Workshop at Kuch Khaas: Behind the Blank Canvas

Who knew recycling could be so much fun?.

ISLAMABAD:

The artist primes a blank canvas with gesso (white paint mixture) before it’s painted over; the canvas may also be re-primed, recycled, and reused. More often than not, the artist lives on a tight budget.

By the same logic, the fashion-oriented can — and should — recycle their looks; not necessarily with gesso (this can prove disastrous) but with good, working knowledge of revamping and maximising wardrobe, make-up and styling. The Blank Canvas Workshop at Kuch Khaas, the Centre for Arts, Culture and Dialogue focuses on imparting this key tenant to its students.

Led by Islamabad-based designer Pashmina Ahmed (also a graduate of the London College of Fashion) and upcoming make-up artist Sanam Riaz Malik, the workshop teaches students how to fend off monotony when it comes to donning an outfit and applying make-up; all the while staying mindful of budgetary constraints.

“It’s a four-step program. The main purpose of our workshop is to teach people how to make use of what they already have. I do this all the time — recycling my mother’s bags and outfits from the 70s and 80s in fresh, original ways.”

Ahmed explains that prices and expenses in this day and age are constantly rising and one can’t keep “buying new outfits all the time”. Apart from this, there’s the age-old problem of living in Islamabad; because the city’s so small the same faces tend to meet each other ad nauseum. “You see the same friends almost every day; you’re always worried about being seen in the same outfit again.”

“Personally, I stick to wearing solids as opposed to prints, which are a lot easier for people to remember. With solid colours, you can wear the same thing in different ways,” she adds.

A month ago, the pair teamed up to remedy this problem and arranged with Kuch Khaas’ deputy director Shahana Khan Khalil to get the Blank Canvas up and running. The course meets four times a month, every Friday from 5 pm to 7 pm.

Ahmed explains, “Sanam is one of my best friends. We’re both good at what we do and have a great creative side. So we thought why not share our knowledge?”

According to Ahmed, the fashion industry isn’t very enthusiastic about teaching and guards its trade secrets. The workshop is designed to counter this dearth of available information. “We’re going to split the course according to activities, keeping the connection between make-up and fashion (the two go hand in hand).”

In addition to making students aware of current and lasting trends, the course teaches them how to approach tailors to restore or transform old clothes and to apply make-up, all through a series of activities and practical exercises. “No monotonous homework — but we will ask students to research,” says Ahmed.

At the workshop’s conclusion, Ahmed and Riaz will award the most promising student a free makeover and custom-made outfit.

“I think people should really consider taking this course, if only to be conscious of trends and how to look their best with what they’ve got, which is always important when you’re in the fashion game,” comments Ahmed, who believes that Islamabad has improved dramatically in terms of styling since she settled here a few years back.

Ahmed’s main concern is budgeting, virtually unknown to so many petite fashionistas in the city: “You shouldn’t have to spend wads of cash to look your best; you don’t have to be loaded to look good. Fashion’s about staying original and originality is not contingent on money.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2011.