Return to the ramp

Karachi: With climate change rearing its alarming head all over the world, creating and following sustainable industrial practices is more important than ever. With the Weaving the way to sustainability subtitle, the 4th edition of Texpo, held in Karachi on May 26 created a space to both highlight the urgency to inculcate a greener ethos while giving the local fashion industry a chance to return to a public stage again. An impressive lineup featuring Rizwan Beyg, Wardha Saleem, Huma Adnan, Sana Safinaz and Deepak Perwani along with others made way for students of the Asian Institute of Fashion Design, designer Aamna Aqeel and retail brands J., Salt by Ideas and M.Jafferjees. Of course, no event is without its highs and lows, and Texpo 2023 had its fair share. A particularly sore point was the overall styling at most shows, with very few designers managing to create cohesion through accessories and accent. Huma Adnan’s collection wove together beautifully with ethnic jewelry, while one could spot Wardha Saleem’s attention to detail simply by seeing that thought had gone into every outfit from shoe to earring. Intended as a showcase for foreign buyers and the media, it was slightly disappointing to see how the buyers corner emptied rapidly as the shows progressed. Cramming 11 shows into a 150- minute window might not be the best approach. Regardless, it was refreshing to see a fashion collective come together for one showcase after a very long time, and hopefully, this was the first of many to come.