Giving the prints names, such as ‘Desert Moon’, ‘Sweet Poison’ and ‘Turkish Dreams’, Shah has added a cultural edge to the collection. PHOTOS: PUBLICITY
Held at the Shapes Health Club Tuesday evening, the Élan Lawn 2015 exhibit bore semblance to a garden party. Attended by a limited crowd, the event was an exclusive demonstration of the fabric, which seems to be making a gradual comeback among designer-wear enthusiasts.
Drawing inspiration from different continents, the collection comprised flashes of various traditions. From subcontinental to Moroccan features, to the oriental- and Ottoman-inspired, to European-themed designs, the lawn boasted the vibrancy of a multitude of cultures. Khadija Shah, creative director at Élan, says, “From floral to geometric designs, the lawn collection features Eastern inspiration. The design perspective was based on catching a glimpse of the East, which is so rich in heritage.”
The preview chalked out clear instructions for each attendee to buy no more than six joras. Explaining why this was so, Shah shares, “The lawn already got sold to the retailers and it’s not easy to handle a huge crowd. We wanted the media to see the collection along with it being a family affair.” She adds, “It gets difficult to handle large crowds, so we made it a point to put the cap on the number an individual can buy. They got sold out so fast that many weren’t even able to buy it.”
Giving the prints names, such as ‘Desert Moon’, ‘Sweet Poison’ and ‘Turkish Dreams’, Shah has set her creations apart from the rest in the market, and added a cultural edge to the fabric. Amid the hustle-bustle surrounding the exhibit, Rubina Aziz, a customer and fan of the designs, claimed, “I’ve been waiting for this exhibition for a year now. It’s the only lawn I’ve been looking forward to and I’m impressed with the collection.”
When Aziz was inquired about the heavy price tag of the collection, which goes up to around Rs7,000, she said, “It’s the amount we are paying for other lawn in the market too, so this collection surely deserves to be paid a good amount for.” The price of the collection ranges between Rs6,450 and Rs 6,750.
When asked whether the price for her lawn is a hefty bargain, Shah says, “Our prices are the same as last year’s and we intentionally fixed the price to match the rational price tag.” The designer adds, “Keeping the price the same as last year was a goodwill gesture for our loyal customers, who are ever-ready to purchase Élan Lawn.”
Shah describes the collection as ‘versatile’. “I incorporated designs from everywhere — Eastern, Central Asian... I find inspiration in cultural heritages but this time around, I haven’t used light colours and focused on brighter hues.”
Shah says, “A designer needs to set the trend in the market. It should be ever-evolving. Hence, we have paid a lot more detail to every print.” Delving into the aesthetics of her collection, she says, “When you buy designer lawn, you need to have some value addition. Our designs are specifically juxtaposed, keeping variation in mind.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2015.
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