Marc Jacobs brings big finale to NY Fashion Week

NEW YORK: Marc Jacobs drew a beautiful and audacious line Thursday under a New York Fashion Week that stood out for its optimism and bright yellows and oranges.

As he has in the past, Jacobs chose the Armory in southern Manhattan rather than the Fashion Week headquarters at the Lincoln Center for his Spring-Summer 2012 show.

The theatrical choreography saw about 50 unworldly outfits mixing materials and turning conventions upside down.

Cellophane for raincoats, fringed coats, fake crocodile for straight yellow or dark red skirts, sparkly turbans and loafers -- Jacobs was as innovative as ever, and that was before he unveiled the strange, transparent cowboy boots.

Nylon, cellophane, organza, silicone and silk socks to go with golden high heels were just some of the materials he used, setting up a show to delight the celebrity fan club, including Sofia Coppola and actress Elle Fanning.

Earlier Thursday, Ralph Lauren won lengthy standing ovations for his 1920s-inspired collection, recalling the "Great Gatsby" days of vintage jade silk chiffon dresses and high-waisted, side-button trousers.

Cloche hats, pinstriped blazers and flapper-style beaded gowns, including with an ostrich-feather headscarf, completed the look.

For all the fantasy, this was a Fashion Week that could not exclude the outside world.

It opened as New York marked the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks and Marc Jacobs asked to hold his preview until the end because of delays in preparations caused by Hurricane Irene.

There was also a whiff of scandal over the Guli collection from the daughter of Uzbekistan's authoritarian president Islam Karimov.

After human rights groups complained about her participation, the fashion week took the unusual measure of canceling the show.

Instead, the Guli collection, mostly flowing silk dresses, was unveiled in the chic Cipriani restaurant.

Overall this week, the colors were resolutely optimistic and sharp and a new tech-friendly approach allowed fashionistas to follow many collections live on their computers and phones, without having invitations to the Lincoln Center.

A newly pregnant Beyonce, Michael Douglas and Whoopie Goldberg were among the A-listers in the front rows.

London Fashion Week starts Friday and runs through September 21. (AFP)

Feathers and fur fly at New York Fashion Week

NEW YORK: Michael Kors brought a taste of Africa to his spring 2012 collection Wednesday, while J Mendel brought out white furs for the penultimate day of New York Fashion Week.

The catwalk could have been called the big cat walk as Kors, in the 30th year of his label, presented "memories of Africa."

Models came out in coats, dresses, shorts and jacket that evoked the safari theme, whether in zebra stripes, leopard print, or khaki that at times seemed authentic to the point of looking dirty and beaten-up.

A leopard dress decorated with russet feathers, ponchos with African prints, Spartan sandals, snakeskin patterns, big leather belts and oversized shoulder bags -- this was a collection for the roughest and toughest of fashionistas.

Models may have been smiling at times, but there were holes in their cashmere outfits -- carefully created holes, of course.

Actor Michael Douglas sat in the first row alongside model Rosie-Huntington Whiteley and actress Zoe Saldana. Rocker Courtney Love was also taking in fashion at the Lincoln Center in central Manhattan.

Nanette Lepore splashed hot pink, yellows and oranges into her collection, building on this year's tendency for bright colors.

And while the fashion world wondered whether Madonna will finally sign with Coty to create a perfume, Norma Kamali treated onlookers to a 3D video runway show with special glasses.

There was a more classic look at J Mendel, with long black and white dresses, and plenty of bare backs.

In keeping with the traditions of the label, founded in Paris in 1870, designer Gilles Mendel threw in little sleeveless boleros of white or blue fur.

Fashion week in the Big Apple ends Friday with Marc Jacobs, who asked for a delay in his scheduled appearance because of the recent Hurricane Irene. Shows from Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein are also still on the program. (AFP)

Confident NY Fashion Week kicks off

NEW YORK: New York's Autumn-Winter Fashion Week kicked off Thursday in New York with designer clothing houses and the luxury sector feeling well heeled in a resurgent economy.

Putting the threadbare days of the global recession behind them, global fashionistas began gathering at Manhattan catwalks as earnings reports pointed to renewed good times.

Italy's Prada announced turnover of 2.04 billion euros in 2010, up 31 percent on the previous year. Hermes, Ralph Lauren, Levi's and other pret-a-porter labels also saw an upswing, mostly thanks to Asian-based consumers.

Prada alone saw sales in Asia rise by 48 percent over the year, the industry publication Women's Wear Daily reported.

At Lincoln Center, home of the New York fashion weeks, Asian fashionistas had a big presence, with South Korean, Japanese and Chinese bloggers, journalists and clients taking shelter from freezing cold outside.

In what is a tradition now, BCBG Max Azria opened proceedings, displaying next year's fall colors of mustard, Bordeaux and grey, with white dots bringing definition to otherwise sheer bodysuits.

Long looks -- sometimes with long slits to show off long legs -- came in crepe dresses with pleats and ending in white turtleneck bodies. The preview also featured fur-lined flannel, ready for next year's cold season.

Even if access to the shows themselves remains highly restricted, fashion lovers can take advantage of the now nearly standard live streaming on the Internet of most collections.

The official calendar announces the broadcast of runway action, in contrast to last year when just a few designers took part in the experiment and most shows only appeared online hours after the event.

Broadcasts appear on labels' houses, their Facebook pages and Twitter accounts.

Following BCBG came Korean-American Richard Chai, a former collaborator with Marc Jacobs, also showing long lines and pleated schoolgirl skirts.

Fashion Week, as always, is as much about the people as what they wear, and this year the father of fashion bloggers, Bill Cunningham of the New York Times, sees himself in the limelight.

The photographer, famous for extravagant snaps of fashionistas on the streets of New York, will be the subject of a documentary "Bill Cunningham New York" out March 16.

Meanwhile, green was the new black at an environmentally minded New York design school.

Students at the Parsons The New School for Design have come up with "zero waste" fashion, a pun on the controversial popularity on catwalks of skeletal, zero-size models.

"The goal was to create an organic garment with no scraps," said Janelle Abbott, 21, who was a finalist in the student exhibition organized jointly with Loomstate, an eco-friendly label.

Timo Rissanen, 35, assistant professor in Fashion Design and Sustainability, said the average wastage in clothes making is 15 percent. Although recycling is possible, it is also costly.

The idea of "zero waste is as old as clothing," he said. "The Japanese kimono is zero waste, the old underwear in 19th century Europe was mostly zero waste, and American Indians used everything too. It's the industrial revolution which is the cause of the huge waste."

What's hard is making the clothes beautiful as well as virtuous.

"It is very easy to do ugly zero waste," Rissanen said. (AFP)

STYLE360 PRESENTS BRIDAL COUTURE WEEK 2010

With the presence of a huge industry there has been a void geared in bringing together all these businesses under one roof to showcase not just the latest and upcoming trends, but also as a platform to exhibit and connect directly to the end users, i.e. the public. Bridal Couture Week aims at providing all the stakeholders with an opportunity to showcase, book and engage with their direct customer base, the consumers of Pakistan. Brought to you by the dream team that presented Carnival De Couture 2010 in Lahore: Style 360 and J&S collaborate yet again to bring to you this grand extravaganza. Set in the cultural capital of the country, Lahore; Bridal Couture Week 2010 will run from the 26th to the 28th of November.

The three days will showcase an exhibition area, fashion show runway, and an exuberant media package that will be a treat for viewers, guests, attendees and all the people involved in this endeavor. This event is not just a platform for exhibiting local and international talent and services but a stage that facilitates business relationships. All the different businesses that form the wedding industry of Pakistan are expected to take part in the event. People from all over the country are expected to gather and witness this great fashion event; to have a glimpse at the ethnic contemporary variety of Pakistan.

Kareena Kapoor The Asian Woman

BollyCurry brings to you the new December cover of Asian Woman's 45th Issue which features the...

BollyCurry brings to you the new December cover of Asian Woman's 45th Issue which features the beautiful lass Kareena Kapoor AKA Bebo!

In this issue, you will get the chance to read about Kareena and the Kapoor Legacy and many other woman-orientated topics including some quick beauty tips!

Ladies, this is one issue you don't want to miss! Go grab your copy now!

Posted by:	Harjot D.
Copyright	BollyCurry
Date	12/21/2010 11:07:31 PM

Priyanka Chopra Gets her 'Louis Vuitton Diwali' on for Vogue

Priyanka Chopra got her 'Louis Vuitton & Diwali' on for the November cover of Vogue! Sporting a silk and cotton gold corset and skirt with suede shoes from the designer's special Diwali collection, the B-town babe looks ready to party!

More Read Link

Paris hosts gothic ball for Givenchy

 PARIS: Black capes over leopard-skin, zippers and belts slung around the thighs, Givenchy struck a dark, sensuous note in Paris Sunday with a summer look that seemed plucked from Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut."

Stepping out into a courtyard, the first model wore a cropped white jacket with a long tail falling down the back, over a black skirt and transparent petticoat that stretched down to thick, dizzying heels.

Singers Lily Allen and Courtney Love, Justin Timberlake and Liv Tyler were among the famous faces who watched as designer Riccardo Tisci sent out organza tops secured at the back with leather straps that hinted at bondage gear.

Faces were powdered white with darkened lips, the hair stern and short, or gathered on each side of the face amid tipped with small plaits.

Golden zippers ran all over a sleeveless black jacket, above sleek pants with a copper belt hooked at the top of the thighs.

A few pieces in the palest pink provided a brief distraction, but the show returned swiftly to a darker register, with a whole series in leopard-skin.

Short skirts were layered over pants -- then covered over by long petticoats in see-thru fabric or fish-net.

A tight, starched blouse like a fencer's suit had a transparent back, while a thick, breastplate-like piece flowed into a cape sweeping down the back.

For his men's collection in June, Tisci also built around black, his trademark colour, and leopard-skin, dressing models in Mexican-wrestler style leather masks with grids for the eyes and mouth.

But the designer broke with the gothic tone of his spring/summer line for 2011, unveiled mid-way through Paris' marathon ready-to-wear shows, stepping out to salute the crowd in a bright blue-checked shirt.

A world apart, John Galliano chose a 1920s artist's muse as inspiration for his luxuriant new summer look.

Janet Jackson took a front-row seat to watch the models step out in a riot of hats, gypsy scarves and fur collars, each outfit intended to be as singular as a portrait said the British designer.

Models in over-the-top make-up twirled in light, flounced dresses cut from fragile, transparent fabrics.

A skirt was hemmed with ostrich feathers or Spanish shawl fringes, while ultra-wide pants were layered with black tulle, and trenches were cut from translucent grey organza that left the structure and seams on full display.

Galliano took his inspiration from Maria Lani, muse to some of the greatest artists of her day including Amedeo Modigliani, whose portrait adorned the invite to the show.

There were pink and orange -- everywhere this season -- but also butterfly motifs on a frou-frou bustier dress or see-thru jacket.

At sundown, Galliano's woman stepped out in crystal- and gold-encrusted gowns, mostly white, displaying an artisan's touch unusual for a ready-to-wear collection, however luxurious.

Galliano says he was inspired for evening wear by Constantin Brancusi's metal sculptures. The kinship was far from obvious, but the result was delicate, feminine, with laser-sharp tailoring, and terribly desirable.

Earlier, Celine set Paris abuzz with a summer look that was all butter-soft leather, fluid cuts and sober sophistication.

Cheers of delight rang out as flavour-of-the-moment designer Phoebe Philo unveiled her third collection for the label.

Caramel leather, desert-hooded weaves and elegant, flowing pants in ivory silk, with navy and sharp green bands lining the waist and side like a tuxedo: at each new piece, the room held its breath in admiration.

The magic was in the details, like a simple white jacket in starched cotton that left the back bare and fastened with a plain leather strap, or a white cotton blouse with a deep pink leather collar.

High-waisted leather skirts just covered the knee, curling around the hips to end in a gentle diagonal panel in the small of the back.

A sleeveless top in butter-soft maroon leather was paired with roomy trousers in vivid blue, while a long cotton damask tunic like a sleeveless kimono was split on either side of the body.

A Moroccan flavour came from a green silk top with geometric motifs, hemmed with a band of orange, while a fluid, bare-armed navy dress robe plunged to a deep V shape at front an back -- while its modest, sister piece offered long sleeves and demure neckline.

Paris hosts gothic ball for Givenchy

 PARIS: Black capes over leopard-skin, zippers and belts slung around the thighs, Givenchy struck a dark, sensuous note in Paris Sunday with a summer look that seemed plucked from Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut."

Stepping out into a courtyard, the first model wore a cropped white jacket with a long tail falling down the back, over a black skirt and transparent petticoat that stretched down to thick, dizzying heels.

Singers Lily Allen and Courtney Love, Justin Timberlake and Liv Tyler were among the famous faces who watched as designer Riccardo Tisci sent out organza tops secured at the back with leather straps that hinted at bondage gear.

Faces were powdered white with darkened lips, the hair stern and short, or gathered on each side of the face amid tipped with small plaits.

Golden zippers ran all over a sleeveless black jacket, above sleek pants with a copper belt hooked at the top of the thighs.

A few pieces in the palest pink provided a brief distraction, but the show returned swiftly to a darker register, with a whole series in leopard-skin.

Short skirts were layered over pants -- then covered over by long petticoats in see-thru fabric or fish-net.

A tight, starched blouse like a fencer's suit had a transparent back, while a thick, breastplate-like piece flowed into a cape sweeping down the back.

For his men's collection in June, Tisci also built around black, his trademark colour, and leopard-skin, dressing models in Mexican-wrestler style leather masks with grids for the eyes and mouth.

But the designer broke with the gothic tone of his spring/summer line for 2011, unveiled mid-way through Paris' marathon ready-to-wear shows, stepping out to salute the crowd in a bright blue-checked shirt.

A world apart, John Galliano chose a 1920s artist's muse as inspiration for his luxuriant new summer look.

Janet Jackson took a front-row seat to watch the models step out in a riot of hats, gypsy scarves and fur collars, each outfit intended to be as singular as a portrait said the British designer.

Models in over-the-top make-up twirled in light, flounced dresses cut from fragile, transparent fabrics.

A skirt was hemmed with ostrich feathers or Spanish shawl fringes, while ultra-wide pants were layered with black tulle, and trenches were cut from translucent grey organza that left the structure and seams on full display.

Galliano took his inspiration from Maria Lani, muse to some of the greatest artists of her day including Amedeo Modigliani, whose portrait adorned the invite to the show.

There were pink and orange -- everywhere this season -- but also butterfly motifs on a frou-frou bustier dress or see-thru jacket.

At sundown, Galliano's woman stepped out in crystal- and gold-encrusted gowns, mostly white, displaying an artisan's touch unusual for a ready-to-wear collection, however luxurious.

Galliano says he was inspired for evening wear by Constantin Brancusi's metal sculptures. The kinship was far from obvious, but the result was delicate, feminine, with laser-sharp tailoring, and terribly desirable.

Earlier, Celine set Paris abuzz with a summer look that was all butter-soft leather, fluid cuts and sober sophistication.

Cheers of delight rang out as flavour-of-the-moment designer Phoebe Philo unveiled her third collection for the label.

Caramel leather, desert-hooded weaves and elegant, flowing pants in ivory silk, with navy and sharp green bands lining the waist and side like a tuxedo: at each new piece, the room held its breath in admiration.

The magic was in the details, like a simple white jacket in starched cotton that left the back bare and fastened with a plain leather strap, or a white cotton blouse with a deep pink leather collar.

High-waisted leather skirts just covered the knee, curling around the hips to end in a gentle diagonal panel in the small of the back.

A sleeveless top in butter-soft maroon leather was paired with roomy trousers in vivid blue, while a long cotton damask tunic like a sleeveless kimono was split on either side of the body.

A Moroccan flavour came from a green silk top with geometric motifs, hemmed with a band of orange, while a fluid, bare-armed navy dress robe plunged to a deep V shape at front an back -- while its modest, sister piece offered long sleeves and demure neckline.

Ritu, Malkani showcase collections at Fashion Week

 MUMBAI: Veteran designers Ritu Kumar and Babita Malkani showcased their varied collections on the second day of the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai.

Malkani portrayed a very distinct urban sense of styling and a high level of comfort with international fabric and styles.

She said that her muse was the scenic landscape of Kabadokia in Turkey, which inspired the colours and textures of her collection.

“My inspiration for this collection is a place in Turkey called Kabadokia. I went there two-three months back. I have never seen such a place before. When I saw it, as a designer I was so awed that I was only sketching. I took out the colour palette there itself and I decided what kind of collection,” said Malkani.

“I wanted-three colour story, cutwork, textures. Seeing the landscape I got really inspired,” she added.

Model-turned-actress Pooja Batra was the showstopper at the event flaunting Malkani’s most elegant design.

“After nine years, I was really honoured when Babita asked me to become the showstopper. She is my friend as well and she designs very good clothes. So I said yes and I really liked it,” said Batra.

Malkani said that she choose Batra for her similarity of Turkish features like her eyes and height.

In another major event, ace designer Ritu Kumar revealed her Spring Summer collection at the Fashion Week.

Kumar’s collection was a modern twist of 1930 vintage styling and fabrics.

“Fashion is changing in a way which has a lot of character. And it has to change for the younger generation…now we are wearing very different things than what we started off with. But at the same time there is a lot of involvement of an indigenous kind in the fashion,” said Kumar.

Ritu, Malkani showcase collections at Fashion Week

 MUMBAI: Veteran designers Ritu Kumar and Babita Malkani showcased their varied collections on the second day of the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai.

Malkani portrayed a very distinct urban sense of styling and a high level of comfort with international fabric and styles.

She said that her muse was the scenic landscape of Kabadokia in Turkey, which inspired the colours and textures of her collection.

“My inspiration for this collection is a place in Turkey called Kabadokia. I went there two-three months back. I have never seen such a place before. When I saw it, as a designer I was so awed that I was only sketching. I took out the colour palette there itself and I decided what kind of collection,” said Malkani.

“I wanted-three colour story, cutwork, textures. Seeing the landscape I got really inspired,” she added.

Model-turned-actress Pooja Batra was the showstopper at the event flaunting Malkani’s most elegant design.

“After nine years, I was really honoured when Babita asked me to become the showstopper. She is my friend as well and she designs very good clothes. So I said yes and I really liked it,” said Batra.

Malkani said that she choose Batra for her similarity of Turkish features like her eyes and height.

In another major event, ace designer Ritu Kumar revealed her Spring Summer collection at the Fashion Week.

Kumar’s collection was a modern twist of 1930 vintage styling and fabrics.

“Fashion is changing in a way which has a lot of character. And it has to change for the younger generation…now we are wearing very different things than what we started off with. But at the same time there is a lot of involvement of an indigenous kind in the fashion,” said Kumar.

Designer Fashion Nadda’s Elusive Fashion Collection 1

Pakistani Fashion industry is not void of talent. Our fashion platform is packed with designers who cover all fashion niches. From bridals and traditional to casuals and chic, hip hop outfits – we have it all, and we have it the best!

Designer Fashion Nadda’s Elusive Fashion Collection 1

More Fashion Collection's

Designer Fashion Nadda’s Elusive Fashion Collection 1

Pakistani Fashion industry is not void of talent. Our fashion platform is packed with designers who cover all fashion niches. From bridals and traditional to casuals and chic, hip hop outfits – we have it all, and we have it the best!

Designer Fashion Nadda’s Elusive Fashion Collection 1

More Fashion Collection's

Emraan Rajput’s Collection at Karachi Fashion Week 2010

After the huge success of Karachi Fashion Week 2009, its sequel was held recently and gathered a massive success and sensation.

Among exuberant displays by many other local Pakistani fashion designers and international fashion designers from Malaysia, newly emerged fashion designer Emraan Rajput also presented his fascinating collection designed on traditional fashion lines fused with western inspiration. Emraan Rajput’s collection chiefly comprised of formal menswear including shalwar kameez and kurtas with a classic cut. Remarkable embroidery work and salient embellishments added that extra bling to the designs.

Tall men walking down in immaculately designed sherwanis and other formal and occasional menswear was a massive hit and gathered much acclaim to Emraan’s creative brilliance during the 4-day Karachi Fashion Week 2010.

One of the toughest and perhaps the most popular fashion line in Pakistan – in fact – anywhere in the world is wedding line or formal wedding wear, whether it’s for brides or bridegroom. However, a young talent in the field, fashion designer Emraan still beats many for his distinct sense of style and appealing collections.

Emraan Rajput’s Collection at Karachi Fashion Week 2010

After the huge success of Karachi Fashion Week 2009, its sequel was held recently and gathered a massive success and sensation.

Among exuberant displays by many other local Pakistani fashion designers and international fashion designers from Malaysia, newly emerged fashion designer Emraan Rajput also presented his fascinating collection designed on traditional fashion lines fused with western inspiration. Emraan Rajput’s collection chiefly comprised of formal menswear including shalwar kameez and kurtas with a classic cut. Remarkable embroidery work and salient embellishments added that extra bling to the designs.

Tall men walking down in immaculately designed sherwanis and other formal and occasional menswear was a massive hit and gathered much acclaim to Emraan’s creative brilliance during the 4-day Karachi Fashion Week 2010.

One of the toughest and perhaps the most popular fashion line in Pakistan – in fact – anywhere in the world is wedding line or formal wedding wear, whether it’s for brides or bridegroom. However, a young talent in the field, fashion designer Emraan still beats many for his distinct sense of style and appealing collections.

Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week C

It doesn't end there. Fashion shows are not about showing to a select gathering of corporate clients who will enjoy the sight of beautiful women as they enjoy their lobster thermidors, not knowing the difference between a balero and a balconnet; neither are they about product launches and models rising out of shampoo bottles or shows held on foreign lands achieving nothing but twenty minutes of glory.

Fashion in the twenty first century is about business and Pakistan Fashion Week will be about generating a steady cycle of investment.

PFW may not be able to cleanse internal politics but as far as the shows go, it will put all designers on an equal footing, to be approved for prime positioning by a group of experts. The power game of musical chairs will be over and only the 'selected few' will be allowed a place on the hot seat. Designers will not be allowed to judge other designers and the vague words like 'pioneers', 'traditionalists' and 'revivalists' will be replaced by 'those who got orders' and 'those who didn't'.

Fashion terminology will evolve, classifying designers with successful shows (and hopefully eventual sales) as the new breed of pioneers.

Fashion heroes will be selling to the buyers not just the wealthy begums. After all, stalwarts like Oscar de la Renta, Georgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld and Ralph Lauren haven't made it to the top for initiating trends three decades ago. They haven't become iconic by operating a business from one solitary store or by never showing a true collection at all. There will be no self acclaimed kings at PFW and this process of selection will separate the curd from the cream.

Then there will be surprises. Designers that have always been backbenchers may just may it to the spotlight and newcomers with a promise of ingenuity will most definitely be welcomed on board. One would hope to see Vinnie show her prêt line at PFW, for one. One would want to see Maheen Karim and Munib Nawaz on the ramp and hopefully there will be other rising stars too.

The general scale of expansion will be huge. To certify smooth operations, the entire industry will have to be roped in - stylists, photographers and choreographers et al without pride or prejudices being hurt. That means no more one man shows; no more dictation of who won't work with whom.

Designers will have the privilege to choose their own groups but in essence everyone will be working together for the same cause.

Then a group of approximately forty models will have to be culled from Pakistan and that'll mean intensive auditioning and training. The tall, young and well toned ones will walk forward and unprofessional misfits will be shown the back door. Results will unleash a troupe of beauties onto the much starved runways.

IMG will also be looking for a face from Pakistan to add to IMG models.

These small steps will constitute a massive step forward for fashion.

The media juggernaut that develops around the time PFW is held will be crackling. Front row celebrities will be brought in and/or subsequently created to raise show profiles.

Media coverage will be huge and for once, the fashion industry will understand that a designer is only as big as the business he generates and the media attention he gets.

PFW most certainly will make headlines with the international media, as well as being boosted by local newspapers. The coverage, as one expects, will be eye candy.

Other than the established fashion community, PFW can also benefit fashion students. Not only can they be brought in to intern backstage as this hands on experience would be better than any text book research, but it could also eventually benefit talented individuals in a scheme similar to the Council of Fashion Designers of America that has a regular CFDA scholarship that sponsors brilliant students to establish their own businesses after they graduate.

There really is a lot to look forward to and again, this change will excite some while also making others insecure. But PFW will provide excellent learning ground for the entire industry before it grows strong enough to stand on its own two feet. No one in Pakistan has the experience of operating an event this big, but the reassurance one needs to digest a project this huge comes with IMG. Pakistan Fashion Week is exactly what local fashion needs to truly become an industry.

Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week C

It doesn't end there. Fashion shows are not about showing to a select gathering of corporate clients who will enjoy the sight of beautiful women as they enjoy their lobster thermidors, not knowing the difference between a balero and a balconnet; neither are they about product launches and models rising out of shampoo bottles or shows held on foreign lands achieving nothing but twenty minutes of glory.

Fashion in the twenty first century is about business and Pakistan Fashion Week will be about generating a steady cycle of investment.

PFW may not be able to cleanse internal politics but as far as the shows go, it will put all designers on an equal footing, to be approved for prime positioning by a group of experts. The power game of musical chairs will be over and only the 'selected few' will be allowed a place on the hot seat. Designers will not be allowed to judge other designers and the vague words like 'pioneers', 'traditionalists' and 'revivalists' will be replaced by 'those who got orders' and 'those who didn't'.

Fashion terminology will evolve, classifying designers with successful shows (and hopefully eventual sales) as the new breed of pioneers.

Fashion heroes will be selling to the buyers not just the wealthy begums. After all, stalwarts like Oscar de la Renta, Georgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld and Ralph Lauren haven't made it to the top for initiating trends three decades ago. They haven't become iconic by operating a business from one solitary store or by never showing a true collection at all. There will be no self acclaimed kings at PFW and this process of selection will separate the curd from the cream.

Then there will be surprises. Designers that have always been backbenchers may just may it to the spotlight and newcomers with a promise of ingenuity will most definitely be welcomed on board. One would hope to see Vinnie show her prêt line at PFW, for one. One would want to see Maheen Karim and Munib Nawaz on the ramp and hopefully there will be other rising stars too.

The general scale of expansion will be huge. To certify smooth operations, the entire industry will have to be roped in - stylists, photographers and choreographers et al without pride or prejudices being hurt. That means no more one man shows; no more dictation of who won't work with whom.

Designers will have the privilege to choose their own groups but in essence everyone will be working together for the same cause.

Then a group of approximately forty models will have to be culled from Pakistan and that'll mean intensive auditioning and training. The tall, young and well toned ones will walk forward and unprofessional misfits will be shown the back door. Results will unleash a troupe of beauties onto the much starved runways.

IMG will also be looking for a face from Pakistan to add to IMG models.

These small steps will constitute a massive step forward for fashion.

The media juggernaut that develops around the time PFW is held will be crackling. Front row celebrities will be brought in and/or subsequently created to raise show profiles.

Media coverage will be huge and for once, the fashion industry will understand that a designer is only as big as the business he generates and the media attention he gets.

PFW most certainly will make headlines with the international media, as well as being boosted by local newspapers. The coverage, as one expects, will be eye candy.

Other than the established fashion community, PFW can also benefit fashion students. Not only can they be brought in to intern backstage as this hands on experience would be better than any text book research, but it could also eventually benefit talented individuals in a scheme similar to the Council of Fashion Designers of America that has a regular CFDA scholarship that sponsors brilliant students to establish their own businesses after they graduate.

There really is a lot to look forward to and again, this change will excite some while also making others insecure. But PFW will provide excellent learning ground for the entire industry before it grows strong enough to stand on its own two feet. No one in Pakistan has the experience of operating an event this big, but the reassurance one needs to digest a project this huge comes with IMG. Pakistan Fashion Week is exactly what local fashion needs to truly become an industry.

Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week B

Let's be realistic. Ever since the rift between Karachi and Lahore resulted in the formation of two councils, there was no chance that Pakistani fashion could emerge in any effective way. There weren't many creative forces to begin with and divided, there were even less. If possible, the rift made the politics uglier and the giants became dragons. The first thing Pakistan Fashion Week achieved was to put designers back on the same wavelength. Those who until recently couldn't stand the sight of each other's face, were suddenly seeing eye to eye. Members of both Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) and Fashion Pakistan (FP) shared the same space at the preliminary meetings (held in Karachi and Lahore) and did not end up slitting each other's throats as they almost managed to do at the last council meeting held in united presence. Dragons and demons were put to rest, even if temporarily. The announcement of Pakistan Fashion Week induced enough competition for FP to immediately start planning Karachi Couture Week and for sure, one does expect to hear a similar announcement from PFDC too.
There cannot be enough of a good thing and these waves of movement will most definitely create more opportunities for everyone. Jolly Good. Where PFW will promote prêt, at best KCW (when and if it happens) would continue to revive the very valuable traditions of Pakistani crafts. However, it will be a 'council event' and that means it will leave out a substantial number of designers who are not in FP. Ditto for any event organised by PFDC. When the industry split into two camps with splinters of 'independent' designers, fashion diminshed as a force to be reckoned with. To bring all designers onto one platform, a fashion week independent of both councils is exactly what the doctor ordered. If one is to go by the rules of any IMG-operated fashion week, PFW will be an affair to remember.
Just to picture Maheen, Sonya Battla, Imrana Ahmad, Karma, Nomi Ansari and HSY on the same runway is a mouthwatering thought and this reunion, when culminating at PFW, promises to be a finale of epic proportions. That thought alone, holds the promise of a new and brighter future for fashion which can be repeated neither by FP nor PFDC unless they unite. Consequently, the sheer impact of PFW will be unparalled. For similar reasons, Pakistan Fashion Week's impact on general fashion trends in Pakistan will be more effective. Hopefully corporations like Chen One, Bareeze and Haji Karim Buksh and Men's Store will attend as prospective local buyers, introducing fashion designers on their panels of retail clothing. Clothes we see on racks of these stores are seldom trendy enough to qualify as fashion but the day we see Karma for Chen One, Rizwan Beyg for Bareeze or Imrana Ahmad for HKB, a dramatic change will be seen on the images we see on the streets. It's not a far fetched scheme. If Karl Lagerfeld can design for H&M, Isaac Mizrahi and Proenza Schouler for Target then why shouldn't local fashion be made affordable too? Fashion is a luxurious dream everyone should have the right to afford and PFW will help make that possible by regulating collections.

Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week B

Let's be realistic. Ever since the rift between Karachi and Lahore resulted in the formation of two councils, there was no chance that Pakistani fashion could emerge in any effective way. There weren't many creative forces to begin with and divided, there were even less. If possible, the rift made the politics uglier and the giants became dragons. The first thing Pakistan Fashion Week achieved was to put designers back on the same wavelength. Those who until recently couldn't stand the sight of each other's face, were suddenly seeing eye to eye. Members of both Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) and Fashion Pakistan (FP) shared the same space at the preliminary meetings (held in Karachi and Lahore) and did not end up slitting each other's throats as they almost managed to do at the last council meeting held in united presence. Dragons and demons were put to rest, even if temporarily. The announcement of Pakistan Fashion Week induced enough competition for FP to immediately start planning Karachi Couture Week and for sure, one does expect to hear a similar announcement from PFDC too.
There cannot be enough of a good thing and these waves of movement will most definitely create more opportunities for everyone. Jolly Good. Where PFW will promote prêt, at best KCW (when and if it happens) would continue to revive the very valuable traditions of Pakistani crafts. However, it will be a 'council event' and that means it will leave out a substantial number of designers who are not in FP. Ditto for any event organised by PFDC. When the industry split into two camps with splinters of 'independent' designers, fashion diminshed as a force to be reckoned with. To bring all designers onto one platform, a fashion week independent of both councils is exactly what the doctor ordered. If one is to go by the rules of any IMG-operated fashion week, PFW will be an affair to remember.
Just to picture Maheen, Sonya Battla, Imrana Ahmad, Karma, Nomi Ansari and HSY on the same runway is a mouthwatering thought and this reunion, when culminating at PFW, promises to be a finale of epic proportions. That thought alone, holds the promise of a new and brighter future for fashion which can be repeated neither by FP nor PFDC unless they unite. Consequently, the sheer impact of PFW will be unparalled. For similar reasons, Pakistan Fashion Week's impact on general fashion trends in Pakistan will be more effective. Hopefully corporations like Chen One, Bareeze and Haji Karim Buksh and Men's Store will attend as prospective local buyers, introducing fashion designers on their panels of retail clothing. Clothes we see on racks of these stores are seldom trendy enough to qualify as fashion but the day we see Karma for Chen One, Rizwan Beyg for Bareeze or Imrana Ahmad for HKB, a dramatic change will be seen on the images we see on the streets. It's not a far fetched scheme. If Karl Lagerfeld can design for H&M, Isaac Mizrahi and Proenza Schouler for Target then why shouldn't local fashion be made affordable too? Fashion is a luxurious dream everyone should have the right to afford and PFW will help make that possible by regulating collections.

Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week A

instep analysis Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week Fashion has come a long way in Pakistan but even after forty years of evolution, it still hasn't acquired the credibility or discipline that comes with an international profile. With IMG providing the backbone, Pakistan Fashion Week will help achieve what the fashion community has not managed to do on its own - it will regularize fashion as a business and elevate clan-controlled cottages into an industry because that's exactly what fashion weeks do around the world. By Aamna Haider Isani
There have been no formal announcements yet, only a press-meet with Simon Lock, the man who comes with the warranty of IMG, an enterprise that has put almost all high profile fashion weeks on the map including the highly impressive accounts in New York, Milan and closer to home, India. The right deal has brought IMG to Pakistan and what we see unfolding is probably going to be the biggest opportunity to take Pakistani fashion places. If things go by standard procedure then Pakistan Fashion Week will hopefully become the most defining moment in the history of Pakistani fashion. The event has already been added to the official IMG website and honestly, it looks good sitting there as the latest addition to a very impressive lineup of fashion weeks. Not much information has been made public as yet, but even the buzz generated from underground activity has been enough to breed excitement amongst some designers as well as palpable unease amongst others.
Handing Pakistan Fashion Week over to IMG may for some individuals be like giving up a carefully nurtured flower that promises to bloom any day but for realists who have seen the industry nosedive one time too many, it is a step that needed to be taken to prevent fashion from withering away under the weight of city divides, monopolies, unethical practices, untalented parasites and crippling politics. If all goes well in the run up to PFW in November this year, all weeds will have been pulled out, allowing a thousand flowers to bloom. The exchange of energy passing through fashion doorways to that date will be monumental.

Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week A

instep analysis Pinning hopes on Pakistan Fashion Week Fashion has come a long way in Pakistan but even after forty years of evolution, it still hasn't acquired the credibility or discipline that comes with an international profile. With IMG providing the backbone, Pakistan Fashion Week will help achieve what the fashion community has not managed to do on its own - it will regularize fashion as a business and elevate clan-controlled cottages into an industry because that's exactly what fashion weeks do around the world. By Aamna Haider Isani
There have been no formal announcements yet, only a press-meet with Simon Lock, the man who comes with the warranty of IMG, an enterprise that has put almost all high profile fashion weeks on the map including the highly impressive accounts in New York, Milan and closer to home, India. The right deal has brought IMG to Pakistan and what we see unfolding is probably going to be the biggest opportunity to take Pakistani fashion places. If things go by standard procedure then Pakistan Fashion Week will hopefully become the most defining moment in the history of Pakistani fashion. The event has already been added to the official IMG website and honestly, it looks good sitting there as the latest addition to a very impressive lineup of fashion weeks. Not much information has been made public as yet, but even the buzz generated from underground activity has been enough to breed excitement amongst some designers as well as palpable unease amongst others.
Handing Pakistan Fashion Week over to IMG may for some individuals be like giving up a carefully nurtured flower that promises to bloom any day but for realists who have seen the industry nosedive one time too many, it is a step that needed to be taken to prevent fashion from withering away under the weight of city divides, monopolies, unethical practices, untalented parasites and crippling politics. If all goes well in the run up to PFW in November this year, all weeds will have been pulled out, allowing a thousand flowers to bloom. The exchange of energy passing through fashion doorways to that date will be monumental.