Trend File with Secret Closet: 2012 trends to beat

2012 has been an extremely eventful year for Pakistani Fashion powered by some rapid trend changes and others that won’t quite quit, just yet. We started the year with a lot of patchwork printed panels, flapping A-line cuts, and a lot of back and forth with hemline debates.

Later, things got really exciting and we saw some brilliant new designers enter the scene; the most prominent being Misha Lakhani and Silk by Fawad Khan. Both brought original fresh trend elements to the forefront much like Sania Maskatiya did in 2011. Misha with her revolutionary introduction of formal fusion couture separates and Silk with an aim to incorporate silk prints into ready-to-wear prêt. Let’s take stock of the most beloved trends of the year.

Although, multiple panels or kalis stitched in cotton casuals went viral earlier this year, in succession to the year before, the trend came to a halt towards the second half — as they became a hassle and grew tiresome. The A-line cut was stripped down to minimal straight cuts with short slits while the length still remained intact.

(From left to right) Sania Maskatiya embroidered animal motif, Nida Azwer Butterflies screen print and Fiction Concepts Palazzo pants

Colour blocking was another trend that was taken a step too far by many. While we loved it at first for its sharp geometric cuts and bold colour permutations, after a while, it turned chaotic. Some designers were forcing a plethora of colours into a single shirt and going so far as using mutli-coloured horizontal stripes. The trend still survives today; however, it is most appreciated in its simplest form. The two toned half-and-half cuts and limited borders here and there carried by Nida Azwer or tasteful geometric clean lines found in Maheen Karim and Silk by Fawad Khan tunics look fashionable.

(Left) Sana Salman Digital Print shot by NFK, (Right) Sania Maskatiya Couture embellished jumpsuit and jacket

Printing technique trends are still going strong and while block/screen print continue to rule, the relatively new art of digital silk printing introduced on the runway by Sania Maskatiya with her Uraan collection are the latest craze. This technique was further developed by talented young designers such as Sana Salman and most recently Zohra Alam. The vivid flow and picturesque painting like strokes in shaded hues are unrivalled by any other technique at the moment.

Another fun trend is the adorable animal motifs that have invaded ready-to-wear casuals. Chubby elephants, birds or butterflies in flight to horses, peacocks and even sea creatures was the theme of Nida Azwer’s last Eid collection. Nature and everything associated with it have been trending all year and it’s not over yet. If you’re an animal lover, the embroidered creations of Sania Maskatiya, screen prints by Nida Azwer, butterfly block prints by Sana T, and folklore camels/horses by Fiction Concepts by Rabia Wahab are for you.

(Top) Rilli by Farah Talib Aziz. (Bottom) Farida Hasan Lucknow Chikankari

Traditional village handcrafts such as rilli and tukri patch-work and Lucknow Chikankari were in extreme demand this year as well. These are classics because of their exclusive availability and will also continue to shine while moving forward. Mostly accessible through limited exhibitions, you can acquire intricate handworks from private labels such as Farah Talib Aziz, SNL by Sofia Naveed Lari, Anum Salik, and Farida Hasan in Lahore to name a few.

(Left) Fiction Concepts by Rabia Wahab animal embroidered motifs, (Right) Sana T embroidered butterfly motifs

Jumpsuits and palazzo pants, which first appeared in 2011 as high fashion wear, trickled down to more commercial high street fashion as well in 2012. Sania Maskatiya’s and Fiction Concepts block print wide legged flares became a fashion staple. The versatile jumpsuit, first thought of as a temporary phase, stood the ultimate test of time, appearing everywhere. From pairing it with an embellished jacket for fusion couture wear as done by Maskatiya, to western cocktail wear and casual playsuits it has been adopted in all forms and may be nearing completion of its life cycle, it’s hard to tell at this point.

(Left) Saba Ghauri bib necklace, (Right) Nida Azwer at the Lals launch wearing her own colour block screen print

Regarding accessory trends which usually follow the global pattern, 2012 saw two broad developments that we love in particular. The first is the skinny belt for a cinched waist that permeated from the West, into fusion separates as adapted by Misha Lakhani in her Fall Debut Collection. The second is chunky statement jewellery and especially bib necklaces to dress up and add a playful touch to your look. Semi-precious stone jewellery has never been this popular and Saba Ghauri of Enchanted Jewels from Lahore offers the most imaginative selection thus far, also available at Labels and on order. For precious gems, Sherezad and her polki and gemstone cuffs, cocktail rings, and layered necklaces are classic examples of statement pieces.

Sherezad statement polki necklace

Let’s hope 2013 brings lots of more exciting trends and more inspiring designers. Wishing all our readers a happy and prosperous New year!

Secretcloset.pk is a single online platform showcasing exclusive designers, collections, trends, news and events, and more. The portal provides a one stop guide to all your fashion informational needs in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2012.          

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