There will come a day we will no longer have to give context for why certain industries boomed and some just upped and died in the 2020’s in the world at large, and in Pakistan in particular. So let’s pretend that this is that day and you don’t need context. What you do need to know is that regardless of inactivity, a sinking economy, and what promises to be another great recession globally, fashion raised its head and put a toe back in the water a bit this year.

Why the TDAP Texpo was important

Simply, there haven’t been any on-ground shows in Pakistan that cater to buyers in a very long time. In the absence of the fashion week, the TDAP Texpo was a welcome effort. Shows produced at this scale do more than just give designers to come together and share that sense of community: they create jobs. Whether you’re a model, stylist, event designer, makeup artist or photographer, you benefit from being part of communal shows. We don’t know how many of the prospective buyers were converted at this show, but it was good to see the industry stirring again. That said, it was disappointing that some successful designers complacently showed the same old collections. Sure there’s such a thing as being too cool for any old show, but maybe the most inactive period in the industry’s active history isn’t the time to be that.

Who needs retail? Everyone!

Retail pret was a pretty novel concept till about 15 years ago, when we just had a couple of big names in the market. Every smaller retail pret brand was received with warm fanfare, and whether they ended up disappointing us in the long run is another matter. However, in the last 10 years, there has been a steadily growing pret option for women, regardless of what they are looking for. We have luxe lines, office wear, solids, coords, modest western lines, and while of course the older studios are still more able to experiment with styles and prices, newer stores are following their lead. This is the exact model design houses and couture labels also need to follow: lead the way, and younger brands will help you create a market that draws in newer customers, which will ultimately benefit the industry as a whole.

What Parishae Adnan brings to the table

Parishae Adnan is very fortunate to not just have the skill, but also the drive to out her work out there consistently. The designer produces a collection per season, and showcases at regular shows. If that is the kind of activity we need at the moment from designers to promote the industry, even if they choose to go solo, then she is getting it right. Most collections are released online, and while of course there’s merit to that in terms of zero waste and overheads, fashion isn’t exactly the kind of thing that can be pursued forever within a silo.