What stood out at Fashion Pakistan Week

The Express Tribune gives round-up of what stood out at FPW

LAHORE:

Fashion Pakistan Week’s (FPW) Spring/Summer edition drew to a close on Saturday. While some fashion heavyweights overlooked designing for the season, others picked up on season-specific trends that could be translated to everyday wear. From shalwars and crisp whites to sheer tops and fringes, we saw an evolution of several trends that people are already donning. The overriding approach was minimalistic, evident in billowing and breezy tops and playful transparent shirts with earlier trends of culottes and sports luxe wear making a quiet exit. The Express Tribune gives you highlights from FPW ‘16, hot off the runway!

Good old shalwar



If you didn’t know already, the shalwar has staged a massive comeback. Globally, there’s a movement towards comfort and certain refined sloppiness and the shalwar perfectly fits the equation. Almost every designer had done a version of it from the dhoti, tulip, Patiala to the slouchy and lungi variety.

Peekaboo shirts



It goes without saying that sheer shirts don’t work for everyone, nor are they suitable for all occasions. But this FPW saw many designers put out sheer tops with a layer under, which made transparency feel more approachable, while still conserving its relevance. However, the brand that took the trend to another level was Generation with detailed bralets adding a feminine feel to the trend.

A break from prints



After experiencing an onslaught of print-on-print madness of the three piece variety, all-white outfits/entire collections at FPW were a welcome relief to the eye. Zaheer Abbas and Sonya Battla put out all white collections along with many other designers who had at least one all-white number. The colour white is refreshingly minimalistic and pulling off an all-white collection is difficult but both Battla and Abbas did it with panache.



A touch of ethnic glamour



 

There are designers that stick to their roots and design outfits that are retail friendly but veer towards the mundane. And then, there are those who reinvent themselves within their sensibilities. Kayseria and Huma Adnan’s collections fall in the former category while Generation’s ‘A Dot That Went For A Walk’ falls in the latter, by a margin.  Kayseria and Huma Adnan both presented traditional line-ups that will probably do commercially well. Conversely, Generation, under Khadija Rahman’s guidance, showcased a collection that ticked off many trends whilst remaining predominately eastern. Fringes, sheer shirts, myriad versions of the shalwar and unique styling made it our favourite collection from FPW.

A statement without saying a word



Deepak Perwani opened the first day with the same collection he had shown at PSFW last month, albeit extended with four all white ensembles. What stood out, though, was his ‘Fix It’ collection that had shirts that pronounced the political reference which was received better in its city of origin. Gulabo closed the show on the third day with a graphic collection comprising shirts that said ‘Khatra’ and ‘Wah’ among other things – a vibrant collection, this was quintessential Gulabo.

Summer friendly



Tropical prints may be one of the most cyclical fashion trends but its relevance to this season can’t be denied. For a season that comprises travel and leisure, designers gave an enthusiastic nod to the tropics, using bold blooms and leafy botanical prints. Of the four numbers in Maheen Karim’s capsule collection, two had tropical prints, and one even made it to the red carpet the next day. Wardha Saleem had also incorporated flora, fauna and splashes of colour into her clothes and bags by Jafferjees.

Pushing the envelope



Besides the usual showstoppers, two designers stood out for the drama they brought to the ramp. Zaheer Abbas showed a completely white collection punctuated by colour in the form of a rooster, held by Rubya Chaudhry as she walked down the runway. It excited onlookers for sure but soon sparked a debate on “animal cruelty” on social media. Abbas’s showcase may have pushed the wrong buttons but Nauman Arfeen’s was high on the entertainment quotient for everybody. He had four little boys dancing to ‘dhoom macha le dhoom’, followed up by Amin Gulgee, who happily posed for the cameras. Full points to Nauman for rousing audiences out of the stupor which bad fashion can (and does) induce.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 15^th, 2016.

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