It’s been a long time since I saw so many blow dries in the confines of one singular space. In lay man terms, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen so many Louboutins, Chanel bags, blow dries and fineries (LV shawls) dripping from women clamouring to get their hands on fashion. Yes, we’re fast approaching the lawn season and nothing gets Pakistani women going more than lawn, but to true fashion lovers there is rarely a sight more pleasurable than pret a porter flying off the racks.
And boy, was it flying!
The mad rush at the launch.
Indus Valley graduate Sania Maskatiya, who stepped into fashion with her label Chamak a couple of years ago and then disappeared, made a comeback today. She relaunched with her namesake label, in her flagship store in Karachi. For those interested, it rests bang opposite the high end Oxygen Spa.
I have to say that this was one of the most elegant openings I have attended in a very long time. The invites, for starters, were tasteful and more importantly, in time. Secondly, there was no red carpet, glory be us! The cameras were all around, sure, but there were no fake celebrities on crimson carpets. The very spacious and well ventilated shop space was well stocked and busy, with numerous well dressed helpers ushering the guests/customers into happily walking out with their purchases.
Maskatiya has come a long way from where she started, ostensibly maturing on the way as there was a lot more on the offing than sporadic bursts of a student’s creative work. Well though out to cater to the commercial as well as creative, the wide range of stock held something for everything, in four to five different sizes!
Sania’s sister in a Maskatiya original. While most of the designer’s range is safe, commercial wear, pieces like this one are fashion week material. One hopes she can separate and cut the balance.
Pleated organzas, twisted chiffons, embroidered cottons, details on the sleeves, block print detailing, crochet…it really was a candy store which merited a second visit for another, detailed tasting.
One has to say that women are taking Pakistani fashion by storm, and how! From Sonya Battla, Iman Ahmad, Sara Shahid, Maheen Karim, Sadaf Malaterre, Zara Shahjehan and to the even fresher names like Feeha Jamshed, the future of fashion seems to be in very capable hands. One feels designers like Sania Maskatiya and Sanam Chaudhri (also launching her label soon) are ready to prep up their game and enter the arena all guns blazing too. Beautiful women with brains, that’s all we need to sell Pakistani fashion to a very cynical world.
A humble apology to the undisputed masters of fashion, Kamiar Rokni and Deepak Perwani, without which fashion wouldn’t be the same. Too bad you aren’t women!
