Fashion Pakistan Week (FPW) truly kicked off the autumn/winter season
in a rather smashing way, and the echoes are still resounding. At
the Veet 'Celebration of Beauty' show held recently in Karachi,
the buzz was still about the collections at FPW and backstage gossip,
while many of the looks from FPW dominated the red carpet. But the
Veet show – which has become a fixture on the fashion calendar
for the past three years or so – is slowly gaining an identity
of its own. With a rotating roster of designers and a usual 'tableau',
this month's show was interesting in that it picked up on a number
of designers who hadn't graced the Veet bill before. And the shows
have brought some exceptional collections to the forefront: such
as Maheen Karim's in 2008. And this recent show saw the painful
tableau being replaced with a cameo by the band Strings. Fashion
gets ready to rock and roll? It certainly did that night! Instep
takes a look at the six designer collections from the show…
 Sonya
Battla
Detailing drama
Trend alert: Pleating, greys and reds
In terms of the quality of design and construction of fabric, Sonya
Battla emerged as the clear winner of the night. Sonya Battla's
designs, in smoky grey and vivid red, accompanied with layers of
impeccably pleated organza, displayed the mastery of craft. It relied
on playing with fabric as opposed to covering it with embellishment
and embroidery, and that is what makes Sonya Battla such a coveted
designer label. And while the question that arose is whether an
unconventional collection made sense at a commercial event, it is
always reassuring to see a designer pushing the design envelope
as opposed to succumbing to consumer demand. Sonya Battla is one
of Pakistan's few designers who have managed to strike a balance
between both.
HSY
Traditional trousseau
Trend alert: Old-school, bridal red
One
of the best-choreographed collections of the evening, HSY showed
bridal couture in vibrant shades of red, replete with intricate
work and layering. The collection – while rather apt in timing
considering the wedding season is upon us – was entirely traditional
in its ethos. And one would have liked to have seen a certain degree
of innovation, given that bridal couturiers in Karachi – Bunto
Kazmi, Faiza Samee and even Nida Azwer – have incorporated
western elements or inspirations from other eastern traditions than
just heavy embellishment into bridal wear. But bridal couture is
a matter of personal taste – and for the bride-to-be looking
to go old-school, HSY's collection is worth being inspired from.
Faiza
Samee
Gypsy glamour
Trend alert: Big, bold prints
 Nomads
and nature, gypsies and glamour. Only Faiza Samee could combine
all of these together and present them in one of the best collections
of the night. A glimpse of this collection had fashionistas salivating
when it was first seen in an Xpozé magazine shoot, and then
at Ensemble in Lahore. Inspired from the northern areas of Pakistan,
Faiza Samee told Instep, "I learnt a lot of beadwork from these
nomads that would be travelling through the northern regions, where
my family would go a lot when my kids were young. So even my kids
learnt this beadwork and would make trinkets out if it."
Samee's trademark penchant for prints was evident (she did revive
the art of block printing after all) that evening, as the collection
featured her signature 'chock-a-block with colours' lehngas, as
well as screen printed A-line tunics paired with slim, tapered trousers.
While Faiza Samee showed a pale collection at Fashion Pakistan Week,
this collection would have had a far stronger impact instead. But
it makes sense because the audience at the Veet show is the local
market that can then buy these creations as ready-to-wear. And right
after the show, old fans of (and new converts to) Faiza Samee's
work were queuing up to find out how they could get their hands
on the outfits.
 Ayesha
F. Hashwani
Society chic
Trend alert: The loose, floaty silhouette
(its here to stay!)
In
her first runway collection, Ayesha F. Hashwani had all the makings
of a hit. The eveningwear collection had echoes of Karachi's other
socialite-favourite designers Sana Safinaz – but managed to
stand its ground. In a market where every designer tries to create
a dress, which ends up looking like a chopped-off kameez - Ayesha
Hashwan's fluid designs stood out. Combining silk and chiffon, the
slinky, sexy ensembles were geared towards the socialite crowd and
society's 'it' girls, outfits that any high flyer would display
in her wardrobe with pride. And the last time a Veet show had something
of this level of promise was in 2008, when Maheen Karim showed an
exceptionally beautiful collection with her signature drop hemlines.
Zara
Shahjahan
An unexceptional debut
Trend alert: Tassels and sequins
Zara
Shahjahan has always been described by fans of her as someone with
a lot of promise, but her collection displayed at the show had little
to back up that claim with. While her opening two outfits were good,
the rest melded into a seemingly strange mix of what looked like
upholstery fabric combined with an overload of fringed tassels and
sequins. The only edgy thing about the collection was the deep,
daring v-neck on the back of one outfit, but one doubts it'll ever
make the transition from the ramp to a closet.
Saadia
Mirza
A mixed plate
Trend alert: Everything goes, literally!
This
segment was marked by the surprise appearance of the band Strings,
who performed a number of their popular hits as the models walked
out on the ramp. Saadia Mirza showed a variety of designs, from
flirty dresses more appropriate for spring to heavily worked formal
eastern wear. And while there were some sparks – a billowing
pair of silk harem pants in particular – on the whole it was
more of a pared down version of Mirza's forte of design. It's usually
very impressively Victorian but at the Veet show was neither very
inspiring nor anything extraordinary. Stocking collections at their
shops is one thing but designers need to invest a little more effort
and drama in the collections they send to a fashion showing.
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