Eid Spree: Sheep takes lead with minimalism

Brand launches Eid collection for men and women.

KARACHI:

Although Eidul Azha doesn’t feel as festive as Eidul Fitr, with nearly half of the day spent in a flurry of meat-cutting activities, it still gives shopaholics a reason to raid the racks. And with Eid only a few weeks away, designers and retailers are set to attract shoppers with their new collections. Local prêt brand Sheep previewed its Eid collection for both men and women on Saturday evening through an invite-only fashion presentation at Dolmen City Mall, Karachi.

Staying true to Sheep’s brand philosophy, the women’s collection was simple and minimalistic with the sole emphasis on cuts. Titled Floral Array, the clothes were detailed with flower appliqués, floral-patterned hand embroideries and a hint of diamantes and studs. “We are very excited about the new collection as it’s fresh and unique in its composition,” says Ayesha Jafar, Marketing Manager at Sheep.

While a spectrum of light and dark shades were used on lawn and silk fabrics, shorter hemlines were also highlighted in Sheep’s Eid collection. Unfortunately, last year’s trend of flares and asymmetrical hemlines were also revealed and had no business in the racks.



The use of pleats and colour-blocking added a touch of intricacy to the outfits but the trend in itself has become pretty stale as recent fashion shows reveal that solid and straight cuts are back in vogue. And while women today seem to be naturally inclined towards lighter and less elaborate clothing for festive seasons like Eid, Sheep’s collection can be best described as smart casual. With chikankari, kantha and lace becoming the hottest trends of the season, Sheep seems to have a long way to go.

The price range of Rs4,800 to Rs12,000 also appears to be more or less unreasonable as its competitors are charging relatively less for such vanilla clothing. But for working women, Sheep’s new line is worth a try!

All about men

Sheep claims to be all about elegance, sophistication and clean patterns. With its recent venture into menswear and the showcase of its Eid collection — kurtas as well as button-down shirts — it illustrates just that. The colour palette for Western wear was primarily subtle with white, beige and light brown semi-formal half-sleeved shirts made out of a light cotton-lawn fabric — a combination more suitable for summers. The addition of linen pants in shades of pastel green, dull cobalt blue and dark brown added zing to the overall look.

When it comes to winter attire, solid dark hues work magic and well, keep you warm. “We’ve used all sorts of colours and haven’t stuck to just one theme,” adds Jafar. The kurtas were presented in a myriad of colours from cobalt blue, lemon yellow, grey to black (plain as well as with stripes). The latter however, was the only one which can be categorised as a winter shade as compared to the rest.

Between Rs3,000 to Rs6,800, the collection however, seems a little over-priced considering the shirts were made out of plain textured fabric with barely any detailing or embellishment. Similar ready-to-wear kurtas can be found at Khaadi or Junaid Jamshed for Rs2,500 to Rs3,500 with better quality fabric and for Western wear, shirts with slightly more detailing and personality can be found at brands such as Chester Bernard for around Rs3,000 and Rs4,000.

With so much variety available in the ready-to-wear market, the consumer will keep in mind all these pointers when making the ultimate purchase. Thus, Sheep needs to step its game up especially in the menswear range.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2013.

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