Holi lawn

Deepak Perwani launches his lawn collection in collaboration with Orient textile.

KARACHI:

Pakistan’s ace designer Deepak Perwani introduced his lawn collection on March 19, at The Palm Marquee near Beach Park in Karachi. The designer has collaborated with Orient Textile Mills, with a pastel pallette and little or no embroidery.

With 24 designs and two colour wayes, Deepak Perwani Premium Lawn Collection is priced from Rs2,685 but does not touch the Rs4,000-mark. The collection features both lawn dupattas and a few 100 per cent pure chiffon dupattas.

First day, first show on a Saturday morning, the door of the Marquee was closed, just to stop the people from racing in and creating havoc, guarding the door was the designer himself, only letting a small number of people to come in at a time.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Perwani said: I’m offering “premium lawn at a good price, to cater to the middle and lower middle class.”

About the fabric and design philosophy, Perwani said: “My designs fall in throes of minimalistic designs, with not much embroidery on it and not much colour in it, these are simple joras. You really have to like it to believe it,” he said: “I think a simple lawn suit loses its charm the moment there is excessive embroidery on it.”

How does it feel entering the lawn industry? to which he replied: “We were planning to do it for the past three or four years but never found the right partners. Now that we have them, we will be a part of it in the next year too for sure.”

Mona Lizza is the cover girl for Perwani’s lawn. When asked why she chose to endorse the brand, “Why not? The strategy was to promote the name Deepak Perwani locally and internationally.” The diva, who debuted in Bollywood with her film Kajraare, said: “I have never promoted lawn before, it is my first time and I have feel very comfortable working with Deepak.” Perwani, as a designer, is known for perfection.

So, how was day one? The customers left the exhibition with mixed emotions, some disappointed, some jubilant. Sadia Riaz, a young woman who was busy arguing at the cash counter said: “I like the designs, they are very good. The problem lies in the cash counter, where they are not deducting the cash amount and I am getting late, I have a flight to catch.”

Juhi Nigar, a middle-aged homemaker was seated in a corner. When asked about her lack of interest, she said: “I can’t stand in the rush, my daughters have lined up and they will choose something good for me too.”

It was to some extent a mismanaged event with some people at the door wanting to move in, while others stood at the cash counters since the computer system got blocked.

Perwani was still not satisfied, “It’s not even one-third of what I had hoped to see this morning.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 20^th, 2011.