“If you can’t buy it, just make it,” says handbag designer Sidra Nasir. The 24-year-old is a fashion design graduate from the Asian Institute of Fashion Design (AIFD) and a former event and PR manager.
Frustrated with constantly having to order trendy accessories from friends and family who were returning from trips abroad, one day Nasir stared at her favourite hot pink Aldo clutch that she had anxiously waited for days to arrive. “It was so simple but beautiful and I wondered, with such a quality leather production industry and affordable labour in the country, why couldn’t I just buy a bag like that in Pakistan?” she says, “and then I decided, I would just do it myself.”
Nasir then started experimenting with clutches — exploring fabrics and shapes. The first two lines she designed were not exactly the kind of bags she would buy for herself, but ones that retailed well — petite clutches with embellishments, screen printing and a range of different textures. This month, however, Nasir launches her third collection, creating a line of accessories that are true to her own style.
This time she completely immersed herself in every little aspect of bag production, from beginning to end. “I searched extensively for the kind of leather I wanted to use, got them dyed in colours they weren’t readily available in and then created a small setup at home where I employed an artisan and worked with him on the stitching of every single piece.”
The 27 new creations of Nasir are a mix of pure leather and leatherite. They are bold and attention-grabbing in bright pops of colour and edgy shapes following international trends, for something extra, all with surprise linings inside. They are available in a range of prices starting from Rs2,500 to Rs8,000.
To grab one of these limited goodies, check out her exhibition on Saturday in Karachi between 4 to 9pm or visit her Facebook page: Sidra Nasir Handbag Exhibition.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2012.
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