary before a design is perfected and finalised for the runway. I also feel it’s our responsibility as designers to create a demand for our local fabric, techniques, design and cuts and make sure each piece I produce has something reflective of Pakistan.

Instep: What is your design philosophy?Kanwal: My design philosophy is to create lasting, timeless pieces that represent the rich, cultural heritage of my country. I follow my heart when I design, hence, my creations also reflect the person that I am.

Instep: Do you take any design inspiration from your roots in Dhaka and US?

Kanwal: Definitely! Dhaka was a huge source of inspiration for me. It was there that I started to create outfits on a regular basis and started making a name for myself. My passion for saris grew in Dhaka, I incorporate Kantha, Jamdani and Dhaka Muslin in my designs. Inspired by the culture there, I introduced lungis in my collection as well.

Instep: If you could change or influence one thing about Pakistani fashion, what would it be?

Kanwal: I would probably want to see more of our traditional and classic cuts that were introduced by the Mughals. There are multiple styles of ghararas, angrakhas, anarkalis and peshwaz that are rarely seen on the runway. These attires are mostly restricted to weddings, I introduced ajrak and chheent ghararas and angrakhas to my collection so that women feel comfortable wearing them on a regular day out as well. My kori cotton lawn and ajrak anarkalis and peshwaz have become a staple of my brand.

Instep: Fashion is getting more and more polarized in Pakistan; how was your experience of showing at fashion week?

Kanwal: I had an amazing experience and received a great deal of encouragement, support and guidance. As designers, we should let our work speak for itself and we should practice inclusion and acceptance; the growth of the fashion industry is in our best interest.