E
CREATIV versus
COMM RCIAL
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t is finally over. After a month of sleepless nights and excruciating working hours, I have just had my first peaceful consecutive eight hours of sleep, without any nightmares, interruptions and anxiety attacks. Most of you are probably relating to this sentiment because of your obsession with the Cricket World Cup and our pipe dreams of bringing it home
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but in my case, it is the PFDC Fashion Week that just finished this past weekend. Three days, crammed with 25 fashion shows, and a plethora of journalists, fashionistas, and socialites are enough to give even a fashion designer like myself on overdose to remember. There were some beautiful creations that were unveiled over the three days along with the usual monstrosities. You always have a group of designers catering to the luncheon aunties and potential sales figures from the brides to be, with headlight eyes in the front row. Then there are the usual suspects who try to do something new and choose to challenge themselves by taking the painful risk of being trashed in the press
for attempting to create groundbreaking fashion. It makes me wish we had a culture in which such kind of fashion would not only be appreciated but also worn. It brings about the eternal debate about what is considered ‘wearable’ in fashion. The notion of ‘wearable’ varies not only from city to city but also from person to person. Being born a day before Halloween, and dressing up in costume for every single one of my birthday parties while growing up, my notion of ‘wearable’ is obviously
Star Power ALI XEESHAN
Safest philosophy is to be true to your work and let it reflect what you really feel at that particular point in time since that is the only ideology you can stand by when everyone else around you questions your creativity way too eccentric for the average Pakistani. Hence, I never apply the same rules of ‘wearable clothing’ on my collections and clients as I do on my personal sense of style. A big part of a designer’s maturing is his understanding of the restraint that he/she needs to exercise when designing a collection for a specific target market. It is a journey that each designer embarks upon and some reach a formidable point in it very early on in their careers while others continue their search for that pivotal balance for decades. I feel it is extremely important to know and understand one’s objective when participating in an event such as the PFDC Fashion Week. It is different for every design house and depends on what stage their brand/company is currently at, which in turn drives what their priorities are at that given time. A relatively new label would need to make a significant mark and gain attention through press and media hype with their fashion presentation. They would need to establish a signature identity that separates
them from the rest and carves their unique place in the fashion industry. Designers at this stage usually have the most interesting collections that push the boundaries of creativity. Although, there is always a chance that extreme creativity might take on a completely wrong turn into the realm of something truly frightening. Wearable is not necessarily a priority at this point since it will not get a new label noticed. The idea is to build a lot of hype initially and eventually cash in on it by offering diffusion, practical versions of ideas that have huge commercial potential. The irony in this is that sometimes a very successful, established label is also in dire need of reinventing itself and wants to be at the forefront of cutting edge again. They have the commercial side of their business covered but need to make a significant creative statement in order to remain a brand that consumers consider current.
April 4, 2011 marks eight years of my career in the fashion industry of Pakistan. From my early days with ABCD to the launch of Ammar Belal menswear and subsequently the womenswear collections at PFDC, it has been quite a journey. Judging from how much difference this valuable experience has made in my current outlook and how I approach designing collections, I know that it is just the beginning of a long road ahead. The one lesson that I have learnt so far is that the best and safest philosophy is to be true to your work and let it reflect what you really feel at that particular point in time since that is the only ideology you can stand by when everyone else around you questions your creativity. There are no short cuts to success and each one of us has to go through our individual destinies to reach there.
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PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week
Fashion’s come a long way Day 1
A
By Rubia Moghees
midst the cricket frenzy PFDC prospective buyers. commenced their third fashion week Zaheer Abbas’s western outfits in plum and steel grey in Lahore which featured 25 designers with sheer stockings, capped sleeves, bare backs and pleated surrounding both the established names silks were quite dramatic. The emphasis was on the cut and and the bubbling new talent. Speaking the silhouette; while the accessories were quite futuristic about the event, Chairperson of the with silver neckbands, gladiator stilettos and the models that Executive Committee of the Pakistan were made-up in Cleopatra eyes; dark and compelling. Mary Fashion Design Council, Sehyr Saigol said that, ‘We have Bowers who witnessed the event as foreign media (reporter introduced a separate section for voile shows and an entire for The Times in UK) believed that Zaheer Abbas’s collection exhibition space. Some of the well-known celebrities turned is ‘unimpressive as we come here to see more of the culture up to acknowledge the nascent fraternity of the country. and flavour of the country and don’t want to see hackneyed Starting on the right foot was the first act of Nickie and western gowns and designs,’ she pointed out. Nina who broke away from their traditional style and came Sehr Atif has this time ventured into a collection up with an exciting range which was a tribute to the women which is crafted in the refugee camps of AJK Muzaffarabad of Sindh and depiction of their heritage. Models were dressed in which AHAN comes together with ‘Saai.’ It brings up in hand Kashmiri embroidery and shawl block prints in motifs. ‘The idea behind this magenta, black theme is capacity building and and emerald empowering of the Earth-quake green with victims of 2005,’ she observed. anklets on their Fahd Hussayn made use of bare feet and antique silver Nina with Iraj in a Nickie & Nina outfit jhoomers on their heads. ‘Beekay’ of Burhan Khan has made his debut in Ammar Belal’s collection Pakistan with his offering on the raw textures of trees. He used leather, cotton, lycra and jersey as fabrics, though it lacked the wearable factor yet got the thumbs up from the foreign media and
Fashion Week’s organisers continuously fail to realise the necessity of condensing the event in a manner which keeps the audience’s interest alive and does not torture them while having to wait before and during the various segments of a never ending show
34 I april 10 - april 16, 2011
chiffon, velvet, Chantilly lace and silk in his showcasing that drew inspiration from the Portuguese mythological characters. It was a fusion of east and west with puffed sleeves, long gowns, harem pants, pajamas and short skirts all beautifully constructed. Cybil, Nooray, Mehreen Iraj and others walked for Sara Shahid’s collection by highlighting the inherent beauty of harmony for a tolerant Pakistan. It was a riot of colours but the traditional ‘burqas’ and headgear with white lowers was not an impressive feature. Sara has always made a mark with her ‘less is more’ approach but this time she could not deliver. Yahsir Waheed’s inspiration from the Gandhara Civilization was more like a winter viewing in velvets, hooded coats and ponchos. Muse and Mohsin also showed on the first day with the latter standing out in his sequined dresses and the fans (pakhis) used as headgear that were sprayed in gold drew applause.
Ali Xeeshan of Crimson with a model
HSY- stylist for all seasons A designer of HSY ‘s stature needs no introduction. His brand, now a decade old, has been established in the top league of the country. Mostly known for fusion work, he is thorough in merging eastern techniques with western. His collection at the finale of the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Show aptly named as the Voyage National made us all proud. ‘My collection is inspired by the world of HSY, of the places that I have traveled to,’ he said. ‘It shows a happy and joyous picture of the country as I really want fashion to be the best vehicle for happiness.’ HSY believes that it’s time to move on rather than dwell over the situation of the country. ‘We Pakistanis are blue blooded, for we have years of history and rich culture behind us and generations of history,’ he enthused. HSY vows to give 100% to the country as he compels his countrymen to wake up from depression and start celebrating life with a renewed vigor. His collaboration with a SAARC business association for home-based workers known as SABAH, is an initiative to promote the economic and social empowerment of artisan women workers across Pakistan. ‘We will empower them to gain high wages though the input of their talent into this dying art,’ he said. HSY at the grand finale Rubia Moghees
‘My collection is inspired by the world of HSY, of the places that I have traveled to,’ he said. ‘It shows a happy and joyous picture of the country as I really want fashion to be the best vehicle for happiness.’
Indian press on Fashion Week ‘The kind of work that I have seen over here is varied and commendable, though it’s only been three years since the inception of Fashion Week in Pakistan but it has grown in leaps and bounds and is turning out to be professional as it is progressing.’ - Chinmayee Majunath (Elle India) ‘It is unfair to make comparisons between India and Pakistan as we are having such shows for the past 12 years and yours is only three seasons old however, this time the event is better organized than the last time. The venue is suitable for it and the models and the shoes that they are wearing are much better than the last time I visited.’ - Shilpa Raina Indo-Asian News Service (INAS) India ‘Thank God that PFDC has chosen this venue preferring over the clubs and hotels as it gives a professional touch to the whole set-up. Some of the collections were weak but overall the presentation is consistent.’ - Amit Roy (India) April 10 - APRIL 16, 2011
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Reviving artisan skills SAARC Business Association of Home Based Workers, SABAH Pakistan is a social enterprise and a trade facilitation centre established for empowerment of home based women workers all across Pakistan, with support of the SAARC Development Fund. Their objective is to give economic empowerment to the home based women workers, revive artisan skill, improve social esteem and self esteem and lastly follow fair trade practices to improve labour conditions. Their collaboration with HSY is an example of the potential of this initiative taken by the CEO Saad A Khan. By providing embroidered textiles at the grand finale show they showed us how age old beautiful craftsmanship and designs can be translated into today’s fashion. This summer they are launching their retail outlets in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. Introducing a brand new product line; clothing apparel, home textiles and gift accessories. Behjat Tahir
Day 2
by Maria B and her daughter. The scene looked like one out of Mid Summer Night’s Dream, with pink flowers and lighting, bubbles floating in the air - a real treat. The set up was done by Hamza Tarar. But as far the outfits were concerned we have seen much better from Karma in the past. Umair Rana walked the ramp looking dashing but with a bit of a silly grin. Republic by Omar Farooq brought a men’s winter collection titled, Vagabond, on the ramp with Khawar’s models looking impeccable in his styling. Sara Salman’s Chand Begum Collection reminiscent of the begums of pre-partition days, made in whites with stark combinations of striking bright coloured motifs, failed to impress the audience. Akif Mehmood’s use of different types of fabrics in earthy tones with touches of deep shades of complimenting colours was appreciable in his Fkeerni (Rangs to Riches) collection. But there was a strange wedding decoration scene going on atop the models’ heads, which was a little too much of a sparkling golden for the audience’s sensibilities. Sadaf Malaterre showed her shimmery collection next. Sweet but Savage collection was showcased by designer Rizwanullah. Maria B, HSY, Nickie and Nina walked the ramp for him. Following this were Asifa & Nabeel, with their range called ‘Saain’, based on Sufism. The finale was staged by Khaadi Khaas which brought us their Bohemian Rhapsody. A graceful collection, this one carried wide legged trousers, tunics, bandanas and caftans
By Injila Baqir Zeeshan Commendable as the effort may be, Fashion Week’s organisers continuously fail to realise the necessity of condensing the event in a manner which keeps the audience’s interest alive and does not torture them while having to wait before and during the various segments of a never ending show. Still there was an enormous difference in the management which has improved manifold comparing it to the last few fashion weeks. The second day of the Third PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week began with Karma’s Springy show, entitled, Joy, with more than just a spring in the models’ walk. First came the celebrity mothers with their baby girls, led
36 I april 10 - april 16, 2011
Mohsin Ali with the models HSY uses embroidered textiles made by women at SABAH Sara Shahid with Mehreen Syed
in silks and chiffons. Alexandra Senes is the representative of PFDC in Paris. Technical assistance was provided by French designer Isabelle Ballu. Freiha Altaf of Catwalk produced the show which was choreographed by HSY. Buyer and international media was done by Latitude and PR by Lotus PR.
in a mainly white and moody palette of blue, grey and a hint of brown. The chooridar look was edgy, sharp and yet very modern: a must have for this season. Going Indian was the message of Crimson by Ali Xeeshan’s collection, which seemed to have been inspired heavily by across border. Ali tired hard to create a fierce look for his collection by using huge headgears but lost the touch by making other fellow designers walk his ramp, which was a total miss. FNK Asia collection lacked vision. The only interesting By Behjat Tahir design element was the styling, which was done by Rizwan Beyg. Emraan Rajput’s collection Noir came next. It was The final day was by far the busiest. It was quite evident all black, clean and well tailored. Khawaar Raiz’s styling was that Pakistan is very new in organizing such events. Our immaculate that helped the collection create a military look. readers should know what the true reason is for holding a The second act was opened by African Safari by Ammar fashion week: allow fashion designers, brands or houses to Belal. There were references to hunting, as models, who display their latest collections in runway shows and buyers to came out two by two, were decked in white linen, khaki and take a look at the latest trends. Most importantly, it lets the chocolate twills. The collection was well tailored but clothes industry know what’s ‘in’ and what’s ‘out’ for the upcoming seemed to have been designed for a movie. season (which is 6 months in advance). Was this the case? No! Feeha Jamshed for Teejays collection’s main feature was But we shall not go into that and her interpretation of the talk about what we saw. classic ghararas; where Confidence radiated from she gave it pockets and the runway for Adnan Pardesy made it a cargo gharara as he opened the show. The that can be worn with a neatly constructed, detailing short shirt. and texturing details were the Chic, streamlined, highlight of the collection. The elegant clothing that tailoring was sharp, and the wreaked of a kind of look lean, leaving a clear clean timelessness that never goes out of style is how shape for both his men I will sum up Zara Shahjahan’s collection. Pink, white and and women collection. black was used to create silhouettes that created a sleek and Demin and cotton were no-nonsense look. the main fabrics of choice The highlight of the fashion week was the finale show by HSY; much anticipated lived up to its expectations. It was grander than the rest of the show. Live DJ music filled the air of the Expo Centre and it felt as if I was at a concert. A total of 40 looks were show cased (whereas other designers did 20-22). His collection Voyage National celebrated the creativity of Pakistani traditional crafts. There was nothing new in terms of his cuts or texture but his collaboration with SABAH and Krizmah made the collection stand out. Was there Good music? Check. Chic crowd? Check! Killer fashion? Hmm Maybe. Did it start on time? No. Was it too long? Yes. Could it have been any better? Yes. Was it a good effort? Yes. That is how I could sum up the last day of the fashion Huma Adnan at the show week! Models in Asifa & Nabeel designs
Day 3
Was there Good music? Check. Chic crowd? Check! Killer fashion? Hmm Maybe. Did it start on time? No. Was it too long? Yes. Could it have been any better? Yes
April 10 - APRIL 16, 2011
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5 Facts
1
ULTIMATE MEAL
Grilled Chicken Breakfast cereal (Wheatabix)
about
BIGGEST CELEB FAN
Don’t know but I am a fan of Bryan Adams. I went specially to Dubai to see him perform live.
2
3 4 5 FAVE GADGET Cell Phone and Sunglasses.
Junaid Khan By Asad Haroon
WEIRDEST HABIT
Rolling the tongue while thinking deep.
HIDDEN TALENT
I can cook all sorts of eggs. Ha ha!
April 10 - APRIL 16, 2011 I 39
trends
for your
Summer
By Behjat Tahir
L
awn dominates the Pakistani fashion world. The only other fabric that will makes it way is chiffon in the form of a dupatta. The use of colour is what will make a huge impact on the fashion scene this year. The colours this season are uplifting, soft, energising and exciting. There are five key colour/fabric trends this season.
New classic
This season there is an unexpected twist in the
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classic elements. Naturally bright pigments have been developed into the new classic. One can see lawns in unusual yarns spinning and counts that give lawn different feels. Classical weave patterns in atypical material are clashing with a curious checkered design and embroidery where you don’t expect it. All in all nothing loud but just enough to make onlookers give you a startled look.
Celebration
If asked to personify spring into a palette, flowers like jasmine, rose, sunflower, hibiscus, hollyhocks, bougainvillea and silk cotton tree are defining the various hues. This season, not only the colours but also floral designs from these beautiful flowers can be seen enhancing the prints.
Abstraction
In this palette, colour trends are loud and
proud. Colours like turquoise, maroon, yellow, green, dark blue, bright yellow and red will be taking centre stage in creating surface designs.
Aqueous
An obvious colour theme this season is aqueous because of its nautical tones: white, grey, dull silver and light blue. The designers have lazily applied this colour scheme to the prints. The focus is on the fabric whereas these colours are playing the role of ‘floating’ pieces, like laces and accessories.
Perleage
In this category colours are subtle. Colours like white, tan, cream, and jet black are seen. Their impact is luxurious and radiant; and matches the intense summer heat of Pakistan.
Skincare
Mirror mirror on the wall… By Maheen Hassan
H
ow many times have you looked into the mirror and wished that one day you could just get up to bear witness to a flawless skin? How many products have you tried in a desperate attempt to obtain that magically silky texture? And yet all this thinking, brooding and money thrown on cosmetics and creams has gotten you nowhere. Let’s face it. We females can’t help but worry about our skin. We consider our face an assets and we want it nothing short of perfect. However, what we fail to realize is that by using all these artificial products available in the market, we are actually harming our skin. I will not ramp about the usual ‘eat healthy, exercise regularly, drink lots of water’ therapy because clearly it’s too much work! We need some magic potion, something that is easy and gives immediate results and most importantly, does not take up much time out of our already tight schedules. So, what is this wonder? The answer is cucumber. Yup you got that right. Cucumber is the magic ingredient if you want that young, smooth skin. It’s affordable, conveniently available and works its magic in a few minutes! And in addition, it is that one thing that can be used by everyone irrespective of the skin type. So how does this magic work? Since cucumber naturally consists of silica, it is a great source of healthy skin nutrients. It replenishes the skin and makes it look younger. Silica also has the ability to hold the connective tissue of the skin tightly in place and thus cucumber face masks are very useful in anti wrinkle and anti aging. For people with oily or acne prone skin, simply crush half a cucumber and gently pat it all over your face.
We need some magic potion, something that is easy and gives immediate results and most importantly, does not take up much time out of our already tight schedules Oily skin: Cucumber has a cooling effect on the face and when it is kept on the facial skin for more than five minutes, it starts absorbing all the oil deposited in the pores. Sit or lie under a fan, let the puree dry and after 15 minutes wash it off with cold water. You will notice an instant freshness and glow on your face guaranteed!
Dry skin:
For people with dry skin, two to three drops of honey should be added to the crushed cucumber and then applied on the face.
Normal skin:
For people with normal skin, the crushed cucumber can be applied as it is or, for that extra bit, a teaspoon of yoghurt may be added.
For blackheads:
If you have blackheads on some areas of the face, this mask can help loosen the heads and once you scrub the areas, you will get rid of the blackheads. If you find the 15 minute procedure too time consuming then you can simply drink four to five glasses of cucumber juice everyday. It will help detoxify your system and within a month, grant you your wish.
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Recipe
Chef Abdul Manan has worked with Royal Palm, World Fashion Cafe, Hot Wok Cafe in Lahore, Eye Television Network, ALite, Masala, Style360 and APlus, and also runs his own catering business by the name of Urban Gourmets.
Cocktail kebabs Ingredients
Minced meat Onions Green chillies Ginger Garlic Mustard paste Green coriander Black pepper powder Salt Eggs Bread slices soaked Oregano Oil to shallow fry
1 kg 2 chopped 5 1tbsp 1tbsp 2tsp 1 bunch 2tsp 2tsp 2 3 1tsp
april 10 - APRIL 16, 2011 I 48
Method Mix all ingredients in the meat and put it in the food processor. Process it till fine. Now take a small portion, make a little sausage and fry till slightly golden and cook through. Serve with ketchup or garlic sauces. It’s a perfect party platter.
Tamarind dip Ingredients
Imli (Tamarind) 1 ounce Sugar 1 ounce Water 1 cup Rasons 2 tsp Red chilli powder 1/4 spoon Salt to taste Few drops of red food color.
Method Soak and put the imli in water for 12 hours or enough time for the imli to go soft. Remove seeds. Put it on the stove in a pot with all the ingredients for ten minutes. Put in grinder and grind it till paste.
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Glamstock Just about everyone these days is wearing sunblock, for many reasons. Sunblock use increased when we discovered that sunburn increases ones chance of getting skin cancer. Sunblock use increased when we decided to accept that global warming and the hole in the ozone are allowing more intense rays of the sun to reach the earth. More and more people become aware of the dangers of exposing their skin to the sun. With consciousness and demand ever on the rise, the availability of more and more products was spawned.
By Sahar Iqbal
50 I april 10 - april 16, 2011