The showcasing designers did, however, finally move away from social causes and tried to highlight their craft more than anything else.
The Winter/Festive edition of Fashion Pakistan Week began on Friday with a hope to showcase the country’s – and the Fashion Pakistan Council’s – best craft. With that idea, the designers on Day One, namely Tena Durrani, Huma Adnan, Lajwanti, Zainab Chottani, Aamna Aqeel, The Pink Tree Company and HSY presented their collections, which ranged from ethnic couture aesthetics and bridals to high-street pret – and of course, a few designs that wouldn’t fit into either category and shouldn’t be on the runway.
Having said that, the fresh air at FPW Winter/Festive was evident, as the designers finally moved away from social causes taking the forefront and tried to highlight their craft more than anything else. Even in the collections where a social cause remained tantamount to the larger idea of their display, it was done with subtlety. Needless to say, we’re glad that the spectacle didn’t take over the craft this time around.
Over to the collections…Tena Durrani
Day One started off with Tena Durrani, who showcased her collection Rara Avis – which means a rare bird. The display largely comprised designs that stayed true to the designer’s aesthetic and featured organic embellishments over a colour palette ranging from pinks and greens on ivory to deep reds. She also experimented with winter fabrics like velvet, which complemented the overall collection. However, while the designs managed to make their mark, we wish to see Tena evolving from the set of design we already know she’s good at.
Huma Adnan
The second collection of the day was from Huma Adnan, which was called Dehradun and looked at the designer’s creative imagination of the traditional Indian craft of the city, mixed with Huma’s own style aesthetic. This was also co-incidentally the first bridal collection displayed by the designer at a fashion week, and for that reason, it remained interesting to see. However, we wish the designs would have been simpler than what they turned out to be; the collection mixed with the jewelry made by refugees under the UNHCR veered into many contrasting directions.
Lajwanti
One of the stronger collections of the day came from Lajwanti, whose collection Rivaaj played to the embroidering strengths of the Lahore-based brand and focused on a colour palette of ivories, pinks and gold that would fit any bridal trousseau ¬– or at least, their Nikah and Valima needs. It was all made even better when Sana Javed and Imran Abbas walked for the brand as the showstoppers amidst applause.
Zainab Chottani
Zainab Chottani showcased her collection titled Khwab, next, which like every collection shown by the designer displayed her passion for head-to-toe embellishments. Mixing a colour palette of whites, reds and hints of blues and blacks, Khwab was nothing one hasn’t seen – offered by the designer before. Perhaps, that was Chottani’s strategy, after all: to do what she’s good at.
Aamna Aqeel
Aamna Aqeel displayed her collection, Dazzling Dames next, which focused more on a strong international aesthetic and experimented with a myriad of silhouettes that ranged from festive wear to pret-a-porter. However, while the cuts worked in her favour, the idea of repetition didn’t. One wishes the digital print used by Aamna was done better. Nonetheless, it was still a delight to see Kubra Khan walk for the designer as her showstopper.
The PinkTree Company
Another powerful collection of the day emerged from The PinkTree Company, which paid homage to the Gulabi Gang – a group of women in India who fought against social injustice – with their collection by the same name (Gulabi Gang). Focusing on changing the idea of the colour pink from frailty to a formidable femininity, the brand showcased a strong mix of ready-to-wear ensembles, which utilized the pink colour palette in various ways. The mix of organic embellishments with vibrant dashes of colour only added to the collection, and thus, by far, made it a crowd favourite. Of course, a little monologue from the iconic Sheema Kermani helped too.
Having said that, it was nothing new coming from Mohsin Sayeed, who plays to his strengths and needless to say, played it safe once again.
HSY
Ending Day One was HSY with his collection Elements, which focused on the ‘power of mother nature’. Displaying a mix of ready-to-wear outfits for men, the collection had all the right ‘elements’ per se, but lacked any sort of cohesiveness or unique aesthetic that would make it a collection by HSY. It could honestly be any designer and one would believe it. For it to be the finale was questionable at best.
