Pakistan’s premium fashion brand Élan opened its doors to Karachi this weekend and we headed over to see the much awaited launch of the year!
Élan Maison is essentially a heritage home curated into an artistic museum, where Élan, Strataspaces and Sherezad Rahimtoola all pay homage to age old craftsmanship in their work and layer it up with contemporary treatment and designs. Hence in this space you’ll find old Karachi juxtaposed with an extremely contemporary as well as a classic French layer and other iconic movements for design like Art Deco. It’s truly a modern gallery, which pays tribute to our history and inspiration.
Since a long time, Khadijah Shah has wanted to bring her brand to Karachi to cater to her clients and provide them the convenience of being accessible here.
“Half of the building is still under construction but will be operational in the next two weeks; we wanted to open up as we have collections coming in and wanted them to be available in Karachi,â€Â Khadijah told Something Haute.
Khadijah Shah with Uzma Abbasi at the newly opened flagship store in Karachi
“The store has a prêt area, luxury prêt , couture and soon will be opening the bridal salon. The showroom is a destination for its clients; it’s made in such a way where they would enjoy the space as much as the brands that feature in it. We saw clients come in and spend alot more time than they would usually do at any regular store and that’s because the vibe of the showroom is phenomenal.â€
No doubt Khadijah’s dresses are beyond beautiful and we want to have them all.
Yousaf Shahbaz, the man behind the interior as well as the quirky furniture
We also spoke to Yousaf, the man behind the beautiful setup and here’s what he had to say :
“Élan is a brand which is very close to my heart. I’ve been working with Khadijah on various projects since years. I’m also the architect and interior designer for Élan and had been scouting for a space for them in Karachi since years. When we found this property we fell in love with it but agreed that it was too special to just be a ordinary store. It needed to be a one of a kind destination.”
“Staying true to the bones of the building we have meticulously restored it and added to it in a way which highlights all the architectural aspects of it. By clearing out the clutter and applying a uniform treatment to the interior we have come up with a space that is in sync with the design ethos of all three brands.â€
Sherezad Rahimtoola’s diamond jewellery is a natural fit with Elan
Sherezad is another name that has collaborated with Élan on various show through the years and it’s a perfect pairing because the brand ethos is quite the same. The exquisite jewels by Sherezad Rahimtoola truly left us mesmerised, every set was a piece of art.
The Élan Maison is a must visit to experience high-end retail and is surely a treat for every eye!
