Karachi gears up for four days of fashion

PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week to feature 24 designers this season.

PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week kicks off in Karachi on November 10. As the city is reportedly being invaded by an army of fashionistas (one hears finding a Lahore – Karachi flight has become near-impossible), The Express Tribune takes a look at what to expect from the four-day event.

Getting a seat

Fashion week is strictly invite-only and front-row spaces are coveted, as are the gift bags placed on every seat. While invitees may moan about having to sit through three hours of collections, designers are exhausted too. Since Pakistani designers haven’t yet figured out how to live-stream shows, you can live vicariously on the internet as the images will start filtering out by the close of the day’s events.

Fashion fatigue

While fashion week always features great gossip, sarcastic comments, over-the-top praise and lots of exclamations of ‘dahlings!’, also expect to see stressed designers and organisers at the event. Hassan Shehryar Yasin tweeted on Monday, “Sick of this jet lag. Can’t sleep. At least I get work finished. Working 20 hours a day for four days now. Fashion week prep is exhausting.”

On the bill

24 designers are showing at the event including Ali Xeeshan, Ammar Belal, Asifa and Nabeel, Elan, Fahad Hussayn, HSY, Libas, Maria B, Muse, Nayna, Nickie Nina, Nida Azwer, Rano’s Heirlooms, Republic, Saai by Sahar Atif, Sadaf Malaterre, Sobia Nazir, Sublime by Sara, Teejays, The House of Kamiar Rokni, YBQ, Zara Shahjahan, Akif and Mohsin. Designer Sadaf Malaterre, who showed an aquamarine-hued collection in February, says she expects it to get “bigger and better”, and praised the professionalism shown by the organisers. “I did get contacted by buyers at the last fashion week, so I do expect they will attend this time around.” Her collection is “fun, a lot of colour and pret” and will be available right away for clients to buy.

First day, first show

The first show of the night will be by designer duo Nickie Nina, whose show is being styled by Asmaa Mumtaz. While last season’s show featured elaborate turbans and floor-length necklaces, this year the designers take inspiration from the Ottoman Empire. Mumtaz told The Express Tribune, “The influences will be from Turkey and the dervishes. We’ve done a futuristic version of the Turkish cap and taken it to a whole new level … its very angular.” Other designers to have used Turkish influences include Adnan Pardesy (whose Spring/Summer 2009 collection featured Turkish Fez hats) and British label PPQ, whose London Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2010 show had bright silk Fez hats.

Styling

Mumtaz is also styling the charity fashion show on November 10, the clothes from which will be sold at a sale at Karachi’s Sheraton hotel on November 11. Over forty designers have donated outfits for the show, which will all be in black, or black with a coloured accent or embellishment. “Coordinating with the designers has been one of the most difficult tasks in the world!” Mumtaz exclaimed. “The event is for charity and since the proceeds will go to flood relief efforts, we have decided to use the women of Pakistan as an inspiration. Look at the flood victims, despite being psychologically affected and having to become breadwinners ; they are still standing, working and breathing. They have risen up.” The show’s styling will feature large pieces of jewellery in beaten gold and accessories made out of jute rope. Headgear, a key element of the subcontinent, will also feature in the styling.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2010.