The high five

Designers to watch out for at this year’s Fashion Pakistan Week

KARACHI:

It seems as though Fashion Pakistan Council (FPC) just keeps getting bigger and better, with each passing year. As one of Pakistan’s premiere design platforms, FPC has outdone itself one fashion week after another, with an impressive roster of old and new designers.

And with the upcoming, spring/summer Fashion Pakistan Week (FPW) just around the corner, the council is showing no signs of backing down. The three day event — to be held in Karachi from April 7 to April 9 — will see heavyweights from the industry showcase their spring/summer collections and (hopefully) provide respite for the warm months ahead. With names such as Shamaeel Ansari, Deepak Perwani, Sonya Battla, Amir Adnan, Wardha Saleem, Natasha Kamal and Aamna Aqeel in the mix, here’s our list of five designers you should watch out for this FPW.



Amir Adnan



Collection: Escape

Amir has been defining men’s fashion in Pakistan for years. This time around, the designer is taking things up a notch and — in his own words — “liberating” himself from his own design aesthetics. “Designing, like art, is a form of self-expression. When a designer puts forth a collection, he is liberating himself,” Amir told The Express Tribune.

Just how he plans to liberate himself is worth looking out for. Amir is “very excited” to share his latest collection and has been wearing the clothes himself. “The pieces I am showing at FPW 2016 will be fusion wear which can be worn locally. You will find kurtas and modernised shalwars, minus the sherwanis,” he revealed.



Nauman Arfeen



Collection: Carpe Diem

Ever the independent fashionista, Nauman claims his upcoming collection will appeal to those “who fly solo and have the strongest wings.” When asked to elaborate about the inspiration behind the concept, he said, “I usually bring something different to the show whilst remaining true to my aesthetics and design philosophy.”

Perhaps that is why Nauman has chosen a popular Latin phrase as the title of his collection. ‘Carpe Diem’ literally translates into ‘seize the day’ and, according to the designer, “symbolises a bird’s true journey, as one who flies high and is free.” Two-piece and chequered suits, bags, embroidered trousers and digital print scarves and sherwanis are some of the items Nauman will be offering. “Each piece is very close to my heart. Menswear should be simple and elegant, with a touch of masculinity,” he explained. The collection follows a colour palette of blues with shades of red brick and khaki mixed in.

Zainab Chottani



Collection: Club Cobalt 

This year, Zainab will stick to the basics and dabble with some denim. “This is a high-street fashion collection,” she said of her latest offering. “There is a touch of desi in the line, with dhoti shalwars to short kurtas, capes and skirts. There is variation of the denim being used. The fabric is called tencel — a soft, fine form of denim.”

Club Cobalt looks to be a breath of fresh air from Zainab’s standard designs. “At the launch of my store, I noticed people giving a good response to denim. My father also has an expertise in the fabric so why not make it into a women’s pret collection?” she shared. “It is pret in denim making it a niche market altgother.” The collection includes ripped and faded effects and even accessories.

Sonya Battla



Collection: Identity

With this collection, Sonya is talking about an individual’s identity whilst playing with fibers and textures. The collection aims to explore one’s inner dreams, aspirations and surrounding environment. “All 16 outfits talk about different identities and the exploration of one’s inner self. We are acknowledging different aspects of ourselves here, and how those impact us, at different stages in our lives,” shared Sonya. Identity’s Unique Selling Point is the fact that the collection is Sonya’s collaboration with a group of Visual Studies and Textile students from Karachi University. While the students have created the textures, Sonya has designed it. “I have never seen so many textures on the ramp before. This time around the clothes will be very experimental.”

Shamaeel Ansari



 

Collection: Dusk

When it comes to versatility, there is none like Shamaeel. With her upcoming FPW collection, the designer combines her signature aesthetics with buyer-friendly separates. This time, she is blending her favourite primary colours to create pinks and oranges. “You will find colours of the sunset — from pinks to mauve, orange and dusk in the spotlight,” shared Shamaeel.

“The collection is very eclectic, energetic, young and fashion-forward. It’s bold and indigenous, with floating embroidery and oriental motifs.” Dusk consists of separates which, according to Shamaeel, can be bought individually.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th,  2016.

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