KARACHI: The four-day Fashion Pakistan Week S/S 2015 got off to a dynamic start with Nida Azwer’s French Trellis Collection in which she showed beige, grey outfits in luxe fabrics cotton net, net, silks and chiffons with classic French embellishments. The silhouettes remained western with drop shoulder tops and short capes worn over cigarette pants.

The Bank Alfalah Rising Talent show would give away half-a-million rupees to the winning designer from a prestigious fashion school, it was announced. Indus Valley School students Rimsha Shakir, Sheza Azhar, Hamza Riaz and Momal Zia showed their individual takes on the future of fashion with contrasting surfaces by manipulating materials, pop culture, colour blocking, fluorescents and various other design inspirations to come up with a knockout concept.

Lala Textiles showed Electric Summer in geometrical and floral prints and fusion cuts.

Saniya Maskatiya was unpredictable with Unsung Heroes of Design with print and silk thread embroidery symbolising the workshop environment with thread spools, buttons, splashes of colour and a tailor’s cutting tools.

After the break, Huma Adnan of FnkAsia put a net and lace collection in virgin white on the ramp featuring tassels and volume in cuts. The outfits spoke of style and craftsmanship. The vibrant yellow line was more western in its approach to design but seemed to be a tad untidy with loose threads. The following blue and technicolour creations carried the designer’s trademark style.

Madiha Reza was inspired by the bold beauty of flowers for her Spring Myth collection. The fresh new designer just out of fashion school had won the Millennial Show last year with a tropical birds feathers inspired collection. This was her second outing on the ramp and it had overpowering references to her earlier collection. The flora- and fauna-inspired designer has a penchant to play with strong colours and hence the flowers theme this time round. The collection was accessorised by oversize bags. Veteran designer Maheen Khan was the showstopper in this segment in a full black number.

Sadaf Malaterre closed the opening day with a pearls-infused dusty pink line that was sleek and refined and elegantly styled with ruffles, frills, gorgeous draping, tassels, front pockets and much more on classic western cuts. At times she fused it with white which gave it an altogether different look.

The hair & make-up of the models was by Nabila’s N-Pro and N-Gents, show direction by Hasan Sheheryar Yasin, official media partners Hum Network and the Hum Sitaray Team, backstage management by 021, event design and management by CKO, PR by Latitude CRS and red carpet hosting by Anoushay Asharf.

Day Two will feature Amir Adnan, Sanam Chaudhri, Jafferjees, Abdul Samad, Zaheer Abbas, Caanchi & Lughari, Gul Ahmed and Fahad Hussayn. Day Three designers are Body Focus Museum, Levi’s, Somal Halepoto, YBQ, Wardha Saleem, Saniya Maskatiya for Al-Karam, Inaaya and HSY. Sonya Battla, Rizwanullah for Fifth Element Sawarovski, Daaman, Zara Shahjahan, Deepak Perwani, Aamna Aqeel and Shamaeel Ansari will feature on Day Four.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2015

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