‘Fashion Week’ is the new buzzword. And there are three registered fashion councils in Pakistan, all three of them attempting to organise at least two fashion weeks a year. It’s a ridiculous number of fashion weeks for a country as small as ours.

From what one has witnessed, one united fashion council was established for Pakistan in 2006, but it very quickly segmented into the Pakistan Fashion and Design Council (Lahore) and Fashion Pakistan Council (Karachi). The PFDC took off under the leadership of Sehyr Saigol while FP elected Maheen Khan as its first chairperson. Both councils began with memorandums that pledged to serve the fashion industry and assist members in developing trade and production.

With these two councils already existing, Arshad Siddiqui of Triple-E Event Management registered a third by the name of Pakistan Fashion Council in January 2011. This council appointed his wife Farhana Arshad as chairperson and Islamabad-based stylist Tariq Amin as its CEO.

Here, Images on Sunday presents an overview of Pakistan’s three registered fashion councils and what they have achieved so far in terms of fashion weeks and other milestones.

Pakistan Fashion Design Council Chairperson: Awais Mazhar CEO: Saad Ali

PFDC heavyweights: Khaadi Khaas, Kamiar Rokni, Sublime, HSY, Karma, Nickie Nina and Ammar Belal The PFDC was established in 2006 and opened its council-operated multi-brand store The Boulevard (the first of its kind) in Lahore, 2007. A second branch of The Boulevard was inaugurated in Karachi at The Park Towers Mall in September 2009, but was shut down recently.

PFDC organised its first fashion week in February 2010. Since then the PFDC-Sunsilk Fashion Week has emerged as a consistent and credible fashion week in Pakistan. Hosting fashion weeks alternately in Lahore and Karachi, it is an effective launch pad for young and upcoming designers such as Ali Xeeshan, Feeha Jamshed, Mohsin Ali, Akif Mehmood, Muse, Zaheer Abbas and Adnan Pardesy. Many of these designers are Karachi-based and not even members, but the kind of recognition and mileage they have received after showing at PFDC’s fashion week is unprecedented.

This year the council, in collaboration with L’Oreal, has announced the launch of PFDC-L’Oreal Paris Bridal Week (Lahore, Nov 2011).

Charge sheet: While the council’s achievements cannot be underplayed, its course has not been completely flawless.

Karachi-based designer Rizwanullah, who debuted at the PFDC fashion week this March, says, “My show at the PFDC in Lahore will always be a memorable one. To foresee disaster striking and not being able to do anything to prevent it from happening is the feeling I had. My vision was broken. A major part of my collection got cut literally moments before my show. I wish they had informed me even a day before the show. I am very grateful to PFDC for allowing me to show on their prestigious platform but what remained at the end of it was just a bad taste in the mouth. You just can’t disrupt a designer’s creative process completely.”

Rizwanullah’s show was censored for having too many risqué elements, to which he responded, “Sure the show was a lesson that reminded me of the fact that we live in Pakistan. But the ‘unmentionables’ were shown by other designers who did exceptionally well, so I don’t see what the big deal was in making them a part of my runway show.”

“I wouldn’t want to show at PFDC again for multiple reasons. Firstly, my experience. Second, it isn’t fair play. The Little Black Book (Designer Management Consultants) was totally aware of my idea. Anyhow... no more showing at PFDC... not unless I am committed freedom.”

Saad Ali, PFDC CEO was contacted repeatedly to clarify the council’s position but he had not responded by the time this article went to print.

Fashion Pakistan Chairperson: Shamaeel Ansari CEO: Maheen Khan

FP heavyweights: Shamaeel Ansari, Maheen Khan, Deepak Perwani, Sana Safinaz, Bunto Kazmi, Faiza Samee, Sonya Battla, Rizwan Beyg, Umar Sayeed, Amir Adnan, Nilofer Shahid, Nomi Ansari (these designers have been associated with FP though many of them may not be technically registered members anymore).

FP was established in 2006 with Maheen Khan as its first elected chairperson and Rizwan Beyg as CEO. Though its list of members comprised fashion’s top brass, the council was riddled with more logistical issues than it could handle. In 2009, it appointed Ayesha Tammy Haq as CEO, and celebrated Pakistan’s first official fashion week in November.

Fashion Pakistan Week made it to the worldwide news network for promoting a liberal side of fashion at a time when Talibanisation was at its height. FP’s second and last fashion week took place in March 2010, after which it also opened its own multi-brand store, Fashion Pakistan Lounge, in Lahore. The store is operating successfully though the council has not managed to organise any fashion activity since March 2010.

It did, however, conduct its second term elections later in 2010, swearing in Shamaeel as chairperson and Amir Adnan as CEO. The latter, however resigned, and handed the task back to Maheen Khan who is currently serving in the capacity.

Charge sheet: The council has been inactive since its second and last fashion week in March 2010, leading members to believe that it may be defunct. Secondly, while FP may have had Pakistan’s top designers on board, these designers seemed to lack a united vision for the fashion industry, especially for young designers. When given an opportunity to represent Pakistan in Milan, council heads Maheen, Rizwan and Deepak went themselves instead of giving any youngster a chance. Thirdly, the council has lacked administrative disciple throughout.

Shamaeel Ansari responds, “It took us this long to get the paperwork together, which the other board should have done before us. But it has all been sorted out and we have finally organised things. We have already held two general body meetings and are planning our next event as we speak. The board has changed and its vision has changed. I believe that things should be run by professionals and we have already started outsourcing responsibilities. I admit that the former board was not efficient.

“Meanwhile, we are not anti-trade and have encouraged our younger members like Adnan Pardesy to show at PFDC’s fashion week. In fact, I’m very hopeful that a merger for fashion week will happen between the councils in the future. We would love to host fashion week in Karachi and we would love to participate in a PFDC-managed fashion week in Lahore. So far, Lahore has not been comfortable with this idea.”

Pakistan Fashion Council Chairperson: Farhana Arshad CEO: Tariq Amin

PFC heavyweights: Amir Adnan has been listed on the council masthead as Business Advisor but the designer confirms that his involvement is casual and he is not an official member of PFC.

Pakistan Fashion Council was launched after conducting Islamabad Fashion Week in January this year. CEO Tariq Amin, the council’s centrifugal force, managed to pull in several high-profile designers to show, none of whom are PFC members. He also organised model hunts to build a new pool of professional models for his event.

The council’s claim to fame, however, is it’s partnership with the World Fashion Organisation but the implication of this partnership on Pakistan’s fashion industry is still uncertain. PFC has announced that Nilofer Shahid has been selected to show ‘one’ garment at the World Fashion Week Welcome Gala, scheduled to be held in New York this month.

PFC will be inaugurating their second chapter — Karachi Fashion Week — next month.

Charge sheet: Four different stylists were hired for IFW but none claim to have been paid for their services so far. One of them, on conditions of anonymity confided to quote, “I was promised Rs150,000 by Tariq Amin plus air tickets and hotel stay for me and six of my staff members. I was informed that I would be put up at the Serena Hotel and my staff would be put up at Margalla Hotel, which was fine. After much concern and deliberation, I called Tariq (before the event) with my concerns and he reassured me that he was personally responsible for my payment. Just a few days before the show I was sent a new email by Farhana Arshad, changing the terms to two staff members only.”

Chairperson Farhana Arshad responds, “The make-up artists participating in IFW were not paid due to the fact that we had committed to pay Rs150,000 to each on the terms that they would be given accommodation at the Margalla Hotel in Islamabad for two nights. The contract listed that the air ticket, food and hotel accommodation of ‘two’ helpers and make-up artist would be arranged by the organiser whereas the cost of extras would be borne by the make-up artists. Nevertheless, all make-up artists stayed at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad, which cost us Rs38,000 extra each. Their helpers stayed at the Margalla. Secondly, all the make-up artists brought a team of 6-8 helpers with them and which again cost us the extra air tickets, food and hotel accommodation. That is why the payment is pending till to-date.”