A stronger day than the first, Day two at the Fashion Pakistan Week S/S 2014 presented some serious style, whether it was the high street trendsetting brand Gulabo, the elegant and now available Tughra line by Shamaeel, the trends show by Maybelline which featured diverse capsules from Sania Maskatiya, Sublime and Sanam Chaudhri or the Toni & Guy #HairMeetWardrobe show, which offered high glamour by Maheen Karim. Jafferjees took a very New York leap in revealing a smart, modern Summer line and Nauman Arfeen has (over the last two collections) emerged as a very impressive menswear designer. Sheep may have been the weaker link of the day but it showed potential to grow, perhaps the brand just needs to shepherd a stronger team of designers.
Fahad Hussayn stays true to his impressively dark and twisted design psyche, which dips into the macabre underworld of design. Almost desperate in its allusion to McQueen, Fahad Hussayn has time and time again proved his mettle on the catwalk but he will only truly arrive when that mettle walks beyond the catwalk and into retail.
Fahad Hussayn: Origami eyebrows, I love!
Google maps? Oye Gulabo, show me the way!
The success story of FPWS2014, Naushaba Brohi accepts the applause with her daughter Inaaya, Ayesha Toor and fashion model Neha.
I have to say that the highlight of the day was debutante Inaaya (by Naushaba Brohi), who presented an absolutely fabulous collection. Choosing a brand ambassador as individualistic as Ayesha Toor and showing craft by women working in interior Sindh, Naushaba also managed to weave it all in a contemporary and yet indigenously Pakistani package. A bit of mystery, a bit of flair, some black and white and some shrouds of magnificent colour. A blend of ethnic marvel and yet a proud shout of tradition: it was a brilliant effort. I have no doubt that her brand – already retailing at multi retail stores – will go places from here.
Ayesha Omar for the Toni&Guy trends show by Maheen Karim, where the clothes were more impressive than the flaming hair extensions.
Nauman Arfeen bridges the Lahore-Karachi divide…”Oh, but there never was one!” they would earnestly argue 🙂
Shamaeel’s new, ready to wear line Tughra, is a winner: smart and trendy while staying true to the designer’s grand signature.
JafferJees: An overall impressive collation, I wish this carry-on had been a four wheeler.
Sheep may be on its way but isn’t quite there yet.
There is always more to say, much more to ponder on. There’s always the bad that accompanies the good, the lows that threaten to overshadow the highs: it would be unreasonable to expect a flat appraisal of an event that serves on so many different tiers. But above and before everything else, if the content at fashion week is strong then the week will be considered successful. I do think that’s the long and short of it. Now I hope that the last day will conclude on an equally impressive note.
Photography: Tapu Javeri
