ISLAMABAD: An exquisite fashion and lifestyle exhibition was held on the sprawling lawn of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on Saturday bringing together various brands from Karachi to Gilgit-Baltistan.

The ‘Winter Fete’ showcased some popular brands and new trends in fashion, lifestyle, arts and crafts, furniture, cuisines, dry fruits and oils from Hunza as well as jewellery, clothes and accessories, a range of wall hangings, table runners, cushion covers and floor rugs, decoration items, sculptures and paintings.

The exhibit provided an opportunity to fashion lovers, socialites and members of the diplomatic community to shop, mingle with friends and acquaintances and enjoy the beautiful sunny day after a misty foggy morning.

The turnout was low perhaps because of fog that had enveloped the city as well as a public holiday on account of the Kashmir Solidarity Day.

On display were puppets, toys and doorbells on a stall set up by Fouzia Naheed and her daughter Ambreen Fatima. Ms Naheed’s four decades journey is a story of awe-inspiring for working class and disadvantaged women.

She started making handmade dolls and puppets after the death of her husband 40 years ago. Her daughter was at that time just two years old but now she is a grown entrepreneur helping her mother in making innovative dolls and other items as well as participating in exhibitions at national and international levels to earn their livelihood.

Collections of truck art, candles and totes and funky lamps, paintings on stones, woods and resins were some of the attractions.

Organic items like dried apricots, cherries, walnuts, apples, buckwheat, tumuru (thyme), sea-buckthorn seeds, honey as well as oils extracted from the apricot kernel, hem seeds, walnut as well as dried apple and exotic jewellery, lockets, and beads from Hunza and other parts of Gilgit-Baltistan were main attractions on stalls set up by Sher Azam, his wife Ambreen and Khalil.

Also on exhibit were whimsical flower art, indoor mini-plants, pet prets, pottery and paper-made beads from Thailand and jewellery from Turkey, scented candles, organic homemade soaps and shampoos.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2022