Breezing up in the sizzling summer

Designer Mahgul Rashid unveils latest cotton collection at Ensemble in the metropolis

KARACHI:

Having designed a summer range of pretty pastels and feminine florals, specifically crafted to beat the Pakistan heat, designer Mahgul Rashid’s collection is now up for grabs. Occupying a rack at the Ensemble store in metropolis, the line features cotton fabric with embroidery. Showcasing intricate needlework on the neckline, pearl buttons and diamantes, the ensembles range from floral prints to geometrical designs.

Mahgul spoke to The Express Tribune about her design philosophy. “For our cotton/lawn print collection, we wanted to create a light, fun summer look, which would be fresh and comfortable at the same time.” She added, “I wanted to craft a range that one can easily translate from day to evening wear.” On whether pearls and diamantes are overused by designers and are too formal for a cotton collection, Mahgul explained why she opted for them. “We made use of embellishments for certain designs so that our clients can get value for their money. Adding these fun elements to the designs also makes them suitable for dinner parties,” she stated.



Stating that she prefers not to draw inspiration from fashion fads, she shared, “I don’t follow trends and ongoing fashion hypes.” She further said, “We emphasise on the design, dictating its feel and look instead of following latest fashion inclinations. We also cater to those who wish to glam sup a bit to achieve a more formal look.” Maintaining there is “no Karachi versus Lahore comparison at the brand,” Mahgul described Karachi’s sartorial choice as “more understated, with Karachiites enjoying fun and easy-to-wear designs.”

The designer has also crafted exclusive summer bags. Her latest range comprises beige-hued clutches, among others. Speaking about the key inspiration behind them, she said, “We design our signature clutches every season as they’re quite popular among our local and global clients.” She added, “This season, we used synthetic snake skin in fun bold colours with prints of botanical and fruit elements as contrasting sections.” For evening-wear clutches, she explored suede and hand-made motifs with feathers and leather tassels.



Post-summer season, the designer will be occupied with crafting her Eid collection and sampling for the bridal week to be held in September. She finds fashion weeks presentations exhilarating. “We intend to take part in the upcoming PFDC L’Oreal Paris Bridal Week this September. Always exciting to share my work on a large platform for it to be critiqued and showcased in an extraordinary way.”

For one customer, Afsheen Shehzad, who bought a number of Mahgul’s pieces, the range was high on appeal because of its wearability factor and not-so-hefty price tag. Clutching her newly-bought outfits in her hand, customer Meher Salahjee remarked, “Pricing matters to me. I bought one of the outfits for Rs6,500, which is okay, considering there is unstitched lawn selling in the market at the same price.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 2^nd, 2015.

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