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We're looking towards the regional market.
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–
Maheen speaks on plans for Karachi Couture Week
Recently in Delhi for Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, Fashion
Pakistan (FP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Fashion
Design Council of India (FDCI) along with a formal announcement that
the council would be hosting its first fashion week in September.
According to Maheen Khan, Chairperson of the former, having two fashion
weeks in Pakistan will mean doubling the profits, not dividing them.
Instep interviewed her as soon as she returned. |
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Instep:
What was the one most valuable lesson learnt in Delhi?
Maheen: I learnt so much, absorbed so much but what hit me really
hard was that fashion is such serious business. It's something I already
knew at the back of the mind but it became so evidently clear at the
Indian Fashion Week. In India we saw how big fashion could be for
us. Our designers need business managers. It's something Amir Adnan
has been saying all along but we've only been half listening. Now
it has become very clear. In India the marketing of fashion is done
by companies. That's all they do; they are not involved with the show,
the choreography or the models. It's the age of specialization and
we need to learn how to delegate responsibilities to the right people.
In Pakistan we still have one person doing everything, but all that
will change now.
Instep: You've signed a very important Memorandum of Understanding
with FDCI. How exactly do you think the merger will help?
Maheen: These are early days and the MoU is just the beginning. We've
signed an agreement and there will be a lot more to come but right
now this has been done to collaborate and to get FDCI's assistance
in developing the business of fashion in Pakistan. It's to share information
and learn how to play the game. We aren't aware of anything and FDCI
comes with a lot of experience, especially around handling fashion
weeks.
Instep: What do you think
FDCI and Fashion Pakistan will be able to achieve together?
Maheen: What we agree on is that the west dominates fashion, whereas
this part of the world has a fashion vocabulary of its own. What
people wear in Europe or America is simply not functional here.
Our weather is different, our lifestyles are different. We need
to come up with our silhouettes and colours every year instead of
borrowing from the west.
Instep: As far as fashion weeks are concerned, FDCI learnt the ropes
from IMG. Only after so many years were they confidant enough to
handle things independently. Now that IMG has been roped in to launch
Pakistan Fashion Week, why not learn from them? Why does FP seem
to be resisting that learning experience?
Maheen: That's an unfair question. I don't think there's a problem
until we start creating one. There can be two fashion weeks.
Instep: But ideally shouldn't there be one? If you read the reviews
and analysis of both Indian fashion weeks you'll see how the buyers
and the foreign media are all pointing towards the inconvenience
of having to attend two fashion weeks. Pakistan is an even smaller
market so how do you think this can possibly benefit the development
of Pakistani fashion?
Maheen: Ideally, yes but we have to work within our circumstances.
Why be idealistic about things? We have to do what we can do because
the world isn't a perfect place. India's ready for couture too and
it's not long before they branch off to India Couture Week as well.
Why is it so wrong if we're doing the same?
Instep: So you're saying this week will be couture specific?
Maheen: Yes.
Instep: And will members of Fashion Pakistan be showing at PFW as
well?
Maheen: I definitely hope so. Look I've been asked this question
so many times and all I want to say is that no one can have ownership
of fashion except the fashion designers. It's their prerogative
worldwide. I don't think anyone should be allowed to come in and
make money out of it. This is a time when all of us in fashion need
to hold up together.
Instep: So you think two fashion weeks will be expanding the market
for Pakistan instead of dividing it?
Maheen: Understand that the buyers will be totally different. We're
not interested in London or New York based buyers. We're looking
towards the regional market. This will not be the same market as
prêt and there will be no clash. I feel this will be more
up our alley. Couture is more within our scope. Even in India, apart
from Sabyasachi or just a couple of other designers, no one really
gets orders. Manish Arora is the big star – and watching him
live was an incredible experience – but there are not many
like him. Nothing substantial comes out of fashion weeks. There
are no huge numbers. You'd be surprised that many of the Indian
designers who get big breaks are those who have agents abroad not
those who have successfully shown at fashion week. We need to get
down to reality. What will buyers come and do? The exposure, the
education, the learning process will take years to benefit us.
Instep: Who do you intend to rope in for the event management of
Karachi Couture Week?
Maheen: The name hasn't been confirmed and we can use KCW as a working
title, but I cannot disclose that information. FDCI will be helping
us but I don't want to say anything that'll start unwanted speculation.
What I do want to say is that the fashion fraternity is getting
along these days and I feel all problems are being washed out. Why
bother about mischief makers? People should be patriotic and be
responsible as an industry. Artistes and designers should have bigger
minds. I enjoyed Sheru's (HSY) show so much – it was great
to be amongst all those guys. Happy days are here and we need to
support them.
Instep: Are we looking at a tentative date in September?
Maheen: We don't know for sure but Rathi Vinay Jha has advised us
to do KCW before Wills India Fashion Week and we want it to be close
to PFW without clashing with it.
Instep: Which designers would you like to show at KCW?
Maheen: Everybody
Instep: Won't participation be limited to Fashion Pakistan members
only?
Maheen: Yes, but remember this is a situation we've been forced
into. We've been sat on and shoved out of an association without
even a courtesy call. You can't expect me to go crawling to them.
Instep: How does Fashion Pakistan intend to fund the Karachi Couture
Week?
Maheen: Nothing has been confirmed yet. We will now try and get
sponsors. It shouldn't be a problem and we'll do it the same way
Pakistan Fashion Week will be done.
Instep: The Times of India reported a slight tiff you had in India
over the importance of prêt as opposed to couture. One finds
it ironic that you would be heading Pakistan's first couture week.
Maheen: I believe prêt is the way to the future but I cannot
do prêt as it would clash with what IMG is already doing.
I have no choice and am left with a compromise. But having said
that, so many of our designers are couture oriented. I'm no dictator
and will go with the flow; I'll go with couture. Everything is a
learning process right now and we will hang in here and work towards
a future for fashion in Pakistan.
--Maheen Khan was talking to Aamna Haider Isani
-Maheen's denim pret line on style section
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