Fashion meets philanthropy

Gul Ahmed Textile Mills’ Saffron Night celebrates Pakistani fashion, gathers funds for wells in Thar.

KARACHI: Fashion and philanthropy are often considered to be at loggerheads with each other. With the glitzy world of fashion signifying lack of material restraint, many deem it insensitive towards the plight of the poor. But in the wake of Pakistani fashion bigwits taking a potent role in addressing socio-political issues prevailing in the country, perceiving fashion as being frivolous is no more than a misnomer. To help generate funds for construction of wells in the drought-ridden Thar, Gul Ahmed Textile Mills recently organised an event, which included a fashion showcase celebrating Pakistan’s best. 

Titled ‘Saffron Night’, the event was held in collaboration with the Old Association of Kinnaird Society (Oaks). The evening showcased collections of Gul Ahmed’s menswear and women’s wear, which featured a fusion of traditional and modern designs.

With a diverse colour palette, including hues of saffron orange, red and yellow, the collections epitomised the vibrance of Sindh. The quintessential Sindhi ajrak pattern was featured in pants and the kurtis bore motifs of Thar women, peacocks, camels and matkas. Strutting to Zoe Viccaji’s rendition of Mera Bichra Yaar, models flaunted the famous Thar bangles.

Oaks has been working towards providing healthcare and education to the underprivileged in interior Sindh for the past three decades. Speaking of what drove Oaks to offer relief to people in Thar, the association’s president, Mehnaz Nadeem Karamat, said, “In some areas of Pakistan, men, women and children have to walk miles upon miles... in search of water for their day-to-day survival.”

Karamat said the National Institute of Child Health in Karachi saw an influx of children from Thar, who have been receiving treatment for water-borne diseases. “Recognising that this dire situation needs attention, Oaks has recently undertaken a major project to improve access to adequate water and sanitation facilities for drought victims of interior Sindh,” she commented.

Nassim Saeed Ahmed, who works in partnership with Oaks for the rehabilitation of wells, said implementing the project has been no easy feat. “Rehabilitating a well is one of the most challenging tasks and it’s even tougher to pull the water out,” she said. “We have already completed the rehabilitation of more than 25 wells and have set a goal for another 25 new wells to be completed soon in the village of Chahchro,” shared Karamat.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2014.

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