Trends from Pakistan’s first Virtual Fashion Week

The Catwalk Cares fashion-show offered a vibrant mix of the old and the new

KARACHI: Fashion may be experiencing a bit of a downturn in the locked-down world but the need for good pictures is still very much alive. People are dressing up at home, calling over those they love and trust while still keeping their virtual lives as vibrant as possible.

No wonder local designers and retail stores have started adjusting to the new normal, going full-on digital. After all, do they really have a choice? And not just that, bigwigs of the Pakistani fashion industry have even attempted to give back to frontline medical staff by through an initiative started by none other than Freiha Altaf: a virtual fashion show.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBAmIxdgELo/

Catwalk Cares, the recently-concluded three-day online event featured 19 designers and retail brands including Khaadi, Maheen Karim, Huma Adnan, Amir Adnan, Nida Azwer and Shamaeel Ansari on day one, Ali Xeeshan, Asim Jofa, Elan, Generation, Hussain Rehar, Ismail Farid and Saniya Maskatiya on day two and Faraz Manan, Nomi Ansari, Sana Safinaz, Shehla Chatoor and Sonya Battla on day three.

Behind the screens

Models uploaded videos of themselves doing their own makeup in the BTS segment, with makeup and hair guru Nabila guiding them via video calls.


Many designers featured clothes from prior collections because of the time constraint and limited resources in lockdown, but some still managed to bring material to the virtual world. Xeeshan and Jofa had told The Express Tribune that they weren't "apprehensive about the fashion fraternity's survival right now” or "worried about the sales.” Xeeshan had also clarified that his showcase would include “new, old and borrowed” dresses which would be modelled by the gorgeous Mush Kaleem.

Also read: Pakistani designers unite for a virtual fashion showcase

Shamaeel Ansari had prepared her annual stock in advance while Nomi Ansari, on the other hand said, “We understandably cannot design exclusive pieces given the lockdown, we have chosen three of our existing outfits, which would be modelled by Fouzia Aman."

Jofa had talked about making "fashion more affordable and accessible to the masses.” Battla, whose dresses were modelled by Sarwat Gilani, did not be making anything new either.

On the virtual floor

The floor saw everything from accentuated accessories to boho-chic attires, neutral and metallic colours and heavy embroideries. The show took place in the designers’ and models’ homes, studios and picturesque backgrounds either helped make the patterns more prominent or in some cases, created confusion.

It was also difficult to decipher the material used or the kind of embroidery and patterns inculcated due to the quality of videos. But much was still delivered and the show was a success.

Here’s what Catwalk Cares had to offer:

1.     Accentuated accessories

Dresses and accessories by Huma Adnan and Shehla Chatoor's

Heavily embroidered dresses rarely ever allowed for exaggerated accessories. But this pandemic-ridden summer will have to follow some new SOPs. Adnan, Chatoor and Ansari's intricately embroidered and heavily studded dresses were paired with equally fancy masks, headbands and gloves.

By Shamaeel Ansari

Adnan’s tribal-influenced ‘Kuchi’ collection was inspired by Kandahar, Afghanistan, while Chatoor’s ‘Noor: The Divine Light’ attempted at providing a light of hope. Whereas Ansari's 'The Light of Darkness' included black and silver backless short bell-sleeved tunics worn paired with protective masks and leather gloves that exuding drama.

Of course, such dresses will not be worn anytime soon but it was nice to see masks and gloves included.

2.     Floral Hues and crisp colours

Ansari's showcase included a shimmery midnight blue sari worn with a backless cut-out blouse and a classic twirly can-can sharara in pastel floral hues. It also featured a black and silver glittery lehngha choli and a pastel floral  kaleidoscopic sharara.

By Ali Xeeshan and Nomi Ansari

Xeeshan's 'Kaafla Zuri and Fame' collection also added similar colours to his floral embroidered black lehenga with an embellished top.

By Asim Jofa and Generation

Jofa's festive collection ‘Mystique’ also included dresses radiating hues of shocking pink and blues whereas Generation, as per its ethos, did not shy away from including a spectrum either.

3.     Ruffles by the dozen

By Shehla Chatoor

Bringing back the '80s, many dresses saw increased layering and ruffles that made everything look bigger and better. Ayesha Omar dazzled in Chatoor’s floral embroidered cancan sharara skirt paired with a sleek backless stomach-baring long-sleeved blouse with Elizabethan ruffles.

4.     Oversized Victorian Sleeves

By Maheen Karim

Karim ‘s ‘Parizad’ collection, Ansari’s ‘Light of Darkness’ and Chatoor’s ‘Noor: The Divine Light’ threw it back to the 18th century with their Victorian-inspired sleeves. Since many of the designers showcased their old collections, there is no surprise certain trends were repeated.

5.     Power of the pearls

By Generation and Hussain Rehar

As drawstring took over the Spring/Summer 2020 runways in the west, strings of beads and pearls were seen on these dresses in the East. Generation wrapped pearls around their dresses while Rehar’s collection featured long coats and shirts, either totally beaded together or embellished with numerous pearls.

6.     Neutral and not so neutral

By Nida Aswer, Saniya Maskatiya and Elan

When in doubt, keep it neutral. Spring/Summer 2020 has been seeing effortlessly chic neutral looks and Azwer, Karim, Amir Adnan, Rehar, Battla, Maskatiya and Elan followed suit.

By Shehla Chatoor, Shamaeel Ansari and Faraz Manan

Manan, Chatoor and Ansari also added a metallic touch to their dresses as marigold and shiny hues took charge around the world.

7.     Boho chic

By Khaadi

Khaadi’s ‘Bohemia’ featured a mixture of designs from previous collections, giving ideas as to what we can do if we don’t want to purchase new clothes this summer. The designs included vibrant fuchsia cobalt, citrine and tangerine ethnic prints transposed onto short, belted, bell-sleeved tunics and layered tasseled coats.

8.     Minimalist magic

By Sonya Battla and Sana Safinaz

Battla's three-piece capsule collection ‘Chawkhandi’ was inspired by the embossed clay etching found at the historic Chawkhandi Tombs. It weaved together classic prints and springtime hues for ready-to-wear pieces in pure cotton paired with elegant chiffon dupattas.

By Sonya Battla and Sana Safinaz

Whereas Safinaz played with draping and kept her dresses as minimal as possible with just one brooch tying the whole look together. The collection, titled ‘Anatalya’ was inspired by Greco Roman statues.

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