The structure of Pakistan’s fashion industry has grown out of the home-studio space and evolved to put designers with retail presence on the map. The first question being asked about a designer now is where they stock; their seriousness and commitment to fashion gauged by their business operation. Given the current landscape, where established and upcoming designers validate their claim on a piece of the fashion pie by remaining commercially visible, it only makes sense to invest in a store. Couturier Honey Waqar, who has been designing for two-decades-plus in Lahore, caught on to the current mood and after eons of operating from a small studio space she moved to formalize her eponymous label with a flagship store in Gulberg by the name of Maison Honey Waqar.

Instep was invited for an exclusive preview of the store as well as a tête-à-tête with the woman of the hour. Here’s what we gleaned from our conversation with her.

"We’ve always had a home-studio, not necessarily in our own house but in a homely set up where we operated from. When we were looking for space for the flagship store, I wanted to find a location that wouldn’t be too overly crowded or already saturated with commercial ventures. There are more corporate offices in this area as opposed to boutiques or shops but that’s how I wanted it to be. I wanted a peaceful, tranquil location as opposed to the eye of the storm," Waqar explained her motivation behind choosing an off the beaten path location.

"It’s not just that I wanted a quiet space for myself but the comfort for my clients was also a chief motivation. I didn’t want them to feel like they were in a store, hence you’ll see lots of sofas and lounge-like settings, including a separate space where I hold my bridal consults," she elaborated, referring to the glass walled room where we were seated that serves as her bridal appointment studio within the store. Prioritizing the privacy of her clients, Waqar wanted to ensure that the women coming to her for bridal and trousseau appointments could comfortably browse and discuss the outfits, especially considering these consults can sometimes last up to three or four hours.

"The girls at the store deal with ready-to-wear, formals and luxury pret while I like to give all my attention to the bridal appointments and I don’t let my staff schedule more than three in a day so that I can give each appointment ample time. I don’t have my bridals on display nor do I intend to put them out; we bring them out according to budget for serious clients only. I get so many clients who complain that popular designers don’t even sit in bridal appointments despite charging eye watering amounts and then don’t delivering the correct product on time. In fact one of the main complaints some of clients come to me with is that designers delegate taking orders to their staff, which then leads to inaccuracy, ruining the entire experience and end product for them," she claimed.

Waqar added that it’s the quality of her product that drives her price points. She refuses to compromise on the quality of her materials, whether it’s the cloth or the embellishment (even the thread she uses is made by a dedicated artisan) and will never replace a semi-precious stone or genuine Swarovski with cheaper crystals.

Talking about the stock at her store, she mentioned that at any given point in time she intends on having around 450 pieces available on hand. Pret, luxury pret and luxe are all available off the rack - unless they hit a certain price-point after which the outfits are made to order. "We have a limited edition line as well, which is available in small quantities because either the fabric we use isn’t that  easily available, or the price point is such - but we don’t like repeating designs too much and I say we, because it’s not just me, I have a full design team behind me that’s supporting this venture. I don’t go out shopping much but people tell me that I have a lot of different designs to show to a client, this is apparently not the case with other designers who only have a few pieces on display," she explained proudly.

"The thing is you have to be clear in your mind who your audience is and who you’re designing for. I design for the cosmopolitan woman. That’s what I told my daughter, Mahnum when we were working on our new line, Reine, which is French for queen. I’ve always catered to a niche clientele and didn’t really have to struggle initially; thankfully, because I had the right kind of investment (from family, of course) and PR to back me so since the beginning I was very clear that this would not be a mass market brand. For Reine, the motivation was to create something for the younger generation. My daughter’s friends were always gushing about my clothes and would often come to me for outfits but they would find the prices a little high. I thought this would make for a natural progression to the business and the store," answered Waqar when asked about who her market is and the kind of woman she keeps in mind while designing.

While she describes Reine as the more affordable line to her expensive formals and bridals, Waqar was quick to point out that affordable is also in comparison. "When you go to a Chanel store you know that you’re paying for not only the design but also the best quality material, whether it’s the leather or the metal buckle. It’s the same case with us. Even our pret line isn’t competitive with other brands because the material and embellishment I’ve used is the best," she stated with confidence and pride.

What sets Honey Waqar pret apart from the profusion of brands already available in the market, particularly considering the competitive pricing? "When people ask me how my digital print or pret line will compare to Sana Safinaz high-street or Sapphire, I tell them that the model is completely different. We make between six to twelve pieces per design and once they’re sold, they’re over and done with for us. We won’t repeat them. The idea is to have a discerning clientele and a positive price point for our children and their friends to also be able to enjoy the line. They can easily walk in, buy something off the rack, wear it a few times and then move on while not compromising on the bespoke aspect of it." Reine’s digital print tunics start at PKR 20,000 and can go up to PKR 200,000 for luxury pret pieces.

Waqar’s newly opened store in Gulberg is certainly spacious with the clothing racks sprawling across two floors, while the third floor is dedicated to hosting fashion showcases for her collections. "I’ve showcased in Pakistan and internationally several times and find that a standalone show suits me best. The local fashion shows are too frantic and chaotic for my liking; there’s constant yelling and panic backstage - I just can’t work like that. Plus when you look at the front row of a local fashion show, do you see any buyers? How many of the women sitting there will actually spend money on the collections they’re seeing? Very few. No point in hosting the entire hoopla when it doesn’t drive sales. I’d rather invite select media and my loyal clients to a private viewing and control how my clothes are presented instead," she opined.

Even though Waqar doesn’t have much red-carpet presence her design-house has been dressing Lahori socialites for years now. Having finally decided that it was time to officially step into the arena with a store, Waqar couldn’t be surer of the direction she is headed in, nay-sayers and critics aside. She sells and those who appreciate her aesthetic remain loyal to her brand. With her daughters joining her to take the business even further, she smiled before concluding, "They’re carrying forward the legacy."