Before we begin reviewing the work that was shown at the much-touted Karachi Fashion Week, let’s get the basic fact of what a fashion week really is out of the way.

Fashion weeks in most fashion capitals are biannual events held to showcase designer collections, traditionally in the spring/summer and autumn/winter seasons.

In some cases, the weeks are more specific in their overall theme of the collections that are being displayed, for example Couture Fashion Week, Bridal Fashion Week, Miami Fashion Week (focusing on swim/beachwear), Portland Fashion Week (showcasing designs on eco-friendly fabrics), Prêt a porter Fashion Week and so on and so forth.

They are attended by buyers/retailers who then end up ordering selections from the collections that are shown for their stores/outlets, fashion journalists/the media, members of the entertainment industry and other fashion aficionados.

Originally, a fashion week was a trade-only event, which basically meant it was held to generate business and/or sales for the fashion designers/house. Of late, they’ve morphed into complete entertainment/media events, allowing musicians to perform along with the collections that are being displayed. However, the underlying theme of a fashion week is still geared towards a) getting publicity b) showcasing collections to buyers to generate business/sales/revenue whichever term is preferable.

The Karachi Fashion Week(end) — referred to as KFW — held last week was an event that had been generating, at most, a certain level of curiosity among regular fashion aficionados and members of the fashion industry. Although the event boasted the participation of quite a few big names from the local fashion industry (some of which weren’t even aware that they were participating), no one really knew what was going on until the Karachi-based fashion council (Fashion Pakistan) ‘adopted’ the event.

According to designer Deepak Perwani, a member of the council and who showed only a part of his collection for the Miami Fashion Week 2009, it was important for KFW to happen as it was the first (baby) step for the fashion industry that needs to begin hosting bigger, more nationwide events. Keeping this bigger interest of the industry in mind they decided to take it on, even if it was at the last minute.

Three Bangladeshi designers — Bibi Russel, Emdad Hoque and Rina Latif — also participated in the event as Perwani made it clear that Fashion Pakistan wasn’t inclined towards inviting Indian designers to participate.

From the Bangladeshi designers, Bibi Russel opened the show on the final day of the event. With ‘fashion for development’ the underlying theme of her collection, the outfits were dominated by strong, bold colours and layers. The styling consisted of scarves worn around the neck and the head in the manner of a turban. Her trademark colour palette included hues of orange, red, purple, pink, bright yellow and black while some of the blouses for her saris had knitwear halter necks. Each model carried a look of the bold, emancipated woman deeply rooted to culture and tradition.

Emdad Hoque’s collection concentrated predominantly on prints and fabric as much as on the design of the overall garment. The styling, hair and make-up remained simple. Nadya Hussain opened his collection in a magnificent white sari with a characteristic large red bindi on her forehead. The colour palette in this collection was restricted towards red (more closer to rust), white and shades of black. He was also the only Bangladeshi designer to showcase a menswear collection. Hodque and Russel were similar in how their designs (other than a reflection of their individual styles) were deeply embedded in their indigenous culture.

A Parson’s graduate, Rina Latif left one absolutely wowed by her collection. She was the only Bangladeshi designer who broke away from the throes of awami traditionalism and brought a touch of modernity to it. Starting with softer hues of white hand-painted saris, her collection slowly graduated towards more formal wear. Her blouses were an absolute delight — creatively done, some had frills lining the neckline or bows tying it together at the back, a predominant feature throughout her collection. A symbolic moment for me while her collection was being showed was when Nadya Hussain walked the ramp in an elaborate sari wearing a black opera coat. The music incidentally was also the same. The resulting effect was nothing less of (if you may) fierce glamour and of understated drama.

Out of the local designers showing that evening, the two that stood out were from the relatively newer lot. Adnan Pardesy, predominantly a couture designer, showcased his much-worked-upon collection that he initially meant to launch at the Pakistan Fashion Week. Inspired by Japanese fans, his collection seemed like a futuristic take on fashion with hundreds of yards of fabric painstakingly ironed and stitched into pleats. Having previously showed at Lakme India Fashion Week, this was Adnan’s first major show in Pakistan.

Zarmina Khan, a fashion fledgling from Lahore, definitely showed promise. The length on her garments was distinctly longer. In one of the opening outfits Iraj wore a fur-trimmed poncho, and where it was liked by some others thought all she needed was a pair of fur-trimmed boots to be transported into the stone age. The designer’s colour palette mostly consisted of whites, off-whites and browns. She recently began stocking at Maheen Khan’s flagship store in Karachi.

Other designers who showed their collection at the KFW included Munib Nawaz, Hajra Hayat, Nadya Mistry, Samar Mehdi, Amir Adnan and Monia Faruqi amongst others. In a brilliant display of colours and variety, Fashion Pakistan decided to showcase an assorted mix and match of the outfits by the designers on their council, the models were categorically asked not to tell anyone who they were wearing. Other than providing a brilliant variety in design, it was a visual treat as well.

Notwithstanding the spirit with which the KFW was held, it wouldn’t be accurate to refer to it as a ‘week’… yet. Considering that the event wasn’t attended by (even) local buyers or business bodies seemingly interested in the sort, the objective again wasn’t to generate business or sales. It was, in short, simply a showing of collections by designers and must simply be referred to as that only — predominantly a presentation of the work by designers who are members of Fashion Pakistan. Having said that, one has to start small as mountains aren’t moved in one day. With one fashion body having taken the first step (irrespective of the fact how they took it), it just might signal the beginning of something new.

– Photography by Fahim Siddiqi