Kid-friendly couture? 5 questions with Sofia Bilgrami

Published June 1, 2015
The age bracket of Bilgrami's target audience is undefined as each order is custom made. —Photo courtesy: Sofetskiya official Facebook page. (Zara Tareen)
The age bracket of Bilgrami's target audience is undefined as each order is custom made. —Photo courtesy: Sofetskiya official Facebook page. (Zara Tareen)

A wife, mother, painter and avid footballer, Sofia Bilgrami is now set to take center stage as a designer. Nothing about the budding entrepreneur is ordinary; by launching her label, Sofetskiya, she's catering to an almost untapped set of customers — girls and young teens seeking couture pieces.

Bilgrami introduced her first collection via social media, titled Timeless Collections, which has been photographed by Zara Tareen and partially modeled by Frieha Altaf's daughter, Parisheh James.

Coveting a piece from Sofetskiya won't come cheap -- Prices start from Rs. 15,000 and can go up to a whopping Rs. 60,000. However, couture never does and one look at the attention to detail and quality of embroidery will justify the splurge.

James, who also walked  Deepak Perwani at TFPW 2015, looks stunning in a peplum dress by Sofetskiya. —Photo courtesy: Sofetskiya official Facebook page. (Zara Tareen)
James, who also walked Deepak Perwani at TFPW 2015, looks stunning in a peplum dress by Sofetskiya. —Photo courtesy: Sofetskiya official Facebook page. (Zara Tareen)

Here, the 20-year-old wife of Operation 021 producer Azaan Sami Khan reflects on her upcoming venture here:

Describe your design aesthetic. What age bracket is the line geared towards?

Sofia Bilgrami (SB): As an artist, I would say my design aesthetic comes from my paintings and my strong sense of colour. I try to follow a minimalist approach and cut and at the same time, draw inspiration from eastern and European fashion culture.

The idea was to use the best materials and craftsmanship so that it can be clearly established that impeccable quality can be achieved in Pakistan.

Does Sofetskiya represent your own style too? What makes the brand unique?

SB: Growing up, I had a hard time finding high fashion, quality clothes available for young girls and children locally. Hence, that's one of the driving forces for Sofetskiya. Sofetskiya's uniqueness is the broad range of ages and styles it encompasses.

It's a brand for young ladies and honestly, there is no cap on who a young lady is. If I had a daughter, it's definitely how I would dress her on special occasions.

The attention to detail is something to be admired in her debut collection. —Photo courtesy: Sofetskiya official Facebook page. (Zara Tareen)
The attention to detail is something to be admired in her debut collection. —Photo courtesy: Sofetskiya official Facebook page. (Zara Tareen)

You're a mother yourself. How do you plan on balancing your professional and personal life?

SB: My son is with me all the time and I feel I create a work environment where he can be comfortable and play. People portray it as an either or but a global shift is taking place, where new mothers work and I don't see a reason not to. Family time and work time is clearly defined in our home.

Will the pieces be made to order or is there a retail outlet in the pipeline?

SB: There are plans in the future to have multiple outlets but obviously, that will be based on the response of the clientele, which has been overwhelming so far. For now, as each piece is very much tailored to your body type, they will be made to order.

What are some of your personal favourite pieces from the collection?

SB: I love them all being my first collection; Each of them is a labour of love being designed and created myself. Each dress has something uniquely beautiful to it, be it the cut, embroidery, the fall or the material.

Bilgrami using interesting colour combinations, giving the collection an ethereal feel. —Photo courtesy: Sofetskiya official Facebook page. (Zara Tareen)
Bilgrami using interesting colour combinations, giving the collection an ethereal feel. —Photo courtesy: Sofetskiya official Facebook page. (Zara Tareen)

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