Spring at Origins

Retail brand Origins launches its spring 2011 line amidst the endless lawn exhibits.

LAHORE:

While the country is obsessing over lawn exhibitions, the retail brand Origins is quietly working its way towards its spring 2011 launch on March 13 at its flagship store at Mini Market in Lahore. Origins emerged as a fresh option in retail therapy for the non-fuss woman when the fashion industry began riding the prêt wave last year. The brand gained an edge for its quality fabric and designs that cleverly transported ramp fashion into the wardrobes of the everyday woman. Forging ahead with what they do best — providing affordable and chic clothing for the urban woman.

As the name suggests, Origins is known to be true to the country’s heritage and craft, a philosophy that they continue with their spring collection. The collection this time is replete with authentic Bahawalpuri chundri, Afghan and Balochi bead work, ‘galaas’ and trimmings, chikan kari, ajrak and ralli. Picking up on trends within the fashion industry that has increasingly gone introspective with its designs, Origins has also combed not only the country, but the whole sub-continent, to both utilise and revive prized crafts in a manner that make them current and cosmopolitan, but most importantly, wearable.

A variegated range of colour is being offered ranging from fresh bursts of oranges and yellows to pastel pinks and peach to the virgin white to beat the summer heat. “We have always had a very balanced approach to design,” said  Ayesha Pervaiz of Origins who proudly displayed her colour board while explaining the pains and meticulous planning that went into choosing and perfecting the colour pallete to provide something for every woman ranging from her teens to the mature. “We will be introducing XL, extra large sizes for the very first time,” said Pervaiz, a simple but key innovation for mature women and even girls whose sizes do not conform to regular standards. Since a significant section of the populace consist of such women, many brands lose out by not providing for them and more crucially alienate these consumers who in turn feel depressed that they cannot partake in such fashion exhibitions.

An important cornerstone in Origins constant inventiveness is a team of fresh graduates like Usama Arif and Hanan Pasha along with alumni like Rabia and Rafia from the Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design. These young graduates have their pulse on local fashion and are able to innovate and bring fresh ideas to the table, says Pervaiz. A piece like the one with fitted tube sleeves, the embellished pants or the ‘gharara pants’ with short shirts, would not be possible perhaps without their contribution, affirms Perviaz, who is all praises for her team. With fashion graduates under their wing, shouldn’t the brand be branching out and optimizing with a fashion showcase at the impending PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week in Lahore? “We have been so busy in this line that we didn’t get time,” said Pervaiz. “My team said that either we could do a spring launch or we could do the fashion week. So we opted for the former.”

At a time when an unstitched lawn suit is costing an average of Rs 3,000, Origins is providing a full three piece outfit for the same price, without the hassle of tailors and getting in the rat race of beating your kitty friends to wearing a particular designer lawn outfit first. With a store in Faisalabad and a store opening planned in Karachi in April, Origins is set to be a trailblazer this season.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 12^th, 2011.