T-Diaries: Sarah Anees

A glimpse into the world of Pakistani powerhouses

What sparked your interest in the fashion industry?

The first introduction to any person is his/her attire. It highlights one’s personality, mood and self perception. While I studied art, I began to realise that designing clothes was the way I wanted to express the inner me.This led to me applying to fashion school and major in women’s western couture.

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

Fashion is one art form where functionality is as crucial as creativity. The most important thing to keep in mind when designing is who and where the design is for.

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

For me, the biggest change is that fashion has now become a lucrative business. It has become far more structured and professional than ever before. Designers are now partnering, hiring and aligning with people to manage the business side of fashion companies so they can focus on what they do best, i.e. being the creative fulcrum of their company. Also, the rise of the internet, social media and retail outlets has made it much easier for designers to reach out to the market.

How do you bring your inspiration into reality?

The short answer is: with GREAT difficulty. It sounds clichéd but you never know when inspiration strikes you. So the first thing I do is make sure, whenever it happens, I take a note of the idea. Once I have a basic thought that I want to work with, I usually go on to build a mood board. This is a visual depiction of the earlier idea. Then, while studying the mood boards, I start drawing.

Any advice for women aspiring to become designers?

I would like people to understand that being a “fashion designer” is a business and not a casual pastime.  It is not enough to hire a master and start producing clothes. You must have a strategy for moving forward. In particular, I feel people undervalue the importance of your promotion and marketing to be unique to your brand. Work hard and study the industry — this will help you find success.

Sarah Anees

Fashion Designer

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, November 8^th, 2015.