From Mohsin Ali for Libas to the Rising Talent segment, the runway saw creativity and cohesion.
Sania Maskatiya
It is very important for any design house to find its direction, but more importantly grow, each passing season. One might worry that Sania Maskatiya might become redundant with her prints, but each season she comes back with a new take and inspiration and changes her look while staying true to the direction she has taken. Her African-inspired prints rocked the runway. From bold leafy jungle-esque prints to those of African faces, the collection had a wild yet sophisticated feel to it. For the first time, Maskatiya ventured out into designing menswear and added her twist to the edgings and details. The most impactful element on the runway would have to be her wildly printed organza tops. She keeps up with the international trends with cropped tops, waist coats and the red carpet hit of dress with pants. Some inspiration from Peter Pilotto’s designs was seen in Maskatiya’s collection.
Ali Xeeshan
Xeeshan closed the evening with a bang; he had the most exciting collection Day 1. His collection titled Trouble might have gotten him into trouble, had he not taken a risk and made it work to his advantage. Yes, Ali Xeeshan is a show man, but he is also a master craftsmen. The collection was bold with strong embroideries and a simple colour palette that was very effective. Beige base with black embroidery and a hint of turquoise popping up every now and then was exciting. Ali’s collection, whether consciously or unconsciously exuded Pakistani fashion from the 60’s. Xeeshan should stick to luxury womenswear because his menswear seemed like high-street gone wrong and lacked the wow factor.
Mohsin Ali
This label channeled all the reigning trends from the international runways. White on white, Chanel inspired embellished sneakers, neon details, fringe details, cropped tops and sheer fabrics. While some of the pieces resonated Ali Xeeshan’s Jalsa collection from last year, Ali’s collection was cohesive and he had his own take on what is happening in fashion internationally. Cropped tops, kaftans and structured silhouettes defined the collection.
Nickie n Nia
Nickie n Nina’s Kacha Tanka collection featured the peplum cut, cropped tops, palazzo silhouettes and vibrant prints. The most exciting part of the collection would have to be the neon colour-blocked wedge sandals that were edgy and sexy. Overall, the collection lacked an aesthetic sophistication, that is now required from this design house.
Arsalan Iqbal
This collection had a series of hits and misses. Though the equestrian preppy looks worked, the collection was not cohesive. While we saw white pleated panel kurtas, we also saw loose harem pants and blazers, along with some Grecian inspired togas. The cuts were all over the place and did not make sense. Most of all, it was the shoes that destroyed the collection.
This started off with each designer creating a corporate look specific to Bank Al Falah.
Seher Tareen
Seher Tareen’s Neo Nouveau collection, inspired by Klimt’s artwork was the perfect balance of Art meets fashion. With neon yellow as her base color, the designer used her outfits as a canvas to recreate the artwork onto dresses and jackets and added the retro touch to the collection with the use of leather.
Sarah Awais
Sarah Awais’s Dramatic Veils collection had an overall western feel to it with Middle-Eastern embellishments. The attention to detail was great, from the head gears to the shoes, they all exuded the romanticism of the Middle East. Cropped harem pants and jackets were all the rage for Awais.
Amina Malik
Amina Malik’s Origami collection was surprisingly subtle and well-thought-out for a designer showing for the first time. She kept her colour palette minimal with white and gold. While many would have assumed to see a very literal translation of the origami in the cuts, the subtle hint of it is what captured the runway the most.
Hammad Sadiq
Hammad Sadiq’s From Infidelity with Love had us most excited after his brilliant showcase at the GFW, but sadly, it was the most disappointing collection in this particular segment. Layered thick fringe, paired with the Jinnah cap, was just not working. While the concept was unique and interesting on paper, it failed to make a mark on the runway. The entire collection had a retro extra-terrestrial feel to it, which just did not work.
Hira Ashfaq
Hira Ashfaq used layers of drapery in the collection and her diffused colour on white organza was impactful. While the collection was cohesive, the cuts were not flattering and the white boots just killed the look. It will take the young designer to get her bearings straight, but it was fantastic to see cohesion from all the capsule collections presented in this segment.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 12th, 2014.
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