We live in the age of hashtags and the Trade Dev­e­lopment Authority Pakistan (TDAP) pitched two of them during their recent trade expo: ‘Emerging Pakistan’ and ‘Made In Pakistan’. The former was announced at an inaugural dinner before the Expo with a fashion show by Nomi Ansari, Faiza Samee and Sherezad Rahimtoola and a concert by Strings and Momina Mustehsan. The latter was driven home by means of a three-day fashion show organised in collaboration with the Karachi-based Fashion Pakistan Council (FP). As always, the aim was to place focus on our ‘soft’ image. But it’s about time that this soft image yielded some hardcore business.

There have been far too many times that the TDAP has put forward fashion shows viewed by foreign delegates who hail from non-fashion backgrounds. After a long hard day at the Expo where they may have struck deals in their particular fields of pharmacy, engineering and the like, the foreigners have settled down to a fashion show that has in the past merely provided them with entertainment. The fashion purists amongst us have tsk-ed at the irrelevance of it all. Why should our bona fide designer creations be put forward as recreation for the visitors?

Saeed Tamimi, the Fashion Head at the TDAP, looks at it differently. “How much longer will we only be exporting T-shirts? We need to make efforts to move towards value-added export and this can only be done through successive shows.”

While TDAP’s Made in Pakistan Fashion Showcase hinted at a positive future for local fashion, the question remains: what future do they want exactly?

This year, for once, the efforts seemed relevant. Unlike past events, the collaborative shows by TDAP and FP were planned with an eye on export. Designers were paid by the TDAP to create export-friendly collections that would not reach beyond a price ceiling of 150 dollars. It was emphasised that they should try to use fabric that was made in Pakistan to create their apparel. All collections showcased on the catwalk were made available at a ‘Fashion Pakistan’ booth the next day so that visitors could examine the designs up-close and make purchases. Meetings with potential customers were organised and certain brands — the export-centric Nova Leathers, for instance — brought in orders. Following the Expo, the TDAP has carte blanche to take the collections from the designers whenever it participates in an exhibit abroad.

Most importantly, the attendance this time tilted ever so slightly towards fashion and textile buyers. Representatives from Stockholm Fashion Week and Beijing Fashion Week were present and if our fashion managed to attract them, it could lead to participation in the events. With China being a massive converging point for manufacturers from all over the world, a platform in Beijing — should it actually come about — could serve as a great display for local techniques.

What had been missing was stringent follow-up by designers,” explains CEO of FP Council, Feri Rawanian. “Almost all the designers have exchanged contact details with potential customers and this time, I am going to guide them into following up with them after the Expo.” Given that Feri hails from a background in textile and garment export, her knowledge could actually turn things around and allow local fashion to achieve a goal that has hitherto always been exclusive.

Also present at the shows was Italian designer Francesca Liberatore who talked about how she had earlier engaged with Indian craftsmen for embroideries and was now considering liaising with Pakistan. All this makes sense. One is aware of how local designer wear doesn’t always abide by the uniform sizing and quality requirements that are essential for the international market. But designers can at least be commissioned to create hand embroideries and embellishments for foreign clients. Designer Aamna Aqeel, for example, showed garments worked with mirrors and thread embroideries. If not the entire garment, the embroideries can certainly be created for export, on order.

But these are small steps. One has heard such success stories from past TDAP affairs only to see them dissolve without a whimper after some time. “What had been missing was stringent follow-up by designers,” explains CEO of FP Council, Feri Rawanian. “Almost all the designers have exchanged contact details with potential customers and this time I am going to guide them into following up with them after the Expo.” Given that Feri hails from a background in textile and garment export, her knowledge could actually turn things around and allow local fashion to achieve a goal that has hitherto always been exclusive.

It will take time, though. Streamlined, well thought-out shows will have to be orchestrated on a yearly basis. Also, TDAP direly needs to be more inclusive of the entire fashion fraternity. The shows this time were in collaboration with FP Council which is largely Karachi-centric but, as an organisation representing the country overall, Lahore’s design fraternity also needs to be incorporated. Two brands — Gogi By Hasan Riaz and Zuria Dor — formed the miniscule Lahore contingent but what about a House of Kamiar Rokni that wielded wonders with rilli for the British Council’s Fashion DNA show last year or an Ali Xeeshan whose eccentric designs tend to make an impact?

Published in Dawn, ICON, November 19th, 2017