T-Diaries: Sana T Aziz

A glimpse into the world of Pakistani powerhouses

What sparked your interest in the fashion industry?

I had always been interested in art and design since my school days. I took up textile designing during college which led me to fashion designing professionally.

What is the most important thing to keep in mind before designing?

One should always keep their ideas original and think out of the box.

Your brand, Sana T, specialises in print design, creative embroideries and surface embellishments. How successful are these ready-to-wear kurtis in Pakistan?

Fairly successful, I would say. My brand mostly covers casual and semi-formal wear mostly and fortunately, at this time, there is always a need for both in Pakistan.

How has the Pakistani fashion industry changed over the past few years?

It has changed drastically! It’s a lot more creative and designers are experimenting with silhouettes and various techniques of textile designing every day.

What do you have to say about new designers?

New designers are bringing in their talent and a lot of healthy competition. Personally, I believe this is excellent for our country!

Your retail brand is available in both Karachi and London. How different are the two markets, in terms of fashion and clientele?

My clients in London are mostly people who travel back to Pakistan very frequently. They are always well up to date with the latest fashion from back home so there isn’t too much of a difference. However, having said that, they do tend to pick up the more fusion or western outfits from my collections, as opposed to the traditional ones.

How do you transform your inspiration into reality?

Sketching is very important for designing. I draw extensively and then search for the appropriate fabrics and begin the sampling process. Once the samples have been finalised, the collection is sent into production.

What constitutes a good fashion show?

That would be a collection of outfits that combine statement, catwalk pieces and practicality.

One material for all season?

Pure satin.

Sana T Aziz

Fashion designer

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, September 20th, 2015.