Fashion: All that glitters is not gold!

Tehzeeb and Illimite Events join hands with a line-up of designers for an Eid exhibition.

LAHORE: Practically everything sells in Lahore. Whether it’s uber gorgeous or utterly distasteful, conforms to fashion trends or is completely out of style – even the ‘biggest fashion disaster’ of an outfit somehow finds a place in someone’s closet.

Multi-label stores also fail to exercise quality control on pieces coming onto their racks and as a result, most of the stores have become metaphorical sales racks where you need to look very hard to find something that suits your taste. With Eid just around the corner and tailors fussing over excessive power shortages, most people do not have a choice but to visit these shops.

In a similar fashion, Tehzeeb along with Illimite Events hosted one of the first Eid exhibitions in the city. The line-up of designers included Farheen Raza, Hammadur Rehman, Rajab by Arsalan Ishtiaq, The Closet, Zonia Anwar, Farah and Faiza and Shujewls by Shumaila Omer.

“We are a couple of friends and we all decided to join hands and pull this event off,” says Saqib Ali Riaz, the event manager. “All the designers helped me put this together and since most of us went to college together, it was easier to manage.”

While Farheen Raza had displayed some embellished chickenkari outfits, most of the so-called Eid collection comprised of chiffons, jamawar, silks and even velvet. Some items even used black velvet – a big no during the summer season. Wedding season will be starting post-Eid, but the sweltering heat does not make this thick fabric practical.

Hammad ur Rehman presented the same sacrificial cow aesthetic here as he did at PFDC earlier in the season. His over the top use of pearls, lace and embellishment on one single outfit was an overdose and not aesthetically pleasing. Farah and Faiza’s shoes were standard Nadia Kassam and Walkeaze style. With the price range between Rs7,000 to Rs25,000, women showed interest and enthusiasm.

For an event that was supposed to start at 3pm, the managers had not set up or steamed the outfits till about 5pm. One can overlook the amateur behaviour when it comes to managing the event but it is disappointing to see unattractive clothes being displayed by learned designers.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2012.