A showcase for the booming Pakistan fashion industry, the eighth Pakistan Fashion Design Council Sunsilk Fashion Week (PSFW), will feature eight high-street brands, 16 luxury/pret designers, six textile brands and four emerging designers.
The four-day fashion event, running April 18-21, has three distinct platforms: Day one will be dedicated to showcases by luxury/pret designers, while day two and four will start with early evening high-street brand shows, followed by late evening luxury/pret shows. The third day will feature platform creations by textile houses to highlight Pakistan’s textile prowess and high-street fashion, which are of significance to national and international fashion markets.
Saad Ali, CEO of the Pakistan Fashion Design Council, the organising body of the fashion gala, says he is excited to further their “commitment to holistic fashion in Pakistan” with this edition.
“All participating brands are Pakistani. We are also giving three dedicated platforms and categories within PSFW to three distinct fashion tiers: high-street brands, textile mills and both mainstream/emerging luxury/pret designers,” he said.
“Ultimately, our vision is the promotion of the business of fashion in Pakistan, which is why we have worked hard to include, project and retail these three distinct categories,” he added.
The event began on Saturday with Fahad Hussayn’s range Democrats Midsummer 2015, an effort to represent the freedom to dress as one desires.
From adding sheer fabric to some of the designs to using sleeveless tops, short dresses and dramatically printed skirts, the designer, adept in bridal couture, presented a range of separates in design variations for the festive season.
Some of the high points included five standalone prints from the Fahad Hussayn Print Museum in silk and chiffon. It also featured four luxury lawn editions with exquisite textures, floral designs derived from the Renaissance aesthetics and 16th century French garden layouts.
There were also five exclusive novelty editions in signature Fahad Hussayn hand embroidered couture.
The collection featured Hussayn’s signature drapes, embroidered surfaces, statement accessories and exclusive embroideries.
The Faisalabad-born designer, who turned 30 on Saturday, received birthday wishes from fans when he took the final bow after the show.
Other designers showcasing at the event are HSY, Huma & Amir Adnan, Misha Lakhani, Muse, Nickie Nina, Nida Azwer Atelier, Republic by Omar Farooq, Saira*Shakira, Sana Safinaz, Sania Maskatiya, Teena by Hina Butt, Zara Shahjahan and Zonia Anwaar.
The PFDC will also introduce debut solo ramp showcases for designers Natasha Kamal and Syeda Amera with their luxury/pret collections, along with a focus on young names, who will present their creations under the Bank Alfalah Emerging Talent Showcase.
The high-street shows will feature Hassan Riaz, BeechTree, Chinyere, Erum Khan, Generation, House of Arsalan Iqbal, Rayya Gilani and Shirin Hassan, highlighting affordable ready-to-wear apparel. The textile day will feature shows by Alkaram Studio, Gul Ahmad, Harmony, House of Ittehad, Shubinak and Warda Prints.
The overall attempt is to “benefit the very trade and business of fashion”, says Sehyr Saigol, PFDC chairperson.
“With the 12th iteration of our critically acclaimed fashion weeks, the PFDC is always working to streamline our pret-a-porter platform to make the PSFW experience more beneficial for all stakeholders in terms of show experience, exposure and, ultimately, retail value. To that end, each year we look inward to find the best possible formats and categories,” she said.
When it comes to buyers, the forthcoming fashion week will focus more on “strengthening the capacity building and operational efficiency of the Pakistani retail fashion industry”.
“As in past fashion weeks, we focus on national stockists, regional buyers and local clientele. However, it is important to state that at this burgeoning period of fashion in Pakistan, our immediate focus is to be introspective and to first strengthen the capacity building and operational efficiency of the Pakistani retail fashion industry and instil seasonal collection discipline before reaching out again to international buyers,” Ali said.
