Islamabad fashion week: Day two covers best of both the worlds

Event packs in east-meets-west collections, embroidery and high street.

ISLAMABAD:

A fusion of east-meets-west did the rounds on the second day of the Islamabad Fashion Week on Wednesday. The ensemble was ethnic in spirit, incorporating some grunge ideas making the best of both worlds.

Fashion Era Institute of Art and Design

While going the spiritual route, The Fashion Era Institute of Art and Design unleashed embellished turbans and Sufi robes. To accentuate the hybrid theme, khussas and pompoms were also employed. The collection featured calligraphy and hand-painted graffiti embossed on a palette of white, green, orange, green and brown. The models wore prayer beads loosely hung around their necks. The juxtaposition of khaddi and chiffon was smartly done in bright hues. Along the same lines, Jinnah caps and jasmine shalwars complimented the look.

Make some noise for the dandy boys

Danish Wakeel, London-based fashion designer, presented a men’s wear collection titled “Aqua dandy”. Boasting of a predominant sky blue tinged with silhouette, Wakeel’s collection was slim fitted and body hugging. The collection was very European, flaunting Top Shop shoes.

BnS by Bina Sultan

The Islamabad-based designer took inspiration from goddesses. Male models paraded shirtless as a female model sauntered down from the other end of the runway. All models wore shades, with females wearing creme coats to long slim fit dresses, topped off with fur trimmed capes in grey and crème and velvet jump suits. Sana, a student of fashion design, while commenting on the collection said, “BnS seemed the most professional collection of the lot.”

Faux pas

If not for the power cuts, the bad music system marred the effect of an otherwise decent show. Protocol was perhaps on the top of the list for organisers, who preferred entertaining foreign press over letting locals speak to models backstage. Many models lacked the oomph to pull off their look.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2012.