Patriotic pouches

KARACHI: A graduate of Karachi’s Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture, Hussain has been designing bags for the past two years and has just launched a collection themed around Independence Day.

According to the designer, “the Independence collection is in the form of handbags and fun cushions”. She spoke to The Express Tribune about the line.

What was the idea behind the collection?

My sister Mariam Hussain (who is a graphic designer) and I came up with the idea some time ago. When there is collaboration, the work is a hundred times better. The hand bags are my little channel for doing something and I have given my sister the credit for illustration design.

Some of the handbags have Jinnah’s quotes on them, while others have Noor Jehan’s image. The Noor Jehan bag will cater to a young girl, even though some people belonging to the older generation like my aunt have picked up the Noor Jehan bag. They are within an affordable range, starting from Rs1,500 to Rs2,250

What has the response been like?

It is a very experimental line. The feedback has been really good. It came at the right time … with the recent incidents, such as the Airblue plane crash or the floods affecting different parts of the country. People want to hold onto something that is positive.

How has the experience of stocking at Ensemble been?

It has been great. At Ensemble, I was never sure how it would materialise. Ensemble has a broad clientele base. For a relatively new designer like myself, it is a good place to receive great exposure and secondly with Ritu Kumar and the other designer labels there, you like the idea of your collection being showcased.”

Are you doing a collection specifically for Eid and the wedding season or just launching your Autumn/Winter collection?

This collection will run through August. It has everything to do with independence and freedom. Independence, in the words of  Jinnah. One of them says, ‘No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you.’ There’s another one that says, ‘There are two powers in this world, one is the sword and the other is the pen, but there is a third power stronger than both that is women’ and ‘Unity, Faith and Discipline.’ In a country where women are constantly suppressedm I thought this was best to do for really independent-minded, freedom loving woman.

I have always done Eid collections separately as it is an extremely important occasion with us. I will do a mini collection for Ramzan and Eid, then come out with a full collection for Eid-ul-Azha and the wedding season.

Any plans to do an Independence collection next year?

If it goes well this year I will be over the moon. This one is significant because it’s the first time. Hopefully next time, it will be bigger and better.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 7^th, 2010.