PSFW 2014 courtesy Faisal Farooqui @ Dragonfly
In what has to be the best time for fashion in Pakistan, it’s PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week (PSFW) time! Starting April 10, the four-day event held in Lahore is looking at almost 40 shows covering textiles (lawn), high street and high end fashion. Here’s a quick look at the lineup. It isn’t official, as no official announcement has been made yet, but it is pretty concrete if my sources are to be believed. And I think they are.
First the main shows:
1. Mohsin Ali for Libas: potentially a fantastic combination.
2. Nickie Nina: regulars and veterens, though one does still wait for another glimpse of the gorgeous first collection they showed at the first PSFW.
3. Sania Maskatiya: I wonder what kind of magic she’ll paint with her prints this time. And I hope she shows innovation in silhouette because she is a trendsetter.
4. Arsalan Iqbal: Essentially menswear and someone who launched his brand at FPW, Arsalan Iqbal has opened a flagship store in Lahore and what better way to cement his ground than an impressive showing on the country’s biggest fashion platform. But he will have to impress.
5. Ali Xeeshan: Theatrics and energy galore, AX will definitely entertain as well as impress. Finale?
6. Shehla Chatoor:Â We are expecting a full range of luxe, all the way from Karachi
7. Hina Butt: Big time power play with the MPA onboard.
8. Deepak Perwani: Unexpected, but will be great to see Frida flying off to Lahore this time.
9. Muse: a PSFW regular, Muse is a safe bet
10. Elan: Khadijah Shah will pull out the stops for Lahore’s social elite. Finale?
11. Fahad Hussayn: I wonder what dark and sinister theme he’s conjuring up this time.
12. Republic: After his sit out last season (due to an unfortunate accident) Omer Farooq’s return to PSFW is very welcome.
13. Body Focus: Always a winner, expectations remain to be high here.
14. Maria B: A front runner in fashion retail, Maria B is expected to strike a pleasant balance between what works commercially and what pushes the boundary.
15. Nida Azwer: Her white collection at FPW was beautiful; she needs to show another just as gorgeous.
16. Karma: A brand that has fun with fashion, Karma will certainly be worthy of the finale slot it has landed.
17. Rizwan Beyg: His show will undoubtedly be visually delightful but will it be ready for retail? Still haven’t managed to get my hands on last year’s truck art bags!
18. Zara Shahjehan: Pretty and well constructed, Zara has the capacity to surprise.
19. Khaadi: Pakistan’s biggest fashion brand, Khaadi’s show is as delightful to watch as the stores are pleasurable to shop at.
20. Akif: Super talented, I hope this time he manages to connect the dots with retail.
21. Saira & Shakira: the only debutant in the lineup, Saira & Shakira must have impressed Sehyr Saigol to have been given a golden ticket to show.
22. HSY: the grand finale, expect this one to be grander than ever as HSY celebrates 20 years in the industry.
Additionally, the four day PSFWÂ will feature a showing by New Talent and interestingly, also a PFDC-United Nations collaboration, in which special tunics created by designers will be auctioned for a good cause. Details on arrival, I guess!
Watch this space for the high street and lawn shows tomorrow…
