 New York, London, Milan and Paris: These four cities are where fashion's wheels of fortune are set into motion twice a year. This is where the Guccis, Versaces, Armanis and Cavallis of the world are worshipped like gods, their oracles predicting key styles for the next year and the choirs of coverage singing praises of who to look out for or what to turn a blind eye to. These four fashion capitals dictate trends to the world at large. And imagine our pride when three designers from Pakistan stood as fashion ambassadors on this very platform this year, their names dazzling up there with the world's best at Milan Fashion Week.
MFW of course is hosted by Camera Moda or the Camera della Moda Italiana (the National Chamber for Italian Fashion), the Italian council that hosts a fashion week every six months. Maheen Khan, Deepak Perwani and Rizwan Beyg were three of the international names selected to show as part of the NUDe (New and Upcoming Designers) project. They may have been new to Milan (as they later explain as the reason for falling under this category) but the collections they took along were nothing short of mature, visionary and international.
 "I took a slice of Pakistan to Milan," a euphoric Maheen Khan spoke to Instep on her way to Karachi. "And I was gobsmacked by the response we got. There have been queries from Paris, Rome and Vogue Italia. The response is all good." Maheen's collection was built on wispy chiffon shalwars, Swati embroidery and sussi built Chitrali hats - a delicate essence of the mountainous north of Pakistan converging to burst into a flavour that was purely Pakistani.
"I feel we have planted the flag for Pakistani fashion and we have now paved the way for designers from all parts of Pakistan," added Rizwan Beyg. "Now we can help anyone get there. People can benefit from our experience. I really do think we have opened doors."
"Ours was a sophisticated introduction to Pakistani fashion," he spoke about his collection. Rizwan had constructed a collection out of his signature cream crochet and white newar - a cotton tape used to weave beds and charpoys. That, and the way he wove elements of Haripur Hazara and Tharparkar into modern silhouettes was an ingenious insight of what this master couturier is capable of doing.
 While Rizwan Beyg opened the show with a clean wash of white, Deepak Perwani's blast of colour, as the finale, was all about the young and trendy.
"Between Rizwan, Maheen and myself, we took what we believe is the transition of Pakistani fashion. For me, the core of my collection lay in modern Pakistan. It played with the length of the Balochi kurta, truck motifs, phundanas and even naalaas: things that we are so used to seeing everyday, everywhere. I gave the models kherris (colourful leather sandals indigenous to Punjab) to wear on their feet and I can proudly say that these kherris have officially made it to Trends for 2010, as have my round bags and Rizwan's turbans."
Visuals from this show made it to online reports the very next day. As far as fashion is concerned, Pakistan had arrived.
There was, however, the small nagging question of why Deepak, Rizwan and Maheen - three established names in Pakistan - showed as 'new and upcoming' designers.
"Anyone who shows at MFW for the first time goes in the upcoming category," explained Deepak, when he met Instep for an interview upon his return. "We are NUDe for another year - and I have been invited to come back next year - and then we will be mainstream. Even Tarun Tahiliani was showing as a NUDe designer but he backed out at the last minute. The Russians who showed there were fairly established."
 "The Camera Moda is a very professional organization and they're not going to break the law for three Pakistani designers," Rizwan reiterated. "The NUDe category was established in 2005 with the intent to bring international flavour (from the East) to Milan."
And indeed, according to Mario Boselli, Chairman of Camera della Moda Italiana who went backstage to compliment the three designers on their impressive collections: "This edition of N-U-DE draws the attention also on Pakistan since it is a reality which is not so well-know in terms of creativity and it has a lot to express instead. The designers who will be participating are leading ones. We think that they are worthy to be supported in their job. In particular now that Italy and the international market are more than ever attentive and ready to welcome spurs and innovations coming from just apparently far cultures." (quoted on SFILATE, fashion avenue USA)
It is just the right time to step up and out, and Maheen, Deepak and Rizwan were three of the best names to send out images of what Pakistani fashion needs to be recognized for. From intricate embroideries, funky folklorish accessories to their depictions of how the shalwar should look like, the collections screamed for attention. And that is exactly what they got.
 "'Mucho bellisma, mucho bellisma' is what Mario Boselli came backstage and kept saying to us," laughs Maheen. "Sumeet Nair (consultant, Delhi Fashion Week) was there and after seeing the entire show he said that if this is the standard of Pakistani fashion then I'm coming to Karachi Fashion Week."
Which brings us to Karachi Fashion Week, hosted by Fashion Pakistan, the Karachi based council of which Maheen, Deepak and Rizwan are founding members. The week is scheduled to begin on October 15 and although last year's run was hardly anything to be proud of, one expects the Milan experience to kick in with some fresh perspective.
"Look, it's a learning curve and we're still learning," explains Maheen. "We won't get it totally right but it'll keep getting better is what's important. Last year doesn't even count. What we need after fashion week is more multi label spaces to accommodate all the new and talented designers that need a platform to start business on."
"Last year was done in a haphazard manner," echoes Deepak. "Fashion Pakistan is responsible for the show this year and it will be better organized. The exciting part is that many new designers are getting the opportunity to show for the very first time."
The wheels of fortune do appear to have been set into motion for Pakistani fashion and it wouldn't be wrong to accredit these three designers for playing a strategic role in setting it all off. Important relation building has begun - Rizwan Beyg has been advised by his Italian publicist to show his couture in Rome next year, Deepak and Maheen are contemplating a return to Milan and then a step over to Pret a Porter Paris. On the other side of the globe, contacts made at Malaysia Fashion Week are bringing Malaysian designer Eric Choong, alongwith Bangali designer Bibi Russell, to Karachi Fashion Week. It appears that Pakistan has finally set its foot in international fashion's world wide web and it's about time!
|
