Everything you see about The Pink Tree is pretty and fresh, which is the exact opposite of the cynical, satirical Mohsin Sayeed, who’s a buddy but of course, he’s not exactly a blushing rosebud. Most of what he designs with his partner Hadia Khan at The Pink Tree is, however, and shows Mohsin’s understanding of aesthetic balance. But enough about him. What we saw yesterday at The East End was the Spring/Summer collection and it was as fresh as the morning dew.
Mohsin and Hadia clearly did their planning right. Until two weeks ago, the weather was moody: it was dry and cold and it seemed as if spring had been pushed to the back burner. But then suddenly the sun come out and with it came this exhibition celebrating colours of summer. Walking through his clothes was like a breath of fresh air where you were surrounded by the colours of spring: lemon yellows, mint greens, coral.
The material they have used for this collection ranges from soft cottons and muslin to draping chiffons and georgettes and though I’m not a fan of georgette, especially in summer, Mohsin was right in saying that no other fabric would give the same fluidity. He has kept most of his cuts simple and understated, made fashionable by the drop of a kimono sleeve or the boat of a neckline. The casual, cotton range has straight and airy cuts which make it perfect for summer.
Saving the best for last, his collection is extremely affordable. At a time when lawn outfits average around Rs.6,000 per jora, the everyday cotton shirts were averaging around Rs.2,500 to 3,000 and even the formal, evening wear didn’t go beyond 15,000 rupees.
