For the dandy and the dapper

Ismail Farid on bagging his sixth Lux Style Awards nod as he revels in a decade of designing for men

KARACHI:

If you want to know just how Ismail Farid ended up as a menswear designer, brace yourselves for a gripping stroll down memory lane. Around 10 years ago, whenever Farid would want to shop for himself, it’d be from abroad. “There just wasn’t any shop that offered interesting menswear in Pakistan. So, I ultimately began designing for myself,” he says.

Friends and family began to notice Farid’s wardrobe, enquiring where he shops from. “When I’d tell them I had made my clothes myself, they’d say, ‘Humare liye bhi bana do’. This is how I developed an interest in tailoring.”



And so Farid began his career in fashion in 2005 with an outlet on Zamzama. Since then, he has carved a niche for himself, having become the one-stop solution for men’s sartorial demands. In fact, he’s so engrossed in the business that he refuses to expand into women’s-wear. “I really enjoy designing men’s collections,” he states. “I know there are large monetary benefits to reap from women’s-wear, but for me, that’s a different ball-game. One needs to develop expertise for it and I’m simply not inclined towards it.”

But a successful clothing line is just one of the many facets of Farid’s career. This year, the designer is celebrating his sixth Lux Style Awards (LSA) nomination, having won the award for ‘Best Menswear Designer’ twice already. “I’m not sure if I’ll win again, but let’s hope for the best. It’s still great to be nominated, but to be the winner would be a cherry on top of the cake.”

Most recently, Farid participated in the Runway Collection by PIA, held in Karachi earlier this year, and has nothing but fond memories of the experience. “It was an honour [to show for] PIA, the national carrier. It was an honour to be able to design a uniform for our national airline’s crew members,” he stated. His impressive roster of celebrity clients includes heavyweights of the Pakistani entertainment industry. Actors, such as Shaan Shahid and Ali Zafar, have sought his styling expertise for years, and he was selected as the main wardrobe consultant for the upcoming feature film Ho Mann Jahaan.

Read: Fashion forward PIA to glam up air hostesses with Nomi Ansari's creations



One may wonder if the average Pakistani man has become metrosexual. “Just about 15 years ago, men weren’t as inclined towards fashion and designing. They stayed limited to colours, such as black, blue, grey and white, but times have changed now,” explains Farid. “Kudos to the media as it has given leverage to fashion and allowed men to create a statement. Today, both men and women are fashionable and trend-conscious.”

Read: Lux Style Awards 2015 nominees announced

But originality remains key for Ismail. He advises his clients to remain true to make a style statement of their own. “Always remember that fashion keeps changing, but style remains constant.”

Farid’s penchant for men’s fashion has led him to offer customised clothing for boys, offering both eastern and western outfits for children. “We’re extremely specific when it comes to making clothes on special orders,” he notes. “Orders are mostly for birthdays or family weddings, and we remain true to our brand and designs for every offering.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th,  2015.

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