The year 2015 brought with it the launch of brands that gave us creative kurtis to wear, exquisite jewellery to sport,
The year 2015 brought with it the launch of brands that gave us creative kurtis to wear, exquisite jewellery to sport, perfect makeup to make ourselves pretty with, extravagant decor items and lip smacking eating out place to dine in. Yes, from amongst many, there are a few names that managed to impress us all! Most importantly, everything new introduced was unique, innovative, created a great demand for itself and is here to stay for years to come! Here are a few trendsetters that have managed to leave an impact on everyone’s wallet.
Shopping alert
When it comes to fashion, sky is the limit. However, with so many different brands of clothing and accessories around, it is difficult to come up with something that stands out. Luckily 2015 turned out to be a fashionista shopping haven as many new brands were introduced.
Sapphire: When talking about the new brands in town, it would be a sin if we don’t mention Sapphire. The brand has become a craze in Karachi and Lahore and has also gained a reputation nationwide due to its popularity. The Sapphire opening marks a significant step towards the global trend of fast fashion in Pakistan as Creative Director Khadijah Shah explained the brand’s philosophy comparing it to high street labels like ZARA. The store stocks new designs almost every alternate week and manages to sell out the stock just as fast. Sapphire offers casual pret wear, digital silk prints, un-stitched, scarves and even gorgeous Indian jewellery. The brand has made a name for giving their clients quality clothing at bargain prices. The store offers a complete solution for all your ready-to-wear occasion and day wear needs.
Nadia Chottani: Nadia Chhotani launched her first flagship store offering designer jewellery in Karachi this year. The lady has been working in this business since the last seven years and has finally taken a step forward with the store launch. One of the few collections that the store gained popularity for was the line ‘ceremonial’, for the Pakistani bride.
Feeha Jamshed: The designer had gained quite a lot of popularity with her brand ‘Tee Jays’ and has created waves this year with the new store ‘Feeha Jamshed’ in Karachi. The label, Feeha Jamshed is built on the platform of fashion for all and provides retail with a creative twist. Her designs have taken fashion and style from the streets of Pakistan to the world, and she continues to work on infusing eastern cuts into western wear as opposed to western cuts imported into eastern wear.
Kapray: This brand also gained a lot of popularity in Karachi and has products good enough to compete with other renowned brands. Kapray is one brand that offers fashionable clothing at a great price. The brand caters to the fashion needs across all ages, offering great quality and trendy fashion pieces through its unique omni-channel approach, exceptional in-store experience and new collections every week. The newly opened flagship store offers a complete range of fashion wardrobe for men, women and kids along with an exhaustive collection of home and lifestyle accessories.
Decor away
This year also brought with it many options for one to decorate their homes with the opening of lifestyle and furnishings stores.
Lifewares: Interwood launched its first ‘Lifewares’ store in Karachi and since then has become quite popular. The store is known for providing quality products on a low budget and projects itself as a brand that caters to the needs of anyone looking to spruce up their house. Products range from flooring to home decor items that are available at reasonable and affordable prices, making them easily accessible to everyone. The simple yet elegant aesthetics of each furniture piece available creates the right tone of comfort and cosiness.
Sam Abbas: The Sam Abbas Furniture and Design studio opened up a new and much larger outlet this year. Sam Abbas holds a whole host of experiences in designing a luxurious range of furniture and interiors. Her work spans across the globe from London, to Dubai, to Moscow.
The furniture available at the store is contemporary yet traditional and also offers custom made furniture.
Khas: A complete lifestyle store, from bed linens to crockery and apparel, Khas has it all. Khas is one lifestyle store where the client can walk into the store and can purchase a whole look of his or her room. The stores that have been launched in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore also have kid’s products like clothing, shoes, toys, and other accessories.
The Lounge: The Lounge, an interior, furniture and home accessories brand managed by Nyla Amjad opened up in Lahore. The store offers collections of hand-made contemporary furniture ranging from custom made tables, sofas and consoles to ottomans and much more. The products encompass a wide range of not only furniture but also accessories including embroidered and digital printed cushions, leather trays, lamps, candle stands, placemats and wooden decor. The idea behind the store is to give people an opportunity to experience modern living with affordable solutions
Renaissance: Luxury home interiors and furniture label Renaissance opened up in Karachi. The luxury lifestyle store covers up everything from beautiful designer upholstery to living, dining, and bedroom furniture.
Make me up
The year 2015 turned out to be a good one for all the makeup obsessed ladies as two makeup lines and a renowned makeup store was launched in Pakistan. No more waiting for trips abroad just to get our hands on some amazing makeup items now our country has it all.
Masarrat Misbah: This lady recently launched her makeup line Massarat Misbah Makeup that has sent many fashionistas in frenzy as they claim that the makeup products are as good as other famous international brands. The creator of this brand, Masarrat Misbah is one of the pioneers of the hair and beauty industry of Pakistan with the Depilex Group. The brand is the first Halal Certified Makeup brand to launch in Pakistan, not using any animal substances or intoxicants in the entire product range.
The makeup line primarily focuses on a colour range best adapted for the Asian skin tone, climate and complexion, with an emphasis on textures, colours, and pigments. The line includes a range of products from lipsticks, eyeliners, mascara, nail polish to foundations and many more.
Nabila: Struggling to find the right makeup for Pakistani skin? Well worry no more as the award-winning Pakistani makeup artist Nabila Maqsood has launched her N-Zero range of makeup this year. The makeup products are based on 30 years of experience with desi skin. The makeup line currently comprises a single product that has it all and Nabila will soon be adding other products to the range. The ‘no makeup palette’ has taken Pakistan by a storm is amongst the most wanted products nowadays. It includes a concealer, blender, blush, lip colour and powder so it’s essentially 5 products in one. It comes in 5 sets of shades, which covers the entire spectrum of Pakistani skin - from very pale to seriously dusky. This product is making so many waves as it aims to give the user a naturally beautiful look. A great achievement made this year without a doubt!
Inglot: This is an international cosmetic brand that was launched in Pakistan this year.
Created by a Polish chemist, the brand is renowned for its cutting-edge research and consistent evolution. It took the make-up industry by a storm when it came out with a range of breathable nail colours in 2013 that was an instant hit with Muslim women as it allowed oxygen and water to penetrate the enamel and reach the nail. Also, the brand has eyeliners and eye shadows that are popular worldwide because of the quality and long lasting look. This is why the launch of Inglot brought so much excitement amongst ladies. It was literally a dream come true and the brand has been an instant hit in the country due to the affordable price range and unique products. Inglot launched outlets in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad this year.
Eating out
Since Pakistan does not have that much entertainment options available, amongst the few options that people have is to eat out. Hence, restaurants and cafes have gained immense popularity. Here are a few mentionable eating out places that opened up this year in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
Pranzo: This restaurant in Karachi took fine dining to new heights with its detailed interior and grandeur. The indoor interior is inspired by the renaissance era, with details such as ornate paintings and crystal chandeliers decorating the main dining hall, while the outdoor area has a minimalist feel with the use of trees, planters, and wood. To top that off, the food served there is delicious with items on the menu ranging from Thai, continental to Chinese.
Mews: The elegant cafe’s entrance in Karachi opens into a narrow alley that leads to a series of attractive, inter-connected dining areas. Mews combines brick walls, clever natural lighting and contemporary furniture for a modern, relaxed and very European feel. A great deal of thought has been put into its ambiance and presentation, with customized wooden serving platters and quirky details. The menu includes pizzas, sandwiches, wraps, grilled fish, laksa, Mac n cheese and burgers, among other dishes.
The East End: The East End is the fresh breeze in the culinary world. The restaurant dedicated to the people of Karachi offers Pakistani and Indian cuisines in a five course set menu. This place is a must visit as it offers culinary wonders not known or tasted by the masses. The ambiance of the cafe is chic and comfortable; perfect for time out with families.
Casa Rouge: The restaurant recently opened up in Islamabad has become quite popular due to its unique interior setting and delicious food. The structure of the restaurant has been inspired by the road side cafes at the Gran Via in Madrid, Spain. Designed on European lines with tiled floors, the spacious restaurant has a seating capacity of 67 people. The restaurant has two dining lounges and a terrace. There is also a pebble sitting to accommodate 8-10 guests on a wooden deck. The fine dining restaurant offers Continental cuisine and is a perfect place for friends and family to get together.
Angeethi: Angeethi offers fine desi cuisine in a classy ambiance. This restaurant in Islamabad has been designed on Spanish architecture theme with a lot of gypsum work on walls and arches inside and outside. The spacious restaurant has a seating capacity of over 200 and has many outdoor areas like rooftop, veranda, terrace and courtyards. However, Angeethi is not only about beautiful architecture and serene surroundings; it also seeks to bring the flavours of authentic Pakistani cuisine to Islooites. The menu features a prolific variety of flame grilled ingredients, vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, Punjab’s famous ‘sarson ka saag’ (cooked mustard greens) and many more iconic food items.
X2: The desi restaurant opened up in Lahore this year promises to offer the Lahoris something different. X2 Desi has a modern and chic interior area as well as a comfy outdoor area that is a bliss to sit in during winter. The menu includes items like Madrasi Chicken Curry, Bengali Fish Curry, Paneer Tawa Masala Daal Makhani and a wide range of mouth-watering desserts.
Daar Cheeni: Another popular desi restaurant that opened up in Lahore was Daar cheeni. The fact is that many continental eating out places had taken over the city in the past few years and such fancy desi restaurants like Daar Cheeni are perfect for a fine dining experience in desi style.
The place has a very calming ambiance and is done very nicely. The best part is the veranda at the back which is designed in an innovative way with Terracotta tiles and a nice fountain with view of a live BarBQ kitchen. However, what has made this place popular is its desi menu that includes fried puris, baked naans and tandoori parathas. The menu items also include chicken haleem, amazing khageena, tawa chicken qeema, chicken seekh kababs, murgh chanay, halwa and finally the star dish, paya. For desserts they offer kheer and freshly fried jalebis with tea or green tea. The restaurant is definitely the best organic desi food place one can find in Lahore.
