There was a catwalk, a red carpet and invitations were sent out to the media and members of the design fraternity. Backstage, a pool of some of the country’s best models got styled by the team at Nabila’s, who are mainstays at most fashion events across the country. But despite the presence of all the familiar trappings, the Fashion Pakistan Council’s (FPC) single-day event, the Fashion Pakistan Winter Gala (FW21), didn’t seem much like a gala.

It was a fashion show, yes. A platform that introduced promising new talent, certainly. A show helmed by one of the industry’s most celebrated veterans — that would be Maheen Khan — undoubtedly. But the event lacked the razzle dazzle of a gala.

Where once an event by the FPC would be highly anticipated and the red carpet thronged by the city’s most fashionable, now the crowd was sparse, restricted to the media and a smattering of designers. Energy was low even when the fashion was not.

It could be argued that the purpose of a fashion event is to showcase good fashion and to highlight genuine talent. On that pretext, FW21 made some creative statements. Fledgling brands made their catwalk debuts and some of them showed great potential.

In all honesty, the clothes may have looked even better had they been presented in a more glamorous setting, rather than under ageing chandeliers in a hall in Karachi’s Beach Luxury Hotel. The hype would have been greater had members of the FPC stayed on for the show rather than make a perfunctory appearance on the red carpet before slinking away. Nevertheless, even without a shiny gift-wrapping, FW21 had much to offer in terms of content.

The Fashion Pakistan Winter Gala could hold its head high in terms of fashion and introduced some promising new talent. But it was weighed down by a desultory ambience and a distinct lack of support from within the industry

Seven designers participated in the event and FPC Chairperson Maheen Khan set the ball rolling with a showcase that was quintessentially fashion forward. Running the gamut from minimal, sophisticated day-wear to quirky saris and pant saris, the show was, as always, aimed towards the avant-garde aficionado that comprises Maheen’s clientele.

Later in the show, high-street brand Hina Mirza dabbled with plaid in winter hues, with a collection that was young and very wearable. For a catwalk debut, it was a good one.

Similarly, menswear designer Zohaib Jubileo made his mark with designs that leaned towards subtle experimentation. A slightly different colour-way, an assymetrical cut to a sherwani, a sleek waistcoat or a neatly cut collar — little tweaks that can amp up menswear without plummeting it towards dandyism.

Amna Aqeel’s line of party dresses may not entirely be commercially viable in the desi market but they brought ebullient pops of colour to the ramp and, eventually, gave way to brilliantly coloured two pieces that would certainly sell very well. Menswear designer Sameer Sain’s all black range of winter wear had some interesting pieces as well.

There was the occasional collection with a penchant for a bling-infested desi gown but, generally, the fashion on the catwalk held its own. This wasn’t the sort of event that will be remembered for head-turning design that spins and weaves magic and euphorically beats out a fashion drum of its own.

But it also wasn’t the sort of event that could be put down for featuring ghastly aesthetics. We’ve seen plenty of the latter masquerade as ‘fashion’ in recent times. FW21, though, held its head high with its fashion ethos.

There have been times when following a three- or two-day-long mediocre fashion event, I have critiqued that it would have been better had the organisers reduced the duration of the show rather than allow a deluge of lacklustre collections on the catwalk. FW21, in fact, could be considered a precise response to this critique. It was a merely one day-long event, with merely seven showcases, but the fashion often caught the eye and was certainly not horrendous.

What was, however, deplorable was the desultory ambience that has been mentioned earlier. A ‘pink carpet’ had been set up to represent a coterie of designers and their muses. The pre-event social media announcements had listed names from the fashion crème de la crème who were going to be seen at the event, with select muses that they had dressed.

Unfortunately, many of these ‘power players’ thought that it was kosher to drift about the red carpet and then leave. Their names gaped pointedly from seats that had been set aside for them along the catwalk. It wouldn’t have hurt for these designers — some of them even senior members of the FPC — to extend their support by watching the show.

The lack of support — and I need to emphasise this here, not the lack of promising fashion — weighed down on FW21 ostensibly. It was a sad indication of an industry that is now fragmented by egos and personal agendas, where a show of solidarity through a collective fashion week is sidestepped in favour of solo shows and fashion shoots on Instagram.

It was in sharp contrast to past FPC events, where the industry would gather together, cheer, pose on the red carpet and swing out to the after-party later. It was symbolic of an industry that has borne the financial burden of a pandemic and is still grappling with a volatile economy.

Even in this dire situation, it’s important to remember all that collective designer showcases can achieve for an industry. It ideally pits upcoming designers with experienced ones, prompting the former to push creative boundaries and keeping the latter on their toes. It pushes designers to come up with inventive new collections, season after season, rather than slide towards commercially viable complacency.

All these are well-acknowledged facts within the industry but, looking at the recent FW21, I wonder if Pakistan’s designers now want to step away from the format, eschewing the stark lights of the catwalk in favour of a blingy, marketable, generic Instagram bubble?

Do they no longer aspire to be the ‘best at fashion week’? Would they rather just be the ‘best tailors’ in a marketplace or the ‘best shop selling copycat fashion’?

Once the Covid-19-induced economic strains wane away, will Pakistan’s fashion industry revive enough to show cordiality towards each other and extend support to fashion shows hosted by one of the country’s senior-most pioneering council? This time, it didn’t. I hope it sees sense next time.

Published in Dawn, ICON, December 12th, 2021