Fashion Pakistan S/S’17 kicks off — celebrating 10 years

KARACHI: Committed to the cause of furthering the business of fashion at home and abroad since its establishment in 2007, Fashion Pakistan Week commences its Spring summer edition this year celebrating the last decade dedicated to raising the bar.

Having pioneered the concept of Fashion Weeks in the country, the bi-annual event with its first offering in 2010, begins 2017 with its 11th instalment presenting the spring summer trends by 25 to 30 of the finest names from fashion design including retail brands. A mix of established and emerging names, the lineup for day 1 includes prêt collections mostly for women with some men’s fashion thrown in. Featuring the likes of Ayesha Farook, Nauman Afreen, Arsalan Iqbal, Nida Azwer, Tena Durrani and FNKASIA the opening night also includes a creative showcase by fashion’s four recent alumni based on their final year thesis.

Ayesha Farook aimed for more trendy and less minimalistic at Fashion Pakistan Week Spring/Summer 2017 in Karachi. 

At the opening of the latest edition which marks the Fashion Pakistan’s 10th year anniversary, Fashion Legend Maheen Khan, who has been an integral part of the council since its inception, thoughtfully looks back at the gradual pace of its progress over the years. The platform, created by the designers for the designers through regular elections, functioning like a true democracy slowly but surely is moving in the right direction says the senior designer who is currently on the board of directors of the Fashion Pakistan Council.

A leading fashion writer and an editor at Instep, Aamna Haider Isani, says Fashion Pakistan week has played a vital role in the growth of the industry seen today by introducing the concept in Pakistan with its very first edition held in 2010. Impressed with its contribution towards encouraging and promoting the upcoming names, Isani is of the opinion that the platform has been able to achieve desired results in terms of discovering new talent.

Currently the chairperson of the Fashion Pakistan Council, Deepak Perwani says one of the primary objectives of the council, which is continuously looking for new ways to support and bolster the local industry, is to discover new edgy fashion talent that can be promoted internationally.

The four new designers featured in Rising Talent category at Fashion Pakistan Week Spring/Summer 2017 in Karachi.  

Thrilled to be a part of the special segment dedicated to utterly new talent, Areej Iqbal who recently graduated from Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design, Lahore talks about her inspiration. Based on music, the collection is her interpretation of the concept explains Iqbal. Also showcasing her thesis work of final year, Fatima Abdul Rauf says working on the topic of triangles her theme revolves around the concept of connectivity and simplicity represented by the geometrical shape.

Nida Azwer's collection at Fashion Pakistan Week Spring/Summer 2017 in Karachi. 

Nida Azwer's collection at Fashion Pakistan Week Spring/Summer 2017 in Karachi.  

Nida Azwer’s luxurious prêt collection titled ‘The Susleme’ is another highlight of the first day of this latest edition. Including fine silks and organza with detailed 3D embellishment and silhouettes ranging from contemporary to traditional, her inspiration for the spring summer 2017 comes from the vibrant colours of Uzbek textiles, says the designer who is also the current CEO of the Fashion Pakistan council.

Metal chokers were the highlight of Tena Durrani's collection at Fashion Pakistan Week Spring/Summer 2017 in Karachi. 

Simple colours with more focus on design were the highlight of Tena Durrani's collection at Fashion Pakistan Week Spring/Summer 2017 in Karachi. 

Portraying the female form in the epitome of romanticism, Tena Durrani’s collection titled ‘The debut’ marks the end of the opening night of FPW 2017. A subtle balance of print, draping and texture, the line is her representation of a surreal garden of Eden, explains the designer who is known for a unique and innovative interpretation of the art and architecture that inspires her.

The two-day FPW Spring/summer 2017 officially opening on the 22nd will end on 23rd of February, 2017.

- Photos by Haseem uz Zaman