Heritage on the high street

Rano’s Heeirlooms recently launched their first retail outlet in Lahore.

LAHORE: Preserving heritage by using traditional craftsmanship has always been Rano’s Heirlooms’ signature style and motto. The launch of their first retail outlet in Lahore is an extension of this vision, “We have been designing exclusive customised garments for the ones with fine sensibility who don’t wish to dress in outfits lost to the commercial vocabulary of fashion,” said Rano Usman at the launch of the retail outlet and studio.

Rano’s Heirlooms was founded in 1993 by Rano and Usman. The original aim was to preserve hand embroidery and the decorative instinct of the artisans. But for this they were following the introduction of crude and poorly worked machine manufactured textiles. “The idea is to bring heritage inspired clothes on the high street,” continues Rano, “I feel I have modernised sewing and stitching and now is the time to educate people in the power of separates and hence I decided to come into the market because retail is where the demand is.” From separate sari blouses that can also be used as choli’s with ghagras, Rano also adds embellished shawls, ready-to-wear sari’s and shirts to her collection. She further added that fewer people have time now to order outfits and it is easier to pick up separates off the rack and style them according to your own needs.

“Furthermore I feel that with the advent of ready to wear, wedding couture has begun to lose its sway among the best dresses of the society” said Rano. “Thus the focus is on to re-invent the bride of today in fashion forward garments which own the past glories of Muslim heritage.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2014.

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