On the second day of the fashion presentations which end-noted the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan’s (TDAP) Expo Pakistan 2013 (the eighth such event since TDAP began facilitating the showcasing of Pakistan’s export merchandise and services since 2005), Rabiya Javeri Agha, Secretary TDAP, announced that during Expo 2013 (Sept 26-29 at Expo Centre), Pakistani manufacturers of textiles, machinery and foodstuff had managed to attract “millions of dollars” in future transactions.

There was a palpable buzz in the hotel’s marquee and much cheering and applause. But the question that was begging to be asked was: what about fashion? Was the now ubiquitous but often errant child of the greater Pakistan industry part of the equation?

With what one witnessed of the 16 collections showcased over the course of two days — apparently not, save for a trouser here and a handbag there from a couple of designers and a general sense of ennui felt by foreign fashion buyers.

Later, while speaking to Images on Sunday, Javeri Agha reaffirmed by stating, “At present confirmed figures of around $600 million are being floated but the number will increase as we add in all the other smaller orders.” She did not clarify if fashion made up part of that large number.

TDAP’s initiative of inviting “more than 1,000 buyers from 70 countries” was well-intentioned in regards to major industry (machinery, textiles, foodstuff et al). But when creating a platform for foreign buyers to peruse the ready-to-wear (R2W) fashion offerings of Pakistani designers and brands (in lieu of the ongoing let down of prospective fashion councils and fashion weeks to achieve the goal of creating at least one palpable ‘business of fashion’ deal), there was a huge disconnect.

The expectations of foreign fashion buyers ostensibly looking for well-priced R2W made from superior quality fabric with hints of ethnic flourishes that could be produced in bulk for the high street suffered due to what was presented, such as borderline Eastern trousseau wear (Farnaz Mustafa)! Were there fashion buyers present from Indian or Middle Eastern multi-brand stores catering to expat sensibilities to make the latter exercise worthwhile?

“We have had a large contingent from India — some 20 people — and also about more than 20 from the UAE who are sourcing for prêt wear,” confirmed Javeri Agha. “At present a considerably big deal has been agreed upon between a Pakistani designer who took part in the show and an Indian buyer. This has given us a great deal of encouragement.”

It seemed that the selection in part was an opportune leeway for many of the designers, who may have — nay should have — shown at the recently cancelled Fashion Pakistan Week 7 which was supposed to take place Oct 3-6. This included the participation at the TDAP show of former members of Fashion Pakistan’s governing body, Maheen Khan, Shamaeel Ansari and Deepak Perwani; all of whom appeared uncharacteristically relaxed and even relieved, and a smattering of designers who habitually showcase on the FPW platform.

A more practical and constructive fashion showcasing may have been achieved if TDAP’s Head of Fashion had approached specific international fashion buyers in advance and asked them what exactly they were looking for in terms of R2W separates, accessories, sportswear, leather et al and then approached pertinent designers who may have specially made capsule collections accordingly, using their signature styles but with a cursory nod to a Western R2W sensibilities.

It was obvious that many of the collections shown were either those that were supposed to be featured at other fashion venues (FPW 7), regurgitated (PFDC), and in some cases even repeated from earlier shows (Veet). It seemed designers had not been given ample time to create special collections specifically for the TDAP show, save for the really savvy ones. Admittedly, a majority of the designers who showcased were the big fish of Pakistan’s still burgeoning fashion industry, but to an international buyer that sense of hierarchical superiority amounts to naught if it doesn’t translate out of the backstreet pond to a wider relatable ocean.

Furthermore, it might have made sense for TDAP to help forge associations between fashion designers and textile industrialists and craftspeople, a business model Rizwan Beyg, Deepak Perwani and FNKAsia to an extent have managed independently as regards to using indigenous crafts-workers for their collections. But in terms of production — except for perhaps Amir Adnan, whose wife Huma Adnan is the head designer and CEO of FNKAsia, Sana Safinaz and Sania Maskatiya — none of the other designers probably have the infrastructural wherewithal to create the capacity demanded from bulk foreign orders nor the correct wholesale price points for R2W.

“In the selection of designers we wanted to include a large spectrum of people,” Javeri-Agha countered. “We wanted both big names and new ones. We wanted those with the production capability to immediately produce international orders as well as those that could be exposed to generate domestic commerce. We wanted to unite Lahore and Karachi talent and we wanted to give a spot to our fashion school students as well. We have a selection committee with Expo team spearheaded by Saeed Tamimi who has worked very hard in promoting fashion through the TDAP platform.”

On another note, it was a glaring misstep by TDAP to not arrange an official press conference whereby local media would have had an opportunity to query visiting international buyers before and perhaps even after the fashion presentations and ask them which designers they liked or who they thought had potential in the international sphere, if any at all.

Nor did they send out a list of buyers and their contact numbers to members of the press, with the result that many had to basically guess from a sea of foreign faces who a possible fashion buyer might be. One did recognise amongst the primarily foreign businessmen Patricia Brafman, the International Director of the French federation of Prêt-à-Porter, a woman who would be of invaluable help assisting Pakistani designers to attend the seasonal fair in Paris.

In response to the aforementioned shortcomings, Javeri-Agha explained, “We can only hold a press conference when we have all our data together. I don’t want to misguide or misinform anyone with vague generalities. When our totals are compiled together we will inform all the people of Pakistan who are stakeholders and whose taxes are bearing the cost of this event. There is no possibility of a press conference of buyers as they have all left now. The TV channels have extensively interviewed them all and I will get those clippings for my record also. However they have all filled in questionnaires given by TDAP which we will start tabulating for our own debriefing and future improvements.”

Of course, it was designers who showed cohesive collections with interchangeable separates that fared well under the stringent eye of international buyers and garnered some interest. These included Sania Maskatiya and her “impeccably tapered pants” which were liked by Kaia Stefaniak of the Axel-Lex sportswear house from Poland, who also liked Rizwan Beyg’s entire truck art-inspired women’s wear capsule especially the tote bags “that could sell really well.”

Beyg’s collection was also appreciated by Greek buyers Jimmy Tsolak and Christos Karapanos of Streytex who have headquarters in Germany. They found Beyg’s multi-kali men’s Sindhi and Balochi shalwars “familiar” and found the menswear in general to be similar to that of the Greek national dress. Streytex also showed an interest in Beyg’s oversize truck art-embossed men’s totes and laptop bags, and asked this writer to send them a list of all the designers showing as “they would like to have exhibited bits and pieces from different designers at international fairs.”

The question is: would Pakistani designers who are more inclined towards “signature styles”, “image”, “complete looks” et al be finally interested in creating 1,000 pieces of one-shirt style for the sake of the much-touted “business of fashion”? The smart and able ones just might.

The organiser and producer of the two-day fashion event was the Hum TV Network Ltd under the supervision of Saeed Tamimi (Head of Fashion, TDAP), media & PR by Tehmina Khaled and her team at TAKE II; hair, make-up and styling by Saba Ansari and her team at Sabs Salon, backstage management by Production 021 and choreography by HSY.