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By Sumeha Khalid
The fashion brigade has begun showcasing beautiful collections as Eid draws closer. This season, the focus has shifted to a more tapered and structured look as opposed to last year’s voluminous creations. Hemlines have receded; layers and panels have been done away with to quite an extent. There’s an abundance of prints and color. Pakistan Today caught up with the top names of the fashion industry to find out what Eid has in store for us
NIDA AZWER Designer 1- Cuts: NA- Hem lines are slightly shorter for the current season’s pret wear. Cuts are a little more tapered yet summer clothes will remain flowy, as our summer weather does not allow us to wear fitted silhouettes. 2- Colours: NA- Fresh colours for spring like poppy red, emerald green and nectarine. 3- Style: NA- Easy, chic, fun prints for pret wear - elegant flowy cuts for wedding wear with classic farshi gharara’s. 4- Fabric: NA- Lots of cotton, voil, chantilly lace, cotton net and chiffons. 5- Fashions that will be done away with: NA- Day-wear shirts that reach your ankles 6- What to wear to weddings? NA- Lovel, long, flowy angharkas, nice saris and shirts with panels. 7- How to update last season’s outfits?
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NA- Your last season Nida Azwer formal outfits were mostly classic, they will be good to go this year too. 8-Colours that you should stay away from: NA- Any colour you don’t feel good in! If you’re not comfortable in your outfit you will not carry it well either.
AFREEN SHIRAZ Stylist/beautician/entrepreneur at Ellemint Pret 1- Cuts: AF- Tapered and sleek. This Eid it’s all about bold and bright outfits! 2- Colours: AF- Rust, cobalt, emerald, ivory, fuchsia, tangerine, deep violet, etc. 3- Style: AF- Long shirts as well as shirts with receding hemlines; the focus is on straighter, more structured figure flattering shirts. These are teamed with either floral palazzos or tights. 4- Fabric: AF- Fine cotton, chiffons and georgettes. 5- Fashions that will be done away with: AF- Long and flowy, ankle skimming shirts will take a back seat especially for day wear… However, long shirts will still be a part of your wardrobe. Depends on the look you want to carry. 6- What to wear to weddings? AF- Elegant outfits with embroidery and tinsel 7- How to update last season’s outfits AF- Taper it down... play with the length, add pin tucks, etc. to make them more current 8-Colours that you should stay away from: AF- It depends on how you carry a colour. Really don’t need to stay away from any.
SARA SHAHID Designer at Sublime 1- Cuts: SS- Cuts are sharper, hem lines are going up. We are trying to move away from the long lengths and the endless volume to a more structured, tailored silhouette. Cropped pants with some straighter shirts have made a come back. 2-Colours: SS- From bright, fruity shades to bold neon’s it’s all about colour. Having said that, for Eid we will also be seeing some
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pretty pastels. As for white, it is and will always remain a classic and a favorite!! 3-Style: SS- Some interesting looks can be created with graphic prints and feminine florals; bold neon’s paired with subtle colours. Voluminous sleeves rather as opposed to wide hemlines. Shimmer with sequins for day and night. You can choose to go bold or remain subtle with a hint of bold color. Cropped ,sharper silhouettes make their way this season. 4-Fabric: SS- For our long summer, chiffons, cottons, pure linen, voile, lawns and silks all work for the evening. 5-Fashions that will be done away with: SS- Long hemlines, lots and lots of fabric, it’s time to refresh, go bold with print and colour. 6-What to wear to weddings? SS- Wedding season in Pakistan is a time when classics can work equally well as a contemporary look. Classics, such as an angrakha, a gharara or a kurta, are and will always remain timeless and elegant. However, looks are being balanced out this season it is NOT necessary that every bit of the ensemble should be embellished - go with a heavily embellished dupatta, shalwar, trouser or just a shirt. Mix it around. At Sublime we are working more on cuts and fabrics and less on heavily embellished looks for weddings. 7-How to update last season’s outfit? SS- With the long, long lengths and the big volume worn last year we have ample fabrics to recreate a new outfit!! Chop the lengths, reduce the volumes and crop the pants. 8-Colours that you should stay away from: SS- None really!
Arsalan Iqbal Designer 1-Cuts: AIClassic silhouettes have been retained this season… We have introduced two different silhouettes - they are a fusion of traditional eastern and western wear with embellishments. 2-Colours: AI- Black, white, gold, aqua, rust, red and several shades of green are hot picks of the year! 3-Style: AI- Expect a lot of flamboyant, contrasting inner lines. Minimal yet flamboyant! We will as usual maintain our attempt to balance elegance with dandyism! 4-Fabric: AI- 160’s woolen blend for our S/S’13 and Muslin for Eid and A/W’13. 5-Fashions that will be done away with: AI- I hope colour blocking will be gotten rid of! 6-What to wear to weddings? AI- We are getting a terrific response for our wedding shalwar kameez collection ‘Half Caste Culture.’ Sherwanis are our all-time favourite! We’ve come up with many minimal designs for everyone! 7-How to update your last season’s outfit? AI- Consult a designer or a stylist preferably! 8-Colours that you should stay away from: AI- Brown is a strict no-no!
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Eid Collection Review
Bareeze and Bareeze Man The Bareeze Summer collection covers a range of colors from reds and amber yellows to beige and sea greens. Combining traditional embroidered prints with dresses isn’t a new phenomenon, but Bareeze has done it very well, combining their excellent sensibilities in embroidery with straightforward kameez and long flowing dresses. These gownlike outfits are mostly inspired by western evening wear. Most of the dresses and kurtas have delicate modern embroidery designs along the borders, adding a level of depth to the design elements and emphasizing the quality of the printmaking. Most of the design sensibility seems to be inspired by traditional Arabic dresses, particularly flowing robelike kurtas and kurta jackets that come well below the knees. The sheer quality of the fabric used gives them an edgy feel that one wouldn’t find in traditional styles. The creative use of Swiss lawn, chiffon and polyester net in dress design is one of the factors that make this collection stand out as much as it does. They have also brought the hip factor to the traditional Balochi, Northern and Pashtun ethnic dress designs using fun fabrics and cutting edge prints to embellish them.
Bareeze:
The Bareeze team has been working on the Eid collection since April ’13, which is now out in the market. With more than 81
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different designs to choose from, this year’s collection puts an interesting spin to the modernly traditional designs. The collection covers a range of colors from reds and amber yellows to beige and sea greens. Combining traditional embroidered prints with dresses isn’t a new phenomenon, but Bareeze has done it very well, combining their excellent sensibilities in embroidery with straightforward kameez and long flowing dresses. These gown-like outfits are mostly inspired by western evening wear. Most of the dresses and kurtas have delicate modern embroidery designs along the borders, adding a level of depth to the design elements and emphasizing the quality of the printmaking. The textile house has focused on loose and flowing cuts in Kurtas with loose gheeraydar trousers. The sheer quality of the fabric used gives them an edgy feel that one wouldn’t find in traditional styles. The creative use of Swiss lawn, chiffon and polyester net in dress design is one of the factors that make this collection stand out as much as it does. Bareeze designers have put their best in producing this collection knowing the demands of their customers and the requirements of the
season. They have introduced really bright and vivid colors to keep up with the spirit of the festive and with that of the vivacious female customers. With its excellent reputation in the market that has created strong brand loyalty aspects, Bareeze is setting trends rather than following them. They have the fabric and design strength to do so and this Eid collection is yet another treat for the picky customers out there who will find it living exactly up to their expectations.
Bareeze Man:
From laid back and casual shalwar kameez to luxury tailored sherwanis, Bareeze Man’s clothing range includes edgy, contemporar y yet traditionally rooted designs with the guarantee of Bareeze quality textiles behind them. Bareeze Man is intended for men who
appreciate the clean, tailored lines of each collection. Whether you need a classic kurta for the Eid prayer or a custom-made suit for the Eid dinner at night, Bareeze Man has it all. This year the Eid range varies from embroided kurtas to simple clean cut kurtas, edgy waistcoats and suit jackets. The collection focuses on a range of colors, starting from light pastel colors to dark manly hues made from classic fabrics (100% cotton, silk and linen) to complete the look. Be it anything from men’s coats and suits to trousers and shirts, it offers a clothing range suitable for social hangouts and evening dinners this Eid. And just so you dont have to run from one store to the other, Bareeze Man Also offers shoes made and completed to perfection in Pakistan.
8 things to look out in Bareeze Summer Collection 1. Say hello to smaller ethnic inspired block prints. These will be the rogue this season. 2. Symmetrical patterns as opposed to floral prints – let’s give flowers some rest, we love the symmetrical patterns with feminine designs. 3. White is the color of the season. Formal, semi formal or casual attire, white symbolizes elegance and grace, giving you a cool demure look this scorching summer. 4. Detailing and finishing – the intricate embroidery and the focus on detailing will sweep you off 5. Made for the modern women – The prints and look of the collection is edgy and modern. 6. All the variety under one roof – lawn, chicken, polyester net, Swiss lawn. You have a whole variety to choose from. 7. From pastels to bolds, they have a range of colors to choose from. What’s more is that each design is available in three different colors. 8. The beautiful prints that can be made into any design you want. Plazzos, long kurta, jumpsuit, maxi dress, choose your style and go all out with the fabric.
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Rule Out Weathering Blues This
Eid! By Marian Joseph
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t’s the usual heat wave that draws cracked lines on the wall paint but the worse has come with the unpredictable early monsoons. Metrologists have done their job well. The ones to blame are those who ignored metrology’s prediction for rainstorm and humidity. It’s a big mess for those who began painting their house past June. Revamping the house during rainy season has added to the routine especially with Eid around the corner. The problem with the climate of our country is that it’s at its extreme during both summer and winter. Worse happens during the monsoons when humidity crosses the ratio limit. Humidity is the amount of moisture suspended in the air. Because of the unavailability of dehumidifying air conditioning units, the moisture finds its way inside the walls.
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Once it penetrates deep into the bricks and cement that hold the wall and paint together, humidity can affect the rate at which fresh paint dries and absorbs into the material. The dilemma with painting the exterior is when there is direct sunlight or extreme hot weather is not a good idea as well. The ideal weather condition for painting your home is 25-35°C with humidity ratio between minimum 40% and maximum 60%. Since it’s almost hard to find such a favorable condition the only solution is a weather resistant paint. Weather resistant paint such as Master Paints is 100% acrylic based emulsion, which is a fast drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Available in Matt, weather resistant pains are ideal for both new or formerly painted surface such as brick work, plaster and cement rendering. The
paint provides smooth finish to exterior surfaces. Depending on how much water is diluted with acrylic or other mediums makes the finished product resemble oil paint or water colors. What makes a weather resistant paint suitable for our environment is the fact that it’s durable against harsh weather, dirt resistant cracking and flaking resistant and moreover the color lasts longer than other paint types. All weather resistant paints are guaranteed to be anti-fungal, alkali resistant, scrub resistant and lead free unless it’s a product of a well reputed company. About 3 to 5 coats are required when using weather resistant paint. The problem with latex paint is that it cannot adhere to extreme weather conditions below 10 C (50 F) or above 32 C (92 F). Moreover, ultraviolent rays also tend to react with acrylic in paint, for which the
weather resistant paints must be UV-resistant. The choice of colors matters too. Light colors or strong color with subtle hue helps keep the temperature down. If you plan to paint your patio in dramatic colors such as yellow or green go for a lighter tone such with a hint of lime in yellow or a green with softer feel about it. For those who prefer to stick to traditional color scheme with grey shaded white, deep off white or white towards the tone of beige are suitable options to beat the heat. Before you decide to fetch a paint can from the market to redo your house remember to check the line dry outdoor. If it takes more than half the day to dry the laundry it’s a bad idea to begin painting. Plus not to forget the suitable temperature should be approximately between 30 C (86 F) and 35 C (95 F), and of course, a gentle breeze.
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Books
An enduring work of fiction By Syed Afsar Sajid
The Great Gatsby Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald Published by: Readings, 12-K, Main Boulevard, Gulberg-2, Lahore Pages: 146; Price: Rs.195/-
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The Great Gatsby has been termed as ‘a literary chronicle of American social history in the Jazz Age’. In New York it was a time where scarcely did people worry about money, and prodigality was a common feature of their lifestyle. That was a reason for the hospitality dispensed by Gatsby (the protagonist of this novel) to his guests. On his extravagant festivities “charm, notoriety (and) mere good manners weighted more than money as a social asset”. It was customary to play a typical jazz orchestra at these parties. The novel was first published in the year 1925. Initially it drew scant response from the reading public but with the passage of time its popularity among the readers gained momentum and as of now it annually sells 500,000 copies. The novel saw a revival during World War II and became part of the American high school syllabi in the succeeding years. It has also been a subject of numerous stage and film adaptations and is ‘consistently ranked among the greatest works of American literature’. The story is focussed on a young but mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his ‘quixotic passion’ for Daisy Buchanan, a seductive damsel of the affluent social hierarchy and wife of millionaire Tom (Thomas) Buchanan from the fashionable area of East Egg in Long Island. The timeline of the novel is 1922 and afterwards – a period known for its economic boom as ‘the Roaring Twenties’. It was also an era of jazz music, flapper culture, and bootlegging and kindred criminal activity. The Great Gatsby is seen as a ‘cautionary tale of the decadent downside of the American dream’. It is also considered a
story about change and those who resist it. Nick Carraway, the Yale-educated young narrator of the story lives in the West Egg district of Long Island, an upcoming wealthy area populated by the nouveau riche, a group of people who have made their fortunes recently and are desperately trying to establish social connections by garish displays of their wealth. Jay Gatsby, Nick’s mysterious nextdoor neighbour, lives in a huge Gothic mansion and hosts lavish parties every weekend. Daisy Buchanan is Nick’s cousin. Gstsby knew Daisy in Louisville in 1917 and eversince has been in deeply in love with her. His extravagant lifestyle and parties are meant to impress Daisy and rekindle his love. Eventually in the course of socialization with Gatsby, Tom grows suspicious of his wife’s affair with him (Gatsby). He is fiercely outraged by the idea of her infidelity although he is himself involved in an extramarital relationship with Myrtle Wilson. Subsequently Tom attempts to shake his wife’s faith in Gatsby, in the latter’s presence, by revealing that Gatsby is a criminal amassing his fortune from bootlegging, alcohol, and scores of other illegal activities. While Gatsby drives back to East Egg with Daisy with Tom’s condescension, he meets an accident in which Myrtle is fatally struck which leads her husband to shoot Gatsby as well as himself to death. Gertrude Stein (1874-1946), an astute woman of letters and an unconventional writer of novels, poetry and plays, reviewing this novel, wrote to its author F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940): “I like the melody of your dedication and it
shows that you have a background of beauty and tenderness and that is a comfort. The next good thing is that you write naturally in sentences and that too is a comfort. You write naturally in sentences and one can read all of them and that among other things is a comfort. You are creating the contemporary world much as Thackeray did his in Pendennis and Vanity Fair and this isn’t a bad compliment.” Reviewers of the book, in the aftermath of its publication, called it curious, fascinating, mystical, glamorous, and revelatory – a veritable ‘work of art’. Contrarily, there were unfavourable reviews too branding it (the book) as ‘unconvincing’ and ‘raw’ in conception and construction. However, by the author’s own proclamation, the novel was a ‘consciously artistic achievement’ and a ‘purely creative work – not trashy imaginings as in my stories but the sustained imagination of a sincere yet radiant world’. By the year 1941, it came to be acknowledged as ‘an enduring work of fiction’ dispelling the earlier impression of some of Fitzgerald’s detractors that it was merely ‘a period piece’. The universal popularity of the work perhaps owes itself to the fact that it is a story of ‘human inspiration to start over again, social politics and its brutality and also betrayal, of one’s own ideals and of people. Using elements of irony and tragic ending, it also delves into themes of excesses of the rich, and recklessness of youth’ implying the book’s ‘basic conflict between established sources of economic and cultural power and upstarts in virtually all aspects of American society’ which accounts for its relevance to the contemporary age.
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