Zooming into the world of digital prints

Ideas by Gul Ahmed launches fall collection featuring 22 new designs in vibrant hues

KARACHI: With a string of designer clothing lines under way, the country’s fashion industry is consistently making it to the news. Last week, Ideas by Gul Ahmed launched its ‘Digital Dreams’ collection at their outlet in Dolmen Mall, Clifton. Taking cue from global fashion and the art and aesthetics of different regions in the world, be it vibrant Oriental, or Native American designs, the range is part of the brand’s Cambric Fabric collection.

The ‘Digital Dreams’ collection features 22 new designs, with five of each available, and are priced between Rs2,700 and Rs3,700. Bashir shared how the latest collection is much more affordable for the masses as compared to what other designer labels are currently offering.



Experimenting with hues, such as orange, red, black, green, yellow and white, the collection is “surreal, floral, geometrical, whimsical, fresh and colourful,” according to the brand’s creative manager, Afzaal Akhtar. In contrast with many other collections, the line doesn’t depict femininity. It is aimed at empowering the women who wear it.

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The Ideas team had been devising ways to foray into digital printing since March last year. Gul Ahmed Textile Mills executive director Ziad Bashir explained that they ventured into this late because they wanted to gauge the market strength of going digital with prints.

“The world is going digital versus rotary. It takes time for something as different as this to break the monotony,” said Bashir. “We’re so proud that we’ve launched it now. This is the best thing in the market,” he added. “Digital [prints are] the new big thing in Pakistan. We’re in the new age of digital printing. This is a piece of art. You can view the depth behind each digital outfit, which is a part of our collection,” shared Sahar Ghanchi, Ideas product head.



In terms of their future plans, the director Bashir revealed, “We’ve done it on Cambric this time but have plans of digitalising on fabrics such as crepe and silk in the near future.” Looking ahead, Akhtar pointed out three basics to keep in mind before the upcoming winter collection. For him, it’s firstly important to view the market along with keeping in mind what’s required by the bosses, and lastly, delivering what one thinks is best for the brand’s clientele.

Bashir was keen on adding that the brand has planned to introduce 15 more stores in the next couple of months. With 65 outlets in place, Ideas aims at launching 80 stores this year. Revealing the brand’s design philosophy, Bashir said Ideas by Gul Ahmed takes inspiration from the fashion exhibitions around the world. From these, “there are elements that can surprise us and excite us and we want to create something similar to them,” he explained. The brand aspires to continue bringing ideas to reality and straight from the ramp to the racks for the masses.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th,  2015.

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