In recent years August 14 has given most brands a great reason to switch to celebratory mode; the green and white palette with popular iconography turns out to be a guaranteed hit with women on a binge of patriotism. Almost every shop window will wear shades of green and white this weekend but we hit the mall to survey which brand has what kind of Independence-Day-specific capsule in store. Here’s what we saw…
Gulabo
With their signature funky prints and play on colour, Gulabo is pretty much the only store with multiple racks dedicated to their new tops and array of pants, as compared to a few green tunics here and there. From quirky printed tulip pants to dark green reptile prints, to bright architectural prints to funky military prints combined with truck art roses, this collection is a hit! What we love is the absence of typical motifs like the Minar-e-Pakistan and the national flag, which have nearly been done to death now! Maheen Khan has designed a completely out-of-the-box range, as usual, and her capsule is brilliant!
Sapphire
Seeing their super cool Freedom Nation collection photo-shoot, which was shot at a train station complete with great props, this was one collection we were impatiently waiting for. And the sense of patriotism comes across very well through their campaign; the fact that both the elite and the masses wear Sapphire give it widespread appeal. It is very apt and easy on the budget. Sapphire hasn’t stuck to the green theme throughout, they have played with colours and different motifs, and a bright truck art print shirt did catch my eye. The range is great but I was looking for something like the super cool Quaid print kurti that I bought and loved last year. There’s no Quaid this time!
Nisha by Nishat Linen
Nisha’s Liberation Collection has played around with the silhouette by adding a trendy printed short jacket amidst the everyday kurtas, but mostly they have a pretty predictable collection. The Liberation Collection combines all shades of green, some more landmark architecture, the chand tara print plus a dash of truck art and voilà ! There’s another patriotic collection in stores! That said Nishat does have a sale on almost everything, including the new collection, which will give most ladies a reason to not walk out empty handed. So if that’s the kind of liberation you’re aiming for, free yourself!
Ideas by Gul Ahmed
Ideas by Gul Ahmed has a substantial range to choose from; in fact, the store has even brought out some of last year’s collection on sale. We’ve seen a lot of, maybe too much of, Ideas’ signature digital prints but there is one particular kurti that really caught our eye. How would you like a tunic with military tanks and drones embroidered on it? We honestly didn’t know what to make of it…is it supposed to be showing support for our army or our love for war? Hmm…
Also check out…
The quirky and classic range of home accessories at Ensemble in Karachi; everyone should have a chand tara cushion + Sonya Battla’s Edhi kurta, celebrating the legend’s sense of honesty and equality. If you’re not one for overt expressions of national pride then pay Zara Shahjehan a visit and spend on hip, traditional clothing with her Shibori and Angrakha collections. Tried and tested brands like Generation and Khaadi have not done Independence Day collections this year though Sana Safinaz have a special tunic for the occasion.
