On Friday, Shaan-e-Pakistan (SEP) held Fashion Summit for its sixth year in Karachi. The event was attended by many renowned celebrities of Pakistani showbiz industry. There were dialogues about how the industry has evolved over time and how to be successful in the entertainment industry.
Huma Nasr who is founder and CEO of SEP began the event by discussing about her journey that she started six years ago. She said, “It has been a memorable one. We started off with a very small team and now, we have a full house! This, however, is the first time we have organised a fashion summit and it's high time we have a discussion about the industry. We need to have a conversation about what happens behind the screens.”
Talking about fashion industry, she added, “Fashion should be more important than sports. The downfall is that it isn't explored enough. We need to talk more about it.”
Maliha Rehman, Sadaf Malaterre, Huma Adnan and Humayun Alamgir were also present and they talked about struggling in the industry. Adnan told host Anoushey Ashraf that, “We all have had our struggles. For me, it was about a huge transition from being a full-time banker to marrying an established designer. When you are living with so much creativity around you, the thought of starting your own brand is natural.”
Looking back at her trip to Florence, Adnan said, “I came back and started my own label, Fnkasia. It took quite a while to be where I am right now but I love the struggle. I always have.”
Humayun stated, “Over the last 10 years, we have evolved a lot and that too, positively. Where I started was very different from where I am now. The industry has gone through a major transition. The struggle is there, we still have a way to go.”
On the other hand, Malaterre who is famous for eccentric palette said, “I was told that what I do is very offbeat and different. But I have always stayed with my aesthetic. I have always believed what I did would be a success, so yes - it has been a struggle nonetheless”.
She added, “But it was always so interesting to see how your vision comes to life; the way your thoughts are translated on to the fabrics with your kaarigars. It's pure joy.”
Talking about technology, Adnan said, “Everything is at your fingertips. This has its pros and cons. Yes, thanks to websites and social media, our sales have rocketed, but it is such a task to keep the negativity at bay. Most of my pieces are sold on social media.”
