KARACHI: The befitting venue of the Expo Centre is ready to do business as local fashion designers, fashion houses and manufacturers eagerly eye prospective foreign buyers while presenting their collections at the fourth edition of the three-day Karachi Fashion Week ramp that is on from Jan 27 to 29.

Around 25 shows will be put forth featuring as many designers, some of them big names of the industry such as Munib Nawaz and Usman Dittu with newcomers, besides a special show that will acknowledge the contribution made to the fashion industry by legendary names. There are four Malaysian buyers and fashion designers attending the event this year including a KFW regular, bridal wear designer Sharifah Kirana-Ghazali showing her hijab-inspired collection, two from Nigeria, six from Los Angeles, and one from India so far.

The KFW Red Carpet area features an exhibition space with stalls set up by Brands Just Pret, Gul Ahmed, Borjan, Turkish Airlines, Indian designer Karma, etc. The choreographer for all the shows is Imran Kureishi with hair and make-up by Huma Tahir of Huma and Zara’s Salon assisted in male grooming by Bilal Khan, backstage management by Moiz Kazmi and model-cum-designer coordination and management by Sheharyar Shaukat and Muneer Mohammed. The event has been presented by Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and organised by Arshad and Farhana Siddiqui of Triple-E Events.

Nigerian designer Joseph Adebayo of Modela Couture opened Day One’s first show by showing a brilliant fusion of synthetic foliage and fabric weaved together into full and short-form western silhouettes for both men and women with head pieces in customary Nigerian form. It showed the designer’s creativity with practicality weaved into its very essence for fun and friskiness. Model Iraj Manzoor was the show opener in this segment.

Nusrat and Haris showed a very wearable collection featuring leopard print fused with solids such as red and purple with more animal prints. Most of the outfits spot-on with sheer, shimmer fabric and bubble-cut dresses in essentially women’s wear. Model Rubya Chaudhry stood out in a black number with a sequined neckline as did Nadia Hussain in a red and black outfit with an illusion neckline.

Defined as sassy and chic, Shehrbano of Brands Just Pret put Iraj in a attractive, frilly number which she flaunted to perfection with her slick moves. Model Konain in a purple print silk shirt fused with black showed the line of practical wear with pleated churidars. Redefining denim, Element Jeans Co. is a regular at the KFW and Saima Azhar opened this segment in a seductive, short and frilly skirt with a leather belt around the waist. The collection featured a fun, frisky use of colour, jeweled motifs on jeans for men, a short, suede jacket worn by Rubya Chaudhry and jeans with featuring different textures such as stonewash, acid treated, faded, worn-out, tattered for the spring/summer season. Tops with glittery butterfly motifs and bubble-cut-flared jeans worn with electric red sequined halter top with feathered edging at the neckline stood out. Abbas Jafri in cowboy gear complete with lasso rope and a barrel gun was the showstopper for Element Jeans.

After a short break, Seh Rung showed basic black, gray and beige with Nadia in a fetching black handkerchief dress. Zeeshan Karim of Brands Just Pret showed a collection that was average at best. Zeeshan Bari closed the segment and the Day 1 of the KFW to a lasting applause as Nadia, Iraj, Saima and other models paraded a collection that was magnificent on all counts.

The KFW has memorable moments lined up during its slots which include a sensational tribute to the late singing legend Mehnaz, who passed away last week. Also a salute to the design legends of Pakistan is in the offing.