PIFD vs TDAP fashion shows: Victory and vengeance

Sania Maskatiya surprised with a strong Western wear collection; Zaheer Abbas paid tribute to the Deathly Hallows.

KARACHI:

Sania Maskatiya

We have enjoyed witnessing Sania go from strength to strength this year. With collections getting better each time, her Hanza collection at TDAP is her strongest yet. Inspired by the East, her western wear had Ottoman influences that bequeathed a breath of fresh air to palazzos that have been overdone. Her high-waisted, printed satin cigarette pants topped with tucked-in loose-fitted shirts, were quite flattering in all their oriental glory. She balanced the asymmetry in design and geometric patterns with dark, pale colours — deep shades of orange and royal blue, with pale yellows and citrus green. With femininity paving the way for her fresh look, Sania incorporated flowy gowns and tops with cinched waists, clenched with delicate rope belts and wide satin bows. She is best known for producing the best print-on-print designs, and this collection was just another victorious showcase.

Rizwan Beyg



Truck art may have been done to death, but Rizwan Beyg upgraded and sexed up the look with leather as he presented his Rangg from PSFW in April. Digitally printed thigh-high, truck art boots and wedges along with Western hoodies and totes made this indigenous art form runway-worthy. Rizwan cleverly deconstructed the local freight trucks of Pakistan and put together a vibrant collection that can add colour to any woman’s wardrobe. The plain, feathery, ripped shirts in striking colours flowed over vibrant pants and skirts. He cleverly fulfilled the truck art look by borrowing the metal sculptures on the trucks and molding them into cuffs and jhumkas with colourful tassles. What let it down however, was the menswear, which although added the oomph factor on the runway, wasn’t quite wearable.

Farnaz Mustafa



No modern show is complete without a blend of texture and tradition. This is exactly what Farnaz Mustafa’s debut collection showcased. A mix of lace, silk and traditional jamavar made for a very tasteful collection. Feminine palazzo pants with intricate pearl and bead work were paired with edgy bralets. The embroidery, attention to detail and varied fabrics made Faranaz’s collection stand out. The only let down were the tribal print saris that looked like yards of cloth wrapped around a skinny frame. After a showcase of elegant outfits, the saris and a short, ill-fitted crochet dress were disappointing.

Zaheer Abbas



If Santa were a woman, she would be quite the distraction in Zaheer Abbas’s thigh-skimming white shorts and a billowing red top complete with a matching red bandana. But in this ‘season to be merry’ collection titled La Base, the models looked disturbingly solemn with nude (almost grey) lips and piercing contact lenses. This was perhaps in preparation for the eerie Deathly Hallows-inspired look which followed, that featured patriotic-green, satin kurtis detailed with a thin white border and minimalist pleats, followed by white bell-bottoms and the quintessential bandana. And to complete this fashion-fiasco, a range of insipid, death-inspired monochrome outfits left quite a morbid taste in the mouth.

Sana Safinaz



Sana Safinaz turned heads with their perennially fashionable monochrome collection which was earlier shown at the Veet awards. The dynamic duo managed to morph the trend into the label’s signature looks with a splendid twist. Neha Ahmed opened the collection in a dazzling LBD number with beady tassels and intricate sequin-work. The bold, cut-out back made it the best outfit from the collection. The mix of black and white prints was perfected with the attention to sleeves — one-shoulder, peak-a-boo and stripped sleeves made the collection stylish and distinctive. Unlike other monochrome collections, Sana Safinaz’s outfits were flirtatious, trendy and fun.

Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design



Celebrating the theme Baby’s Day Out, PIFD managed to successfully debut an adorable-looking tot strapped to the front of a male model, and accompanying the two was Neha parading a queer-looking, bird-shaped bag slung cross her shoulder. What followed was even more bizarre — a Na Maloom Afrad-inspired look illustrated by masked women, sheathed in black cat suits with two parallel strips of yellow breaking the monotony. Perhaps if they lost their overly dramatic suits, they might just have been able to pull off the deconstructed dresses worn over them. Similarly, the pirate-themed dresses may have just hit the mark had they done away with the treasure chest headgear and replaced it with an eye patch only to remain true to the theme. The only saving grace for this fashion showcase was the chic, polo look with the complementary accessories that included the saddle necklace and mallet and the layered white mini dress with jagged, ripped ends under a cut-out leather jacket. Better than most of what we’ve seen on the ramp by PIFD, but with the signature outlandish element very much there.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2013.

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