Telenor Fashion Pakistan Week (TFPW) begins tomorrow and is set to showcase the formal side of summer fashion.

After weeks of lawn launches, it will be a relief to see true fashion back at center stage.

The four-day event promises some intriguing collections as well as plenty of designers who will have to be at the top of their game to justify their inclusion. TFPW promises a huge variety of collections, ranging from raw minimalism to opulent formal wear.

Highlights to look forward to at TFPW 2015:

• Zara Shahjahan: The whimsical collection combines handpainted florals, ethnic embroideries and tribal accents.

• Deepak Perwani: The “La Dolce Vita” collection is vintage-inspired and is an ode to springtime romance. Perwani has used soft floral prints but expect the designer’s larger-than-life personality to shine through.

• Sania Maskatiya: The collection is described as a tribute to the “unsung heroes of design” – the artisans and craftsmen in the workshop, who make it possible to put together a collection.

• Amir Adnan: His Shah Zadeh collection is meant for what he calls “the Shah in every man”. If Adnan can give a tongue-in-cheek modern twist to that idea, this could be a fun collection.

• Nida Azwer: Her collection, French Trellis, draws on the designers love of vintage and classical design elements and features fusion silhouettes and experimenting with laser cutting.

• HSY: His Hi-Octane collection promises the “ultimate power suiting, tailored to perfection.”

What’s clear is that a large number of designers have their eye on the summer formals market, perhaps because of Eid falling in June. Many are showing embroidered formal collections in silk, chiffon, net and organza. While their rampwear will generally tend to be fusionwear, these may be lines that the designers can adapt to the lucrative Eid and summer wedding markets.

Another trend already emerging is one for bright colours. While summery pastels are a mainstay of tropical summer, many designers are choosing add vibrant oranges, pinks and greens to their palette.

In terms of silhouettes, expect plenty of cigarette pants, capes and tunics as well as wide-legged trousers and the odd gown or two. Fashion Pakistan Week always tends to feature plenty of fusion wear and this year looks to be no different.

From formals to menswear, check out our ultimate guide to the upcoming collections at TFPW.

Formals

Sanam Chaudri showed a wedding wear collection in autumn and this time around, she brings her easy, breezy style to formals. Her Zingara collection uses silk and beaten nakshi embroidery on cotton voile, organza and silks. From crop tops to asymmetric tunics, expect a young, fresh take on formals from Chaudri.

Aamna Aqeel’s Baroque-inspired collection draws inspiration from the 17th and 18th century. Her Romancing The Lines collection pairs traditional eastern kora-dabka embroidery with western fusion cuts. Expect trendy cigarette pants with capes, chiffon jackets and flowy capes.

Fahad Hussayn is building on the capsule couture collection he showcased at the PFDC Swarovski Crystal Couturiers event last month. His Dominionatrix Decoded collection is a blend of RTW and couture and includes dresses, pants, gowns and jumpsuits.

The concept plays to Hussayn’s love of the gothic, reflecting his vision of some mythical domain. Hussayn is arguably one of Pakistan’s masters when it comes to embroidery and the collection will showcase various different techniques.

Wardha Saleem has been putting out some gorgeous teasers of her Lotus Song collection, featuring silk and gota embroidery beaded with pearls and French knots. The collection draws on flora and fauna from the ancient sub-continental Madhubani art as well as Indonesian Ikat. It uses silk, chiffon and net in summery pastel colours and is another collection that seems to have its eye on the Eid and summer formals market.

Zaheer Abbas’ Primavera collection aims to be an allegorical representation of Spring. Using organza, silk and chiffon with hand embroidery and fabric manipulation, this is another formal collection and one that will be accesorized with handmade jewellery and bags.

Somal Halepoto’s formal collection is bright and kitschy with animal prints in vibrant oranges and trendy gold paired with a popping palette. She uses bold embroidery for additional impact with white accents to offset all that colour. Her ‘Color Glam’ collection will have to tread a fine line to depict glitz without gaudiness.

Signature Luxury Pret

Zara Shahjahan is one of a number of top designers who have strong signatures and are exhibiting luxury pret. Shahjahan’s collection harks back to her passion for florals. The whimsical collection combines handpainted florals, ethnic embroideries and tribal accents in what the designer describes as a “free-spirited, fun collection”.

Nida Azwer’s SS15 is called French Trellis, drawing on the designers love of vintage and classical design elements. Using sheer fabrics and her signature mix of embroidery and varied printing techniques, Azwer is chanelling shorter, trendier hemlines this season. The collection features fusion silhouettes and continues the designer’s experimentation with laser cutting, first seen at FPW in autumn.

Sania Maskatiya meanwhile describes her collection as a tribute to the “unsung heroes of design” – the artisans and craftsmen in the workshop, who make it possible to put together a collection. The signature Sania Maskatiya aesthetic uses prints and silhouette in interesting ways but it remains to be seen what sort of embellishments and detailing Maskatiya will be bringing to the mix this time around.

Deepak Perwani showed menswear at FPW in Autumn but this season he’s showing his pret womenswear. The “La Dolce Vita” collection is vintage-inspired and is an ode to springtime romance. Perwani has used soft floral prints but expect the designer’s larger-than-life personality to shine through in vibrant accents, assured silhouettes and jeweled beading.

Shamaeel Ansari has taken inspiration from ancient Turkish art of carpets, Hali. The collection uses a combination of print and bronze embroidery, accented with tassels and opulent detailing. Watch out for Ansari’s signature draped silhouettes which give a modern elegance to her traditional themes.

Menswear

HSY is showing a menswear collection this season at TFPW. He is particularly popular for bridal menswear but his Hi-Octane collection promises the “ultimate power suiting, tailored to perfection.” With HSY on the scene, expect some originality from the menswear side at TFPW.

Caanchi & Lugari isn’t actually a designer – it’s a retailer of premium menswear brands from around the world. They are showing the SS15 lines of one of their brands, namely Bugatti – The European Brand, featuring both apparel and footwear.

Abdul Samad’s Uptown Funk collection includes both monochrome and vibrant aqua, tangerine and emerald tones. He’s showing a contemporary menswear collection that focuses heavily on linen, a chic and summer-friendly fabric.

Amir Adnan’s Shah Zadeh collection is meant for what he calls “the Shah in every man”. The teaser features the Shah of Iran in full regalia on a throne – if Adnan can give a tongue-in-cheek modern twist to that idea, this could be a fun collection. Adnan’s tailoring is generally impeccable but this is a risky, kitsch idea – let’s see how he pulls it off.

Newbies

Inaaya was one of last year’s fashion week revelations. Her rilli-based collection won accolades for it’s modern treatment of a traditional craft. Naushaba Brohi promises to continue to use distinctive embellishments from interior Sindh, giving fair employment to artisans from the region. Her SS15 collection will show whether she can build on a stellar debut.

Another former debutante with something to prove is Madiha Raza. She won her place at TFPW by being voted the top designer at the Maybelline NewYork Millennial Fashion event held in Karachi last autumn. Her Spring Myth collection for SS15 uses techniques similar to her award winning Flight of Birds collection.

She will be using a combination of laser cutting, digital prints and 3D textures in the collection. If she can tap the originality of her debut collection, Riaz is someone who can give top designers a run for their money.

The Bank Al Falah Rising Talent section has designers drawing inspiration from a variety of sources. Shehza Azhar looks to the eighties for inspiration while Momal Zia based her pieces on the lifestyle of Nepalese honey hunters. Rimsha Shakir is focusing on texture while Hasan Riaz hopes to portray self discovery using suede, denim and nautical accents. The whole capsule promises plenty of experimentation, which is what you expect from students but let’s hope they also show some real talent on the ramp.

High Street

Daaman is known for their minimalist approach to highstreet fashion and Maliha Chaudry’s SS15 collection for Daaman will reflect that. Using a neutral palette of midnight blue, beige and white, the collection focuses on clean lines, texture and proportion.

Fnk Asia is giving away little about their TFPW collection, named Freedom. All they have said is that it’s inspired by a strong, elegant confident woman. When Fnk Asia gets it right on the ramp, their ethnic aesthetic can be very good. At other times, their runway shows are a mishmash of folk elements. Here’s hoping their SS15 collection ticks the boxes.

Gul Ahmed’s Avanti collection is a fusion collection that aims to give a contemporary touch to angharkas, dhotis, sherwanis, saris and lenghas. This season they are showing a palette of white and gold with black accents. Gul Ahmed’s presentations are generally designed to showcase their superior fabrics, which range from lawns to silks. Their runway presentations have improved over time but they have yet to show true flair.

Jafferjees, Lala Textiles and Levis are other highstreet brands showing collections at TFPW. None of them have disclosed much about their collections and neither have they impressed on previous forays on the ramp. Here’s hoping that they pay attention to styling and think about what works on a fashion runway.

Meanwhile, Rizwanullah is putting together a collection for Swarovski by Fifth Element. Having roped in a designer that is always edgy, this is one brand that stands a good chance of making the right impact on the ramp.

The dark horses

As ever, Sadaf Malaterre has chosen not to reveal anything about her collection in advance. She’s a designer who feels that giving away details in advance ruins the impact of a runway presentation. From prior experience, expect Malaterre to show minimalist brilliance that may or may not be too understated to shine on the ramp.

YBQ is one of those designers for whom fashion is firmly an art form. His collection uses red, black and white depicting rage, mourning and peace respectively. It is dedicated to the three great sufis of Sindh; Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and Sachal Sarmast. YBQ is not a grandiose designer so expect a minimalist, unusual collection.

Body Focus by Iman Ahmed is not a readily available brand but it’s one that shows great flair. Iman Ahmed’s “Sartorial Philology and the New Nomads” promises to be typical of Iman Ahmed’s cerebral, virtuoso approach to design. In this collection she claims to “use ancient techniques to render the fabric, and hence the garment, imperfectly perfect.” It’s anyone’s guess what that actually means but it will be interesting to find out.

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