Pakistani designers unveil Independence Day collections

LAHORE: Independence Day is here – a day that brings together all Pakistanis with hope and longing for a better tomorrow. For our fashion designers, it presents an opportunity to build on nationalistic sentiments and come up with ‘Azadi’ capsule collections.

While some have gone the extra mile and designed collections fit for the day, others have either dug around their stocks for the greener of their designs or have just designed a tunic each. While the market is littered with green, The Express Tribune gives a round-up of the standout items on offer.

CAP – The History Collection

Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP) collaborated with six designers in advance of Independence Day where they took inspiration from archives and presented collections of all things Pakistani. Deepak Perwani created a loud and proud neon pink scarf with Lollywood figures as an ode to our cinema.

Mahgul created a clutch featuring Karachi’s Frere Hall offset with a burst of colourful embroidery on monochrome. Polly and Other Stories created an embroidered bag seeking inspiration from vintage Pakistani matchboxes. Khaula Jamil of K for Karachi designed a line of jewellery inspired by stamps and flags whereas HSY designed a digital printed tunic with Pakistani currency juxtaposed with images of 10 local celebrities.



Independence Day is not complete without Mahin Hussain’s quirky creations. She has regularly been bringing out collections for August 14, simply because her design acumen sits so well with this particular line. This year, however, she is not doing a solo collection, but is one of the six designers collaborating with CAP. Her capsule collection is now available for orders along with her older designs. She took inspiration from vintage ads and presented a collection that gave a nod to all things Pakistani – from beauty cream makers to the Peshawari Chappals that got even more popular when international designer Paul Smith picked them up.

Sapphire

Sapphire’s ‘Freedom Nation’ capsule collection is fun and young. As a designer, Khadija Shah knows exactly how to create clothes that are wearable and yet stand out. This year they have created a line of bright yellows, black, white and green that can be worn throughout the year. The offerings comprise contemporary silhouettes such as box kurtas and drop shoulders and also include three designs for men. These patriotic statements range from Rs2,390 to Rs3,090.

Generation

“This year we have made one design – a white gharara as an ode to Fatima Jinnah,” says the brand’s creative head Khadija Rehman. On their Facebook page, they are using the occasion to highlight the social, cultural and ergonomical contributions of non-Muslim Pakistanis and the significance of the white in our flag. From Bapsi Sidhwa’s words to Perwani’s sartorial contributions to Zoe Viccaji’s voice and Dr Mira Phailbus efforts in the education sector – Generation makes an effort to celebrate them all on August 14.



Sonya Battla

“This year our kurta commemorates the values and sacrifices Abdul Sattar Edhi made for the country and since his has been this year’s biggest loss, we chose this monochrome and design,” shared Sonya Battla. The kurta has a sketch of Edhi down the front and will be retailing at Rs8,400. This may seem steep but Battla notes that all proceeds will be given to the Edhi Foundation.

Crescent

Crescent’s Independence Day line includes a palette of greens and blues and can be worn around the year. Their tunics for women stand out for their unique digital prints and occasional spurts of multi-colours and are priced reasonably at around Rs2,500.

Leisure Club

Leisure Club has in stores a collection aptly titled ‘Made of Pakistan’. “For a number of years, we’ve been doing an entire range of souvenirs. For someone visiting from abroad they are very scattered and there’s no clear visual language for Pakistan,” said Leisure Club Managing Trustee Omar Zaman. They’ve created a range of hairpins, magnets, diaries, school bags, water bottles and badges.

Sana Safinaz

The designer duo will also be putting out an Independence Day tunic. “We did the traditional pop Pakistan green but  and contrasted that with lovely hot pink floral motifs. We also had the iconic faces of Pakistani men and women painted,” noted Safinaz Muneer. The tunic will be priced at Rs1,890. 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2016.

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