COVER STORY
There was once a time when children and young adults would think twice before quoting models and celebrities as inspirational figures. Given how the industry has bloomed of late, it’s a worry bygone and in emulating these individuals, the one thing we focus more on is their sense of fashion and style. As brand marketing goes, we look towards respective designers whose hard work and dedication in giving them an interesting persona deserves all praise.
What better way than catching up with one of them and giving you the BTS update of what they do?
Us talked to Arsalan Iqbal, the creative head at “House of Arsalan Iqbal”. Not many people know he was a student of Finance and Accounting, but it did not deter him from pursuing his love for fashion full-time since 2010. Fewer still would remember him as part of “Arsalan & Yahseer” in 2011 – the partnership was not a long-lasting one and ended after two years. But now that he is a renowned name in the industry, having launched “House of Arsalan Iqbal” in 2013 and, working on his passion, having extended from being primarily of menswear to one that consists of women’s wear couture line by 2014, we discussed everything from motivation to training to the perks and shortcomings of being an entrepreneur in the fashion world.
So how did it all start?
“I started in a room at my house and opened my first store after a year. Right now, I have two stores in Karachi, two in Lahore. We stock our products in USA, Canada, India and Australia. The brand runs its own online store and we also stock at several online portals.”
For a person who chose “now or never” as his mantra to live by, getting into fashion designing was no accident. “It’s quite common for individuals to initially make wrong choices when selecting their careers and I was no exception,” he admitted. “I believe I was always destined to follow this fashion designing path…that confused time was just a transitory phase in my life during which I realised what I really wanted to do. It was better late than never. And I still have a long way to go!”
Quite unlike what we are accustomed to hearing, Arsalan’s career choice was purely personal. “I always wanted to be an artist. I would always be glued to fashion magazines and be creating ‘looks’ in my own head,” he recalled. Easy enough? Not quite. “It all seemed too easy then, [but] I [had to learn] a few tricks of the trade at Tailor Ateliers, including the basics of garment-cutting and sewing. This, of course, involved a lot of real hard work and dedication as I was then a layman.” Not to say far from the stereotypical role of men in our society.
A memory fresh in his mind even now was of his first day at work with his ustaad (or head teacher). “He asked me to mop the floor as it was raining,” he recalled fondly. “Then, it took me a full day to clean the threads from the over-lock machine. That experience has indubitably made me who I am today.” My, oh my! That is some serious dedication to one’s profession.
He agreed. As a matter of fact, one of the major lessons he has learned so far is “hard work and dedication always pay off; no matter what they say, one makes one’s own luck.”
So we have been seeing – at least, as far as he is concerned. ‘A completely self-made man’ as he likes to talk about himself, Arsalan has it right when he collocated it with “a man has to eat” as his reason to launch his own label straight away. We went back to his first break, how it happened and his vision at that time. “I began during a time when fashion weeks in Pakistan did not exist. I debuted at Karachi Fashion Week in 2011, organised by Triple-E Entertainment, which was being handled by styling maestro Tariq Amin and fashion journalist Zürain Imam, who encouraged me. I showed my ‘Midnight Mischief’ collection which sold out within a few days. The rest is history.”
Talking about the fashion choices of today’s youth, he says, “[They are] very unpredictable with their style pickings because they are spoilt for choice. ‘Rangeen by Arsalan Iqbal’ (launched in 2011) is a line specifically targeting the 16-24 age bracket for both men and women. It began as a capsule of vibrant block-printed and hand-painted kurtas for men; a women’s wear line was introduced in 2014.”
He also looks over the retail department. On his experience in that sector, he said, “A fashion designer’s career is directly connected to the condition of the retail sector in the country which, in turn, is directly dependent on the country’s security conditions. I think both have improved vastly than earlier,” he stressed. “Retail solutions like social media and e-commerce have made it easier for buyers to interact with the designers directly, to avail seasonal discounts, and to receive the product at their doorstep. I am sure it will just get better from here on. We are a very talented country with unlimited potential.”
There have been some who have considered only the commerce in the race to the top; Us wonders how he keeps himself from being biased toward one or another each time such a prospect presents itself? “One has to find and manage that equilibrium [between commerce and creativity]; otherwise, it results in a compromise of one’s creativity and getting mired in the run-of-the-mill and mundane work. No one said it’s easy.”
For someone who clings on to hope, who has no regrets whatsoever (and is thankful to God for it), and who aspires to be a global force one day, Arsalan came across as someone larger than life. Yet, it is nothing but a false impression. Let’s see if we can set it right. A, if he didn’t have that headquarter in Karachi, he would have been a glorified (yes, he said so himself) accountant and a part-time painter. Do I see any nods of approval here? B, he would love to work with all designers – it would be a learning opportunity both for him and the other person, their combined vision being the Muse to make the world a better place. Do I see the ecstatic smiles? C, while designing is incessantly exciting and amazing to him – in spite of the challenges – and he’s thrilled to see how one’s choice of clothes reflects their image, nothing can usurp the power of a well-cut basic white kurta and shalwar, which is a timeless classic for him. By now, I am sure a majority of us can relate to him now, especially the younger lot who prefer working without unnecessary restrictions and wouldn’t be ‘tamed’ for anything.
“My broad and eclectic-veering imagination is reflected in my work. I am personally a T-shirt and jeans person with a simple personality. I never follow trends; rather, I have always believed in creating them. Personally speaking, I love colour-blocking with structured silhouettes and detest and have been ranting about getting rid of those horrendous and unfortunate tent tunics women deign to wear!”
Then again, his favourite part of being a designer is “the initial period, of the first thought slowly transmuting into a sketch on paper,” he gushed. “I like to imagine different scenarios and easily create characters in my mind for whom these clothes are meant for. Every garment is also given a moniker. It’s a process which is completely in my control. I can do anything I want!”
People have been generous at their end; he has always received respect, without demanding for it.
Already nominated for ‘Best Menswear of the Year’ award at the Hum Awards twice (consecutively in 2013 and 2014) in addition to his nomination for Woolmark Prize International 2015-16 in menswear category for representing Pakistan, he plans on making his country “über-proud” in the future.
