He’s a couple of collections old, with only the last -- Cargwar -- considered his breakthrough, and yet Arsalan Iqbal flaunts the confidence of a veteran. Dressed casually in a button-down cotton shirt with folded sleeves while sporting a rugged stubble and long pushed-back hair, he carries the swagger of success. Originally from Karachi, maintaining a second home in Lahore, working in Islamabad and opening shops in Karachi and Lahore, he has also shown at almost every fashion week there is. And he is confident that he has ‘arrived’.

An MBA from Oxford Brookes University in London, Arsalan’s creative aesthetic is simply a result of his sheer passion towards the art of fashion. After only a few years in the running, he jumped into retail – a realm of fashion that most experienced designers take years to foray into. In less than a year, he has opened two stores in Karachi and one in Lahore, just recently. Arsalan’s latest Cargwar collection showcased at the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week, featuring both menswear and womenswear, was appreciated by critics for being bold and innovative. (Cargwar features on Instep Style this week, pages 34-37)

Known for being outspoken and straightforward, the designer spoke to Instep and highlighted the differences between Pakistan’s two most prominent fashion weeks while discussing the scope of menswear in Pakistan.

"Both PFDC and FPW are similar in terms of their function and role in the fashion industry. However, PFDC sets itself apart through a higher glamour and PR quotient," Arsalan reflected. "PFDC is actually driving the business of fashion by attracting buyers. The council, I feel, is making a greater effort to create a bridge between international and local buyers and designers. For example, Mohsin Ali got an opportunity to design for Libas and now I have been given a chance to take my prêt collection to the PFDC Boulevard in Delhi."

While Arsalan feels that PFDC is a better platform to target customers, he is (diplomatically) forever indebted to the Fashion Pakistan Council for letting him step into the industry and make his debut.

Arsalan insists that he is a self-made man and while he has his contacts in the industry, his success can only be credited to hard work and a willingness to push the boundaries. "Some extra support is always helpful. It enables you to make the right connections and create some credible PR and everyone knows that the fashion industry runs mainly through PR. However, talent is foremost. There is no substitute for hard work. You may know the whole world but if you lack talent, you will never succeed," he asserts, adding that he is grateful to Deepak Perwani for having faith in him. But this isn’t the place for acceptance speeches; one asks him how difficult it is for newcomers (especially those designing for men) to breakthrough all the industry politics?

Fashion industries all across the globe are battered for being highly political in nature and while some lucky designers manage to cope and shine through, others get bogged down until and unless they learn to deal with the under currents.

Arsalan agrees. "I would be lying if I said that there is no politics involved. Politics does exist but it exists in every field of work. You should know how to play your cards right. There is a certain level of bias but I have so far not witnessed it at our fashion weeks – at least not at PFDC. They were very thorough in their selection process," he adds.

As we move on from the highs and lows of fashion weeks, one probes Arsalan to reveal the secret of succeeding within such a limited time, in a tiny target market for menswear. He is one of the very few designers in Pakistan who specialize in menswear and considering that men in our country are not too experimental when it comes to dressing up, it is rather surprising to see him continue to capitalize on his whimsical creativity.

"The problem is that men in our country tend to live in a bubble of compliancy," he states. "They can do everything but they are scared to do it. There is a lot of scope in menswear but it hasn’t been explored much. Variety is limited and that is where I step in," he adds.

"I am bored of designers with a typical, ethereal sense of style that has become an age-old trademark. No offense, Amir Adnan is a great designer but he specializes only in Eastern wear, and while his business retail value may have gone up, the creative element in his designs has suffered. Same is the case with HSY. I feel I am the only designer in Pakistan who specializes in menswear as a whole and is offering something different in each and every category of menswear – from footwear to trousers to the shalwar kameez," he claims confidently.

For years, Arsalan has maintained a significant foothold in the menswear market but now he has finally ventured into the more glorifying and competitive womenswear, for which he collaborated with designer Fayez Agariya. Many critics credited the success of Cargwar to Agariah.

"Fayez joined our label in August 2013 as a womenswear specialist. Since my expertise does not lie in that category, I needed a helping hand and he proved to be a great mentor. He is no longer working with us but in our recent showcase at PFDC, the last segment of blues and whites was developed by him," he admitted.

Now, after a crash course in womenswear, it seems Arsalan is enjoying the far more competitive section of designing. "There are unlimited opportunities in womenswear and there is a lot of money involved, in terms of investment and profit. I am enjoying it because there is more to explore and work with in terms of creativity. I feel combining my fine tailoring expertise with the potential of experimenting in womenswear, will result in a wonderful product," exclaims Arsalan.

All set to open his third outlet in Karachi at Dolmen City Mall, Arsalan feels he has pretty much covered the whole of Pakistan in terms of outreach and now it’s time to expand internationally. Between Karachi and Lahore, the designer seems to believe that people in the metropolitan city are more aware of fashion and have a higher purchasing power whereas Lahore is like a big family that will always appreciate his work as a piece of art and support him.