It’s that time of the year when everything turns green in Pakistan. It’s not an environmental drive – which would have been a nice way to celebrate the festive month too – rather it’s a solid celebration of August 14, Independence Day.
Dr Maleeha Lodhi carrying a sequined flag clutch by Mahin Hussain. The image goes a long way.
fashionfocus
The nation turns to white and green as the calendar turns to August.
It’s that time of the year when everything turns green in Pakistan. It’s not an environmental drive – which would have been a nice way to celebrate the festive month too – rather it’s a solid celebration of August 14, Independence Day. 2016 marks 69 years of Independence for the country and while there is a lot more to lament than celebrate (apologies for being a wet blanket) I do think we owe it to Jinnah to at least honour his vision and therefore try our best to pay tribute to the country of his dreams if not today’s reality.
Sapphire pays tribute to symbols of Pakistan and presents a collection designed to tap into the national spirit.
Walking that line are flag vendors, of course, and designers. We can expect several Independence Day themes to run through stores in the next two weeks.
Sapphire is one of the first few brands to announce special lines for the occasion; their collection titled Freedom Nation will launch on August 6. “August 14 is a matter of pride for us and we do this every year,” Creative Director Sapphire, Khadijah Shah spoke to Instep. “We feature currency, iconic figures, stamps and national emblems in our prints and our designs in a creative way. We’ve shot the collection at the Railway Station this year and it features Hasnain Lehri and Amna Baber.”
We anticipate accessory designer Mahin Hussain’s quirky Independence Day collections every year and while she isn’t doing a solo, she is collaborating with the Citizens Archive Pakistan (CAP) on a capsule which is now available. CAP showcased The History Collection initiative at Dolmen Mall yesterday; it features HSY, Deepak Perwani, Mahin Hussain, Mahgul, K for Karachi and Polly and other stories. All six brands have created tributary collections based on the spirit of the month. Read more on the event in Instep tomorrow.
The History Collection: K for Karachi is one of six brands collaborating with CAP on this project.
Returning to the high street, Generation (the brand just won Best Pret at the Lux Style Awards) is planning a predominantly white Independence Day at their stores. “It’s going to be a white Independence Day at Generation, with an effort to bring focus to the much sidelined minorities of the country,” Khadija Rehman, Creative Director of Generation, said. “They not only complete our flag but also our identity as a nation.”
The good people at Leisure Club are launching a new ‘Made of Pakistan’ collection that will feature – you guessed it – iconic prints, traditional clothing like waistcoats and a general sense of national identity. And last but not least Sana Safinaz will be releasing a special Independence Day tunic, as they do every year. “It’s a loud and really fun tunic,” Safinaz told Instep. “It’s a kurta you’ll want to wear all year round and not just on August 14!” The kurta will be in stores by August 7.
It’s national pride that we want to tap into and even though our governments, politicians and leaders have left us with very little to celebrate and be joyous about, it’s the dream of what Pakistan was meant to be, and Insha Allah will achieve one day, that motivates us to dress the part and pay tribute every August. That said it would be great if a little spirit went into playing the part as opposed to just dressing it.
