PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week to feature talented novices

Rising Talent section of the three-day event will showcase five budding fashion designers.

LAHORE:

As the four-day Pakistan Fashion Design Council Sunsilk Fashion Week (PSFW) 2014 (April 10 till April 13) nears, hawk-eyed fashion enthusiasts are all set to scrutinise Pakistani designers’ latest offerings.

While it is mostly a treat to see what seasoned and established designers are doing, it is more thrilling to look at what the industry newbies have to offer. With the initiation of the Rising Talent section at the Fashion Week last year, we look forward to see this year’s budding fashion designers.

Amina Malik

The Rising Talent showcase comprises five fresh designers, including Seher Tareen of Studio S, Hammad Sadiq, Hira Ashfaq, Sarah Awais and Amina Malik.

The Express Tribune speaks to these emerging fashion designers to find out about their capsule collections, which will kick-start their respective careers in prêt and luxury prêt wear.

Hira is a graduate of the Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design (PIFD) class of 2013 and will be presenting a collection based on symbols that Allama Iqbal is known for.

“This collection gives a message to the youth using symbols of Iqbal,” says Hira. “The falcon (shaheen) symbolises strength, holographic firefly (jugnoo) depicts enlightenment and the prism highlights oneness.”

The young designer says that she was shortlisted from a group of PIFD students and thus her journey began with the PFDC.

She shares that her colour palette is inspired by the concept of a prism: as the white light passes through a prism, it gets dispersed into a myriad hues of light.

Sharing what fabrics and cuts she has used for her collection, she says, “I have mostly used digital-printed organza, leather and silk. Moreover, my collection focuses on ‘cut and sew’, giving an overall futuristic impact.”

Seher Tareen

Sarah, who is also a graduate of PIFD class of 2013, is currently working at garment retailer Chinyere. “The name of my collection is ‘Dramatic Veils’ and it is inspired by Arab face veils and Japanese photographer Kimiko Yoshida,” says Awais.

After being selected by Sehyr Saigol and Kamiar Rokni for showcasing her collection at PSFW, she feels her biggest challenge has been “to arrange the capital and set up an entire design unit.” But she feels that getting recognition in the market is the toughest task ahead and that’s where displaying her line at PSFW will help her.

Sarah plans on using suiting fabric, organza and shanghai to create structures and indigenous cuts. “While the colour palette mainly comprises midnight blue and crimson, you can be sure to see structured, defined lines and a sheet look accented with gold and glitz.”

Sarah Awais

Hammad is another 2013 PIFD graduate who was selected by Hilary Alexander of the Daily Telegraph to showcase his thesis collection at the Graduate Fashion Week in London. He is the first Pakistani to have ever showcased a clothing line on the platform and is now gearing up to launch his brand in the local market.

In his collection titled ‘From Infidelity, With Love’, he explores various ideologies. “I had been pondering over the concept of infidelity for a very long time. When you are disloyal to someone or something in your life, it just does not stop there. It seeps into your system,” says Hammad.

“This collection not only shows personal infidelity, but also highlights how our country has suffered from it. I have used the Jinnah Cap to signify this concept.”

To complete his collection, the designer has used organic fabrics. Cotton net, cutwork on chicken and lace and a little bit of silk is what one should expect to see in his collection on the runway. “I have used narrow and deep V necklines, backless dresses and slouchy A-line silhouettes. Most importantly, I have incorporated deconstruction [into my line]. Seams [of the clothes] are inside out with frayed organza edges, and their hems are unfinished,” Hammad shares.

Hammad Sadiq

“I have painted one garment myself and slashed the fabric on all four after they had been stitched. The entire look of this collection is deconstructed. I like to ‘unfinish’ the garment myself once it has been finished,” he adds.

His collection has a multitude of colours: hues of white, gold, bronze, black, blue, red and pink.

Graduate of the PIFD Amina shares “I’ve done a diploma and received training in draping and fashion design from Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, France. My thesis collection, [which I will showcase at PSFW), draws inspiration from the folds of origami. I also exhibited my garments at the PIFD Graduation Show 2013.”

“The fabrics I have used are raw silk, organza and amara fabric, which is a type of leatherette,” says Amina. “The colour palette is segmented in white and gold and one can expect to see rubber/silicone 3D printing.”

Seher holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Toronto and a Masters Degree from Central Saint Martins in London. While she does not have any formal training in fashion design, she believes that “aesthetics of fashion come through a natural flair and one must hone one’s skills through endless amounts of practical training.”

She will be showing her collection entitled ‘Neo Nouveau’ at PSFW. “Working closely with the art world reignited my desire to pursue my favourite form of creative expression, which is the process of designing,” says Seher. “The Art Nouveau movement and the works of the great master Gustav Klimt inspire my debut collection.”



Gustav Klimt’s iconic paintings The Kiss and Lady with a Fan are both featured in her collection in the form of figures that have been embroidered on statement pieces, such as jackets and dresses.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2014.

Like Life & Style on Facebook, follow @ETLifeandStyle on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.