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shop launch
A capital move for fashion
After Labels and The Designers, a third multi-label store
has opened up. This time, in Islamabad
By Maria Tirmiz
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from being the powerhouse of the army, Rawalpindi is famous for little
else. The city's affiliation with haute couture, in particular, is
about as deep as a toddler's air-inflated water pool. Yet, it was
exactly where four top models of the country, five fashion designers,
including one from India, and the crème de la crème
of Islamabad steered towards on Thursday. |
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The
occasion was the launch of a designer boutique called Black in Jinnah
Park, right next to the Army House. The boutique houses signature
lines of five designers as well as a spa, all under one roof. The
launch was organized Rezz Events, led by the friendly-ubiquitous face
of Islamabad, Rezz Aly Shah.
Lailomah Khan owns the retail outlet and the label 'Black' is franchised
by designer Soba Zuha. The designers include Kersi Dubash from India,
Sobia Zuha, Sana Khan, Shan of Bin Chiragh, and Jewellery designers
Naveed Zehra and Asif Idrees. Beautician Sobia Hanif inaugurated a
spa inside the outlet.
From inside, the boutique is tiny, but offers much more than the city
is accustomed to. Its interior is simple and pleasing to the eye,
with black wooden walls, striking orange niches here and there for
the display of items and a wooden floor. |
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Its
size, though, was no deterrent for the invitees on Thursday. As more
and more excited and smartly-dressed young girls and older women swarmed
inside, evidently delighted at their entertainment-starved city being
the focus of click-happy fashion photographers, the boutique got to
the point of being overcrowded and stuffy, with the loud, mostly Punjabi
music in the background doing little to help.
While the models Sunita Marshall, Rubab, Aleena Khan and Rachel, one
by one struck various poses for their mock photo shoots, people crowded
around them, while others casually walked around the store.
The Indian designer Kersi Dubash, wearing a long white Kurta with
intricate chickenkari work, displayed his collection of kurtis and
saris (priced at 40, 000 rupees), dominated by the elegant 'Gara'
embroidery, along with a few suits of 'kundun'. Called a dying art
by some, Gara embroidery originates from the Parsis and is famous
for relying on Chinese motifs. |
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The handbags,
steeply priced at 7000 rupees and including Gara embroidery too, were
perhaps the most eye-catching items in the store, with ethnic metal
beads for holding on to. Dubash even had a bridal collection, but
it wasn't put out for display for some reason.
Sobia Zuha's collection included bridal, casual and formal lines.
Women seemed to like her clothes; many were sold within the first
hour.
"Very long shirts with short capri pants, double-layered shirts,
high, embroidered collar bands, brocade jackets and dotted and striped
summery designs are really 'in' these days," she said while talking
to Instep. |
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Her
collection included all that she mentioned.
"Islamabad and Karachi follow the same fashion trends. Even in
Lahore, people are actually asking us what's in, which is a pleasant
development," she said, adding, "In Lahore people mostly
follow their own preferences. I noticed that girls are still wearing
"Patiala shalwars" over there, even though they're totally
out."
Sana Khan, 22, from Pakistan School of Fashion Design, is a new face
on the fashion scene. She was wearing a stylish, high-collared, hand-embroidered
knee-length jacket on a pair of jeans. Her collection, the main focus
of the female teen crowd, included western-styled tops with shells
and metallic embellishments, halter necks, pleats below the bodice,
and peasant sleeves. |
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There was another
local designer called Shan, a 22-year-old fashion student from Iqra
Univeristy. His label "Bin Chiragh" included traditional
chiffon banarsi and khadi suits, and embroidered kurtis.
A few famous faces like Laila Zuberi were present at the event. "I
haven't seen anything like this in Islamabad or Rawalpindi,"
she said pleasantly.
Model Sunita Marshall also expressed to Instep that the launch had
been a pleasant experience. This was the first time she had done a
fashion show in Rawalpindi! |
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The much-awaited fashion show at the closing hours of the launch reception
featured four bridal dresses by Sobia Zuha. Disappointingly, it was
over before it even began, with the first stanza of the background
song left hanging in the air. There wasn't much place to sit and most
people had to stand at the sides, some blocking the view of those
seated.
It remains to be seen if people from Islamabad will make an effort
to drop by at Black or whether it will be end up pleasing a primarily
Pindi crowd. Even then, the city desperately needed some colour and
a bit of 'Black' will do it some good. |
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