A fashion week to call our own

Karachi Fashion Week (KFW) finally arrived after all the hullabaloo and controversy, riding high on the shoulders of local and international designers, silencing both critics and competition who turned their nose at the idea of an ‘outsider’ making inroads into our fickle fashion industry.

Indeed, even fashion scribes were in low attendance and the aisles were full with people one didn’t regularly come across at upscale fashion bonanzas. For once, it was a welcome change.

Day One of KFW opened with UK-based designer Omar Mansoor who has been making waves in Pakistan and especially Karachi, wowing all and sundry with his exquisite western line with just the right amount of bling and fluid cuts. With interesting patters and colour palette, it’s no wonder the name Omar Mansoor is reverberating in the right fashionable corridors, fast becoming the darling of the movers and shakers of the local fashion industry.

In comparison, Emraan Rajput’s traditional menswear comprising sherwanis and pleated as well as dhoti shalwars with Indian-maharaja accessories and complimenting background score had just the right amount of fun, glamour and pizzaz. It set the ball rolling for the showstopper Nadia Hussain to appear alongside the designer looking fabulous in a saffron-coloured kurti with ‘Om’ emblazoned across the back in Sanskrit script. No doubt Emraan’s message of peace to the present conflicting times we all live in. If there was to be fashion with a strong message that night, this was truly it and it blissfully was not wasted on the audience.

Others who showed on the day included Saadia Nawabi with a somewhat predictable palette and design assembly. Her showstopper was none other than designer Rizwanullah in a trailing velvet sherwani that spruced up the finale.

The students and graduates of Indus Institute of Higher Education trailed off in a blaze of monotonous ball gowns of all shapes and sizes, with a few oddities thrown in here and there. One has to say that the menswear in the FADIN segment was not at all that bad and was stylised in an interesting manner.

On Day Two, Mahawash Lehry displayed her collection with hand and machine embroidered wear followed by Sameera Saeed’s fusion of bright colours and combinations inspired by nature in casual formals and semi-formals. Ali Raza Nasser, Yasmeen Arif’s collection of eastern and western outfits and Sadaf Rameez’s intimidating cuts trailed off the second day’s fashion showing.

Day Three of the event boasted international designers from Malaysia. Hazree Wahid’s outfits were modern with refined detailing. He was accompanied in the group show by Amir Luqman. Described as daring and sexy, his designs were a cut above the rest and quite warmly received. Sharifah Kirana also showed in the same category.

Bumble & Bumble is a retail label known for clothes and accessories for children. For this particular segment, kids of age 5 and up walked the ramp with finesse and style and had the audience in oohs and aahs as the pretty young angels strutted their stuff. Others who showed on the same day included designs by Hang Ten, and Syeda Amera whose designs depict jewellery art embedded on net gowns.

Models present creations by Saeeda Ameera on the third day of Karachi Fashion Week.–AFP Photo.
Models present creations by Saeeda Ameera on the third day of Karachi Fashion Week.–AFP Photo.
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