Celebrating its 20th consecutive fashion week, The Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) commenced the Sunsilk Fashion Week (PSFW) last evening. Showcasing five designers on Day 1, the line-up included Zara Shahjahan, Sania Maskatiya, Hussain Rehar, Yahsir Waheed, and Fahad Hussayn, who displayed a mix of prêt and bridals on a black runway.
A majority of the collections explored a myriad of colours and themes, which were complemented by a bold use of silhouettes and cuts that truly emboldened the first day of fashion week.
Over to the collections…
Zara Shahjahan – Adab
Doing what she does best, Zara Shahjahan explored the Subcontinental trove of traditions with an elaborate display of chikankari, zari, zardozi, kamdani and gota work that derived inspiration from Lucknow’s distinct style and history. Out came a myriad of pastels and bolds, which featured intricately embroidered to fully embellished work, that made use of materials like organzas and silks. Adding onto her theme, the showcase also featured traditional khussas and ghongroos on the end of pants in some of her pieces, which made the walk whimsical. In regards to this being a true Zara Shahjahan classic – which is more traditional craft and less cutting-edge innovation – it did its work.
Sania Maskatiya – Isfahan
Showcasing a new spring summer evening wear line, Sania Maskatiya’s Isfahan explored kaleidoscopic crafts of the orient as models sashayed down the runway in a combination of soft pastels and bold jewel shades embroidered with gold and kamdani work. While one did miss Sania’s usual prêt outing at PSFW, this was, in many a sense, a fun-loving ode to a festive summer up ahead. The collection was what the designer does best, that being a combination of print and surface embellishment, and she reconnected with her spirit of adventure in traditional clothes.
Hussain Rehar – Fifth Dimension
Making his name a renowned identity when it comes to cutting-edge, bold fashion, Hussain Rehar made sure that his latest collection, Fifth Dimension continues his budding legacy. Bringing out a neo-futuristic capsule that was two parts electrifying and one part fierce, the capsule featured slip dresses, multicoloured trousers, power suits, bodycon statement pieces that played with pops of colour, laser cuts, and sharp silhouettes to create a close to perfect collection.
Yahsir Waheed – Samah Musst Hai
Bringing forth a collection that in many ways screamed for attention, Yahsir Waheed explored an eclectic colour palette that veered away from his usual towards a more youthful collection which was all about contrasts, glitz, and glamour. The collection featured a mix of printed dresses with lace and organza frills on the hems, multi-coloured sequined blazers, and snake prints, which may or may not have worked – depending on who you ask. However, having said that, it was a fun collection that definitely jumped out of the box.
Fahad Hussayn – Suraiya Titanic
Fahad Hussayn celebrated his decade in the fashion industry with Suraiya Titanic. Delving into bold colours and equally eclectic silhouettes, the collection featured hand painted truck art inspired layouts and characters infused in hand-painted, illustrated and vector drawings, giving it a new contemporary direction. The pieces showed a mix of maxi dresses, organza jackets, colourful printed pants, trench coats and flowy lowers, which made for a quirky, fun first segment. For his second part, however, the designer chose to go with intricate detailing and the label’s signature finishes, featuring a range of couture pieces from the heritage revival series that unfortunately took his segment into bridal territory. One wished the collection had ended with the first segment that brought out the couturier’s fashion forward side.
- Photography by Faisal Farooqui
