It’s common for brands to test the lawn market and fizzle out the year after simply because they couldn’t live up to the growing standard. However, AUJ, a fabric and design house (as they define it) based in Lahore,
Lawn Review # 9
It’s common for brands to test the lawn market and fizzle out the year after simply because they couldn’t live up to the growing standard. However, AUJ, a fabric and design house (as they define it) based in Lahore, has managed to create a reasonable foothold for the second year in row. Spearheaded by entrepreneur Babar Rashid Khan alongside a young, creative graphic designer Mahpara Khan, the brand is operating from outside Pakistan and is focused on developing fabric designs inspired from travels. This year they seem to have drawn inspiration from the serene island of Koh Samui. Instep gives its verdict:
Quality
Being relatively new and unknown compared to the myriad of designer lawn brands in the market, AUJ has not compromised on quality, thankfully. The collection boasts of a light, breathable fabric and is largely in pastels, which adds to its breeziness. That said, the fabric isn’t soft to touch and has coarse texture to it. This, though, symbolizes that it’s meant to bear down heat levels but it also means it’s going to wear out and wrinkle the minute you move around. You can get comfy in it but you can’t exactly make a style statement as it crumples up too soon.
Design Innovation
Who doesn’t love a bit of flora and fauna but we feel it’s acting a little too safe by focusing on just that. While AUJ describes itself as more of a design movement, it doesn’t quite live up to the mission statement because there is not much in the collection that speaks of innovation. It’s pretty, natural and echoing Persian romanticism in peaches and pinks but it’s not pushing the envelope amidst strong competition. There are many a shade of flora and fauna but AUJ does not offer anything that we haven’t seen before. The colour combinations, however, are fresh and soothing to the eyes and the embroideries delicate and no-fuss. Interesting is the fact that it relieves you of the hassle of getting your embroidered add-ons appliquéd by incorporating them in the fabric only.
Value for Money
Priced at PKR 5550 and PKR 5950, the brand is obviously pitching it as premium designer lawn and the quality is surely up to par but given the conventional, run-of-the-mill designs, the price doesn’t seem to be justifiable. In short, the collection is a great addition to daily work wear but not one you can make a fashion statement in. Buy it because you want to stock up for those daily meetings you need to clean up for.
Wow Factor
Though built with the right intentions, the brand has a long way to go before it can create the kind of frenzy that designer lawns are famous for. Operating from the confines of an online website and a bunch of wholesale retailers, it’s not the most memorable brand among lawn fanatics and the one-off billboards don’t help in developing a connection either. In future, they either need to focus on interesting fashion collaborations or sign in on a celebrity face to tap into the market.
–Nida Ameen
* Avoid at all cost, even if free
** Don't buy
*** Buy if you need to stock up
**** Buy because you simply love it!
***** Must buy! You'd be crazy not to!
