The label Farida Hasan is creating a stir. A mother daughter duo sold all of their 58 unique ensembles within five hours of their first exhibition recently. Farida Hasan along with her daughter Khuban Omer bring a fresh breath of breezy femininity and romanticism . While Farida has old world charm going for her, it is her daughter Khuban who brings in a chic sense of style and savoir-faire. Instep caught up with the newest mother-daughter duo on the ready to wear block.

What sort of woman do you keep in mind when you design? And what types of clothes do you make specifically.

Farida: Some designers make clothes for the elegant, sophisticated and classy woman. Some designers design for the glamorous and bold fashionista. Other designers take their inspiration from the youthful, vivacious woman. But we believe women are multifaceted, so we don't design for a 'specific' woman.

Khuban: A bubbly, free-spirited girl may wear an eclectic ensemble- fusing ethnicity with a sixties-style dress sense. As she grows up to be a mature graceful lady, she may be inclined to wear pastelles and nudes, accentuating her femininity through flowy chiffons and silks. But that doesn't mean she'll never want to let her hair down and be a showstopper at a party in her electric blue satin shirt with a jewel encrusted broach. We cater to all sorts of women or women with all sorts of emotions.

Tell us a bit about your Eid collection.
Farida: Our Eid collection comprises of cotton eyelet mixed with chiffon and silk- embellished with laces, crochet, stones, appliqué and embroidery. We also have  dreamy floral and patterned chiffons with a hint of sparkle. Our range is between 8,000 to 16,000 rupees.

How long has the label Farida Hasan been around? When, how and why did it evolve into a mother daughter team?

Farida: I used to own a boutique about 30 years ago in Liberty, Lahore called 'Flair'. I was newly married and had the energy to run around making cheese cloth blouses, denim skirts and printed denim dresses along with knitwear wrap over tops, bell bottoms and tunics. After I had my children I felt I needed to give them more attention and hence had to close it down. I continued my interest in fashion through working for a local magazine as a fashion editor and held a few exhibitions in the US. Upon entering the world of floral art I learnt a lot about colour, form, texture and design at the Floral Art Society in Lahore.

Khuban: I guess she remembered how hard it was to run a boutique and was hesitant in going commercial with her talent. That's where I stepped in and pushed her to take her talent more seriously. I'm so glad I did. Our first exhibition was a complete sell out! We sold all of our 58 unique ensembles within the first four hours.

So far you are focusing on exhibitions. Any plans to stock at a multi-label store?

Khuban: My mother is a true artist and is not bothered about where to stock our clothes and how to market them. That is where I come in. I have to strike a balance between her desire to remain exclusive and my desire to make it accessible to people. Yes, we do plan to stock our clothes at multi-label stores but not at the moment. Having said that, even when we enter the retail arena we promise not to mass produce any one of her designs. People can visit our boutique in Gulberg, by appointment only.

Where do you think Pakistani fashion is heading with more retail and regular fashion weeks and where would you like to take your label?

Farida: Multi-label stores and fashion weeks have definitely given a platform to upcoming designers. We still have a lot to learn about the "business of fashion" before we get any bigger. We've got orders from U.S, London and Dubai but at this stage we want to take on as much as we can handle without compromising on quality.

There is a view out there that this Eid should be celebrated simply because of the devastating floods. As designers, what is your take on that?

Farida: Yes, this Eid should be celebrated simply but certainly not in a depressed state. One should eat good food, meet family and friends and wear clothes one feels happy in. Having said that, this is not the time to be ostentatious with one's wealth.

Khuban: A good platform for designers with a conscience is the Charity Fashion Drive, happening on the 5th of September (today) in Lahore. We are stocking our exclusive designs there and all proceeds will be going to the flood affectees.