With the colour set to make a sartorial statement this V-Day and spring, here’s a look at it, hot on the racks, at some of our favourite designer stores.
KARACHI:
It’s that time of the year again — when romantic songs are in the air, the roadside florist hikes up the price of roses, and the world snowballs into a pink and red ball of fluff. You may be a Valentine’s Day (V-Day) enthusiast or the sort of person who squirms as your Facebook newsfeed overloads with PDA as D-Day approaches. Either way, as the spring breeze begins to inch in, there’s no better time than now to begin planning out a new wardrobe. And it seems that the cardinal colour of love, red, will be a fashion favourite in the upcoming season. As red gets set to make a bright sartorial statement, we take a look at it, hot on the racks, at some of our favourite designer stores.
Love for workmanship
Nida Azwer’s characteristic love for workmanship reflects in her V-Day capsule. The collection, in red and soft pink, features pieces from short tunics to peshwaz, embellished with feminine filigrees, geometrics and animal motifs. Prices begin at about Rs5,000.
My funny Valentine
The ‘Dekh bhai…’ quips, having become all the rage on social media, now get cracking with Valentine’s Day jokes at Scentsation on t-shirts, mugs and badges. Diverging from the usual, the rollicking, tongue-in-cheek Valentine shairi, featured on the items, is bound to tickle your funny bone. This is, definitely, the best V-Day idea yet. Some of our favourite captions include, “Dekh bhai, jewellery toh diamond ki honi chahye, sone ki toh baby doll bhi hoti hai” and “Dekh bhai, shakal pe mat ja, dil dekh, dil!”
Young love a la Daaman
Drapes, pleats, collars, botanic prints and an all-out loud ‘LOVE’ print make up Daaman’s fun and wearable V-Day line. The fabric is lightweight and prices are mostly around Rs3,000. From a ‘Perfect Red’ to a navy blue ‘Modern Romance’, could there be a better way to wear your heart on your sleeve?
The bohemian red
FnkAsia atypically melds ethnicity with bohemia in a predominantly Western collection featuring dresses, tiered-long skirts and jumpsuits with jodhpuri lowers and tasselled belts. “My clientele generally prefers modern cuts,” explains designer Huma Adnan. We’ve seen some of these designs at FnkAsia’s last Fashion Pakistan Week outing, and they’re just right if you’re in the mood for crimson shades. Prices range between Rs20,000 and Rs30,000.
Going rogue on V-Day
Sublime’s Sara Shahid spins out monochromatic red with her ‘Pure Rogue’ line. Featuring a dash of embellishments, the clothes are minimalistic with a focus on cuts and texture. The silhouettes vary from basic tunics to gowns in satin, chiffon, crushed silk and organza. The hues match the L’Oreal ‘Pure Red’ campaign, which Shahid was recently a part of. “You can’t go wrong with classic monochromatic red,” says Sara. Prices range between Rs5,000 and Rs25,000.
The crimson ‘Museum’
Body Focus Museum’s Iman Ahmed twirls and tweak fabric, weaving it into a host of structures and drapes. The roseate offerings at Body Focus Museum include collared, ruffled safari-style tunics, sleeveless draped shirts, baggy pants with hints of ombre, and a fully-worked maroon long shirt and dupatta in cotton, embellished with bead-work. “I’ve used cottons and silks with little embellishments,” says Ahmed. Prices begin at Rs12,000 and go up to Rs30,000.
Who needs a ‘gulab’…
...When you can get the ever-stylish ‘Gulabo’? In a capsule line of summer jackets and mafia-sleeved tunics, Gulabo’s Valentine meets the military. That red-coloured print may look like a regular camouflage design, but look closely and you’ll see the tiny hearts clustered within. It doesn’t get sassier than this. Priced between Rs6,000 and Rs8,000, this is one fun statement for V-Day and beyond!
Elan’s French connection
With its ‘J’adore’ and ‘Amore’ collections, luxury-pret brand Elan seems fixated on the French language. The designs, however, are all cutting-edge Pakistani. ‘J’adore’ is Elan’s evening-wear for Valentine’s Day in deep red, black and gold, with baroque-inspired intricate embroideries on net, silk and chiffon. The silhouettes are structured and modern, and the price goes up to Rs35,000. Sister brand Elan Vital’s ‘Amore’ is available about the Rs10,000-range, with whimsical flora, fauna and quirky details on cotton-satin.
So pretty, Sapphire!
Designer Khadijah Shah is on a roll. Not only has she created two V-Day lines for her label Elan but has also released out a collection for Sapphire as the creative head of the fledgling brand. There are stripes, florals and wisps of damask in Sapphire’s tribute to the season of love. The 10 designs are priced at as low as Rs2,600 and up to Rs4,000.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 13th, 2015.
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