FPW2: Day 3 hops between the good, bad and downright ugly

After much contemplation I have decided that I haven’t the energy to comment on every collection in detail anymore and I will conserve my words for the story I am officially writing. However, there are random thoughts that are bubbling in my brain and I have to empty them before I go back to the arena tonight. I don’t think any editor will entertain these rants…

1. Okay, so I have great respect for Rizwan Beyg as a designer. They don’t come more brilliant than him and the man lives style. Dinner at his house before fashion week started, which he magnificently cooked himself, was bliss. So when Riz once said he wanted his council to be the Sindh Club of fashion, he was criticized for his snobbery but he made sense. My question is, what has happened to Rizwan’s council now? From Sindh Club to Korangi Club…it just doesn’t add up! Please Rizwan, bring your better sense back to the show!
2. For MOST of our models (definitely excluding Nadia, Cybil, Fayeza, Neha and a few more whose names I am forgetting): for Heaven’s sake get your pedicure checks. Not pleasant having to see unkempt feet under thousands of rupees worth of clothing. And designers have been complaining that many of you leave clothes in an appalling state in terms of BO. Taking a shower would be advisable and if you have chronic hygiene issues then watch Satte Pe Satte and do as Hema Malini did with the seven brothers. Nothing is incurable.
3. I was watching coverage of PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week, which looked so slick, and felt sorry for Karachi. The game is defying gravity and so slipping away. What a pity that it should mellow down after that brilliant debut in November. The LCD screen was put up on Day 4. I do not understand why not before.
4. Why did Aeisha Varsey get two showings? Wasn’t one enough?
5. Celebrity presence and gimmickry has hit an all time low at FPW2. I miss Ammar Belal’s tribute to Michael Jackson and Nomi’s circus theme amongst other things. Looking forward to Deepak tonight because never have I seen a finale as brilliant as his was last time. It was an unprecedented WOW moment. Hopefully he’ll bring some magic into the show.
6. And as a reasonably credible and widely respected critic, my advice to designers who are already doing well COMMERCIALLY and have been unable to garner critical acclaim despite repeated attempts, please please restrict your self to retail efforts and do not jeopardize your reputation sales by showing what you sell because you will be blasted critically and consequently your business will suffer. Think about it. I mean well and say this sincerely.
7. This is what a buyer, who had also attended the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week, said to me comparing the two cities: “I feel that Karachi understand design better but also that Lahore was much better organized. There was a lot more activity and we were taken care of much better.”

I’d have to agree because despite the thirty odd collections that need to be trashed, there were 20 that emerged as either cutting edge or potentially intriguing. That’s a pretty good average, The council just needs to get a selection panel in order and arrange for some serious funding so that an event of better calibre can be afforded.

Signing off…

Ps. Day 4 was much better than 3 so I’m thinking that we’re alternating between the good and bad. Details tomorrow. And tomorrow evening will be the finale and with a lineup that includes Faiza Samee, Kamiar Rokni, Fayez Agariah, Rizwanullah and FnkAsia amongst many others, it has to be an interesting end to the marathon.

PPs. Kuki clarified that his deer heads has been sculpted for the show and were not real, taxidermied or whatever it is you call it. Fooled me.

PLUS, if you’re reading this then please leave your comments. I’d love to get some feedback on my very new affair with technology.