It was primarily about crisp cottons, contemporary cuts, captivating colours and creatively contagious concoctions. Simplicity and style crafted out of fabric a la mode were the dominants of the evening, quite in contrast to the highly embellished and adorned, but usually low on fabric quality, creations that rule our ramps on swanky fashion soirees.

The celebration

Yet it had to be so. The event was all about premium quality textiles and textile products that Pakistan has the most potential to produce, and, hence, the show was aptly dubbed Promising Pakistan. The first-ever Textile and Clothing Show was hosted by All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) at the Governor’s house in Lahore to celebrate the GSP Plus (Generalised Scheme of Preferences) status that Pakistan has recently been granted, and which will provide our textile products duty-free access to the European Union (EU) markets. After achieving the status, Pakistan can export textile products to 27 European countries tax-free!

On with the show … already!

The rather long-drawn-out evening, stretched excruciatingly due to harangues by dignitaries, then gradually transformed into an elegant engagement of fibre and fashion. Graced by ambassadors, consul-generals and EU members, the occasion was meant to be an icebreaker for similar events to be followed at fashion hubs around the world in order to boost our textiles and project a positive picture of the country. However, while it may have been pertinent to discuss problems faced by the textile industry on this occasion, one may ask, what the need was for a well-respected government representative to dwell on the devaluation of the rupee against the US Dollar and resort to previous-government-bashing at a promotional and image-laundering event like this!

Opening with a short segment echibiting quality cotton and knitwear children’s garments, the twinkle-toed exhibit by a bunch of adorable fledglings set the scene for the indulgence that was to follow. Later, male and female models displaying dandy denims, woven and knitted fabrics crafted into trendy tops and t-shirts, shorts and pull-overs, cozy hoodies and jumpers paraded some of our best exportables. These are eventually tagged by Nike, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Anvil, D&G, H&M, Mango, Marks&Spencer, Greensource and other international brands. Chic garments being paraded anonymously, without the cover or coating of a brand, added an identity and a characteristic of their own to each outfit. These were the raw wearables of our textile industry that looked alluring even without the stamp of a voguish.

Just then, a group of acrobatic and skate-boarding teenagers made a zappy entry sporting elegant sportswear that seemed to have a life of its own, their demeanor punctuated by trendy sneakers and fleece shoes. The defining characteristic of the exhibits was their universality in appeal, and the show, so far, was not as much about trends, as about apparel that is never out-dated. Closing the segment, tennis player, Aisam-ul-Haq, donning military pants and a top to go made a welcome entry.

The work of PIFD graduates always seems to speak a language of its own and is usually marked by a very arresting enunciation and elaboration that sets the collection discernible and apart from the rest. This time it was about fur and fleece, leather coats and long boots, spelling out well the east meets west catchphrase. Local and ethnic motifs on western cuts with very elaborate layering, shrugs topped with pakhkol like Gilgiti caps and hand-crafted shoes were all very appealing. The collection later moved to summer wear, again punctuated by elaborate designing and cuts in black and white trailing dresses. Use of miscellaneous items to come up with heady headgears is always the forte of the PIFD students and this show was no exception.

Shifting from the emerging to the established, the show next featured specifically crafted pieces by some of the eminent designers, employing fabrics that were provided by Aptma. Opening up with Ali Xeeshan, the segment paraded long sprawling cotton dresses, halter-neck, and off-shoulder in black and white with bright wintry hues. Each of the designers displayed only a couple of outfits, so that the scenes changed in quick succession. Men’s formal and informal wear were paraded by Omer Farooque’s Republic, and the high quality of fabrics employed was overtly apparent here, as well. One rarely gets to see such premium quality fabrics on the ramp, as were observed during the whole of the APTMA textile and clothing show.

One of the things that the show must have helped establish is perhaps the fact that not only silks, satins and laces make for stunning dresses. Even cottons can be employed to the same or better effect, a fact that was well witnessed in the outfits displayed by the couturiers. Sania Maskatiya’s straight cotton pants and jackets in vibrant colours and chic cuts endorsed this concept really well.

Next in line was FNK Asia with its western cuts and styling, again employing crunchy cottons and combining them with varied fabrics. The beauty of these outfits, yet again, rested in simplicity and minimalism. Warda Saleem came up with a few short dresses combining cottons and delicate, flowing georgettes.

Munib Nawaz also displayed palazzo pants with cinched-waistcoats and tank tops in multiple hues. Zara Shahjehan displayed the first embellished navy blue top of the evening festooned with tilla work over a plain navy blue skirt.

Kuki Concepts came up with heavily layered long dresses. What Elan had to offer was more of a silk collection, with a dab of cotton here and there. Next in was Deepak Perwani with his denims and colouful floral cottons, interwined beautifully to create western outfits with a significant touch of racist ethnicity.

Adnan Pardesy and Fahad Hussayn kept up with the drift of the evening with their neon orange long and intricate cotton dresses and apple green pants and overcoat for men. Sana Safinaz had an array of cottons highlighted with tilla and dabka-adorned chaddors, and heavily embroidered pants with tops in bronze and gold.

As the finale, the show fully matured into a characteristically couture spectacle as deviously decked dresses by Faraz Manan crept onto the ramp. A line in cerise and hues of bright red with profound work in gold, silver and bronze followed by long trailing dresses with heavy motifs in dabka and kinari, covering off-whites and bright pinks featured here. Manan’s collection was the largest of the evening and exhibited a full array of formal, profoundly embellished outfits.

Reality check

A textile exhibition was also put up at the venue and prior to the show, the Aptma chairman, Yasin Sadiq, said that the show was a preview to similar shows to be held later at international fashion hubs. In the presence of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Govenor of Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, EU Parliamentarian Dr. David Martin, consul-generals and other dignitaries, he mentioned that it would reiterate the country’s position as a dependable source of quality textiles. Closer to reality, here’s hoping that our textile industry can meet the challenges head on in terms of production and export while being faced with daunting challenges in the form of all-too-frequent power outages and intimidating production costs.