Fashion Pakistan Week Autumn/Winter 2014 (FPWAW 2014) opened last night with a buzz as Karachi’s fashion elite turned out in force for Fashion Pakistan Council’s flagship winter event.

The evening saw some great fashion as well as some distinctly mediocre offerings. The best collections of the night were Ayesha Farook Hashwani and Ather Ali Hafeez for Sana Safinaz. Aamna Aqeel also showed some good pieces but the remaining collections had little to recommend them.

The evening opened with a trendy collection from Ather Ali Hafeez for Sana Safinaz. The vibrant sound of seventies anthem “Dum Maro Dum” immediately set the tone for the hippy vibe that Hafeez was referencing. Modern boho chic has become a trademark of Hafeez’s work at Sana Safinaz. This wasn’t a simple return to seventies silhouettes – it was a contemporary re-interpretation of the era. The collection included pleated maxi dresses, palazzos, flares, breezy shirts and vibrant psychedelic prints.

As ever, the styling was a major highlight of the Sana Safinaz show. A huge single hoop earring with a chameli flower was a great touch on one model while another wore white ethnic bangles from wrist to shoulder on one arm only. Dramatic beaded necklaces, cool round sunglasses, socks worn with high heels and draped, knotted jackets all added to the look.

The only criticism of Hafeez’s collection for Sana Safinaz was that it had a very summery vibe and was not really an Autumn Winter collection. It was a resort collection and yes, international design houses all show summery resort collections for winter, but they also show their winter collections. You could argue that Karachi has the sort of tropical climate that resort-goers head to but the truth is that we call huddle into shawls and sweaters in winter. A true winter collection from Sana Safinaz that set the tone for their winter retail line would have been interesting to see.

Ishtiaq Afzal’s 'Aurora' collection was next up and unfortunately it was not in the same league. Afzal showed a mish-mash of menswear and womenswear, including daywear, eastern styles and western wear. The collection included quilted leatherette jackets, dresses, trousers and some eastern ensembles. Afzal showed some well cut pieces, but the collection had issues.

The sickly pistachio green and dull orange that Afzal chose to represent dawn were unattractive, but more than this the collection lacked direction and cohesion. One stand out piece was a loose, structured, short jacket worn over a voluminous shalwar. More on this theme would have made for a stronger collection.

The Levi’s show was a prime example of how bad styling can kill a ramp presentation. Winter clothing offers great styling opportunities, with layering, belting and accessorizing. Look at any Autumn/Winter campaign from Zara or H&M and you’ll see how high street brands can use styling to give a luxe feel to their collections – even casual wear and denim. Levi’s collection itself was reasonable, but failed to make any sort of impact because of the way it was presented.

Ayesha Farook Hashwani was first to show after the break and her 'Baroque' collection was outstanding. Opulent and sophisticated, the collection combined rich embroidery with elegant cuts. The collection was unashamedly ornate, in keeping with the baroque theme, but avoided being over the top thanks to the chic silhouettes. Hashwani showed mainly capes and jackets, paired with trousers, jumpsuits and even thigh-boots. She used tied leather belts to accentuate waistlines and her ensembles were both festive and wintry.

Gul Ahmed’s collection had its moments. The high street brand has been showing regularly at fashion weeks over the past few years and their ramp presentations are improving. This collection was meant to highlight the fabrics that the brand has in-store and consisted of a variety of dresses, jackets, waistcoats and trousers.

The opening outfit was reminiscent of Sana Safinaz and Gul Ahmed also showed some trendy short jackets. Some of their dresses were less successful and overall there were too many clashing prints on the ramp. One thing the collection did achieve was to show how well Gul Ahmed’s new velvet silk falls. It’s a fabric that’s perfect for flowy cuts.

Aamna Aqeel’s collection was one of her most solid in recent years. Her 'Black on Fire' collection consisted of monochrome evening wear with print and gold embroidery accents. The first section was predominantly white and was definitely the stronger part of the show. Aqeel accented most of her white pieces with black or multi-coloured embroidery and rich prints, but her two all-white pieces stood out for their beauty. The black and gold section of the collection was less interesting but overall both Aqeel’s cuts and finishing were admirable.

Zaheer Abbas’ finale was a lacklustre way to end the evening. His 'Neo-Nude' collection was pedestrian at best. Abbas’ presentation of evening wear included gowns, formal trousers, crop tops and jackets. There were one or two interesting pieces, but overall the silhouettes were uninspired. Abbas showed some technique, particularly in his pleating, shirring and texturising of fabric, but his fit and cut were off at times.

The show also lacked energy, something that was exacerbated by Abbas’s choice of music. The operatic soundtrack needed a drama that his outfits were missing. Zaheer Abbas is capable of much better than this.

The first day of FPWAW 2014 had more lows than highs, but many of the most eagerly anticipated collections are still to come. Here's hoping we see some more great fashion over the next two days.

Pictures by Tapu Javeri and Kashif Rashid

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The writer is a freelance journalist and the creative force behind style blog karachista.com. Follow her on Twitter @karachista