Widyaan: Shahid Afridi’s Fashion Valley

The ‘Widyaan’ ladies line will be exhibited in Karachi this month.

KARACHI:

What do Juniad Jamshed, Ali Haider and Shahid Afridi have in common?  Jamshed and Haider started out as musicians, Afridi a sportsman, but all three have now launched their own clothing line.

Like many celebrities exploring new horizons, “Boom Boom” Shahid Afridi has introduced his own ensemble collection called ‘Widyaan’ (an Arabic word meaning the ‘fashion valley’).

Afridi held a press conference at Sheraton Karachi Hotel to announce the launch of his ladies ensemble line which will be exhibited at Imperial Lawn, Clifton from August 12 to 14. Dressed in navy blue and surrounded by the media as well as his three young daughters, Afridi spoke about his brand which will be exhibited soon.

“When I started off with men’s kurtas, there was a huge demand from my female fans that I should launch a collection for them as well. So I decided to launch a collection of pure silk and chiffon designs under my name. The collection will consist of affordable, formal eastern wear. Like cricket, I hope that this venture will be a success; all I need is people’s support.”

The cricketer has taken on this venture in partnership with his friend Shahzad Miannoor. Miannoor has been associated with the textile industry since quite some time now and through ‘Widyaan’ he hopes to gain more insight into the local and international market. “This brand will be sold both locally and internationally,” said Miannoor

Sadia Murtaza, the artistic streak behind this brand, is working on the collection along with six other designers. “Inspiration came from none other than Eid celebrations and the wedding season that follows soon after,” Murtaza said.

With 22 designs in this collection and three color variations in each design, Murtaza added, “These designs cater to the market that demands fusion.” The collection is priced from Rs8,500 and goes up to Rs12,800. Currently, Afridi is planning to exhibit the collection in Karachi and then explore the market in Lahore. It seems like preplanning has become innate in Afridi, since he is already planning to send the collection to Dubai and make ‘Widyaan’ an international brand. When asked about his expectations from the exhibition, Afridi said, “People should at least come and appreciate the collection.”

Cricket will always play a big part in Afridi’s life and when asked why the logo of the brand shows him in his wicket-taking stance, Murtaza said, “This is his signature style. We want the label to be recognised through this.”





Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2011.