Whether you follow trends avidly or not, the festival of Eid is a time when everyone strives to look like they stepped out of the latest fashion glossy. So here is the low-down on how you can achieve your heart’s desire. Mix and match the latest fads as you see fit but always be a discerning customer. After all, it is only when consumers demand quality for what they are paying that manufacturers/designers work hard to meet that level of expectation.

MIND THE MATERIAL
When you shop online, many times you may have come across the word ‘stuff?’ which is asked as a question by shoppers looking at a two dimensional picture of an item of clothing. Basically that means they are worried about the material of a design that has caught their eye. The ‘stuff’ most popular this season ranges from fluffy chiffons to crispy cottons with jacquard and silk in between. Comfort should be key when deciding on material as the temperature soars to uncomfortable heights. If you wear a dupatta, they are available in silks and chiffons, although crushed tissue has also made its way into the market.

CUTTING IT CLOSE
The cuts are to die for this season. Whether we look at tops or bottoms, designers are setting their customers apart by giving them the most unique cuts and patterns in terms of stitching. You need to have an expert tailor in order to copy the styles that are being churned out by the ‘ready-to-wear’ lines of every fashion house. Sleeves are bell-shaped, coquettishly tied at a three quarter length, cut at the shoulders in a peek-a-boo manner, or simply embellished at the wrists with the most popular trend of tassels.

What’s in, what’s out and what’s available in the market

The bottoms seem to be competing for attention, as they appear in capris tied at the calves, flared at the bottom or as the demure straight trousers. Shirts vary from knee-length to the more traditional long kameezes and seem to ignore the shape of the wearer as they flare and fit at the designer’s whim. Tunics are sticking to last season’s style of simple silhouettes and seem to be most popular with the younger demographic.

PRINTS AND COLOURS
Digital prints are still all the rage although cityscapes on your tunic have given way to more floral and geometric patterns. Pastels rule the roost and eye-popping palettes have been replaced with darker and more muted tones. Embroidered pieces are mostly favoured for formal wear whereas prints are adorned for a more casual affair.

BREAKING ALL TRENDS
In case you are one of those rare breeds that are tired of the mass-produced outfits these days, there are design houses that cater to your very unique tastes. One such label that stands out is The Pink Tree, co-started by the inimitable Mohsin Sayeed.

“We don’t follow trends and we believe in tradition.

Eid should be all about tradition and therefore it is necessary to preserve our local craftsmanship. We are making our contribution to bringing back and appreciating the craft, culture and workmanship of areas like Sindh and Bahawalpur.”

Judging by their Eid collection, Mohsin Sayeed certainly puts his money where his mouth is. The soft, hand-dyed muslins at the outlet embellished with kamdani, sitara and gota speak to us of days when life was simpler yet full of elegance and class. Light, delicate colours are combined with bright, effervescent hues peeping through the lowers made from susi, a long forgotten fabric, yet woven in villages even now.

The campaign for their latest Eid collection features women from Karachi who have made a mark on this city just as the city has shaped their personal evolution, keeping them apart from the run-of-the-mill.

The cuts are to die for this season. Whether we look at tops or bottoms, designers are setting their customers apart by giving them the most unique cuts and patterns in terms of stitching.

If you are looking for opulence this Eid, a designer that is handing it out by the bucketload is Farheen Surmawala. “Don’t lose your originality while running after fashion,” the designer reiterates. “Less is more. Breathable materials with pastel hues and solid colours with fabric manipulation instead of a digital print should be chosen. All lengths for shirts are in fashion now but colours and lengths should be chosen according to your body type.”

Indeed it seems this Eid, women will have plenty of options when it comes to the cut, fabric and style of their dresses — along with many pastel hues to choose them in or the ever-classic white. As Shahla Rahman of Unbeatables, one of the pioneers of the Pakistani fashion industry, put it: “This Eid season we are sticking to pastel colors and whites to beat the heat. In terms of fabric we are using cotton net, cottons, chiffons and organza. The whole feel this season is loose, cool and breezy.”

The choices seem mind-boggling and there is an opportunity to stand out in a crowd by just following your own style instinct. This festive season, it seems, there are no ‘rights’ or ‘wrongs’, so why not develop your own mantra and let others follow through.

MENSWEAR
While women are spoilt for choice this Eid season, men are not so lucky. Designers for men seem to have taken a backseat this Eid. Most of what is available for gents is not much to write home about. The sherwani collar is embellished and colours are muted blues, grays and browns. Materials are light cottons for the most part and kurtas are accompanied with white shalwars. I guess our men will have to wait another season for innovation in their styles.

Published in Dawn, EOS, June 11th, 2017