The sounds of Bollywood tracks "Humma humma", "O humdum suniyo re" and "Maahi ve" resonated as models sashayed across the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2015 (PSFW) 2015 ramp here in creations by designer Zara Shahjahan. For an Indian onlooker, it was a moment of pride.
The designer impressed many with her collection, but her choice of Bollywood tracks hooked the audience to her range further.
The show started with the "Humma humma" song from the film "Bombay" followed by "O humdum suniyo re" from the film "Saathiya" and "Maahi Ve" from "Highway".
A fellow journalist sitting next to this IANS correspondent in the front row here during the show, was thoroughly enjoying the music.
"I envy you people for making such soulful tracks," the journalist whispered into my ear.
"We love Bollywood songs. Wish that one day our songs reach that mark when you play our songs in your fashion weeks," added the scribe.
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The irony here was that while a Pakistani designer opted to use Bollywood tracks in her show, at Indian fashion weeks western tracks rule the roost.
Anyhow, Shahjahan's return to the PSFW 2015 for the fourth time was marked by her new collection of luxury pret titled 'New Vintage'.
"I took inspiration from the intangible qualities and emotions that possess and define the modern woman, qualities such as vivacity, that encapsulates the desire to experiment and live life to the fullest," said the designer.
The womenswear collection was based on a fresh colour palette of blues, maroons, salmon pinks and pistachio greens on luxe silks and karandi.
There were a lot of androgynous silhouettes and separates adorned with jewel embellishments, crystals and semi-precious stones.
Pakistan's first designer, who has the expertise to make her own motifs,
Shahjahan's collection was a celebration of individuality, femininity and sophistication.
Undoubtedly, Pakistani designers and the Pakistan fashion week is unique in many ways.
One of the high points of the Pakistan fashion week is that the audio-video of the country's national anthem is played before the start of every show and the entire audience in the main show area stands up to show respect.
Another remarkable point of the ongoing fashion gala was no break between shows. So, if you enter with the idea of coming out after watching one show, you are wrong. It will go on till the last show of the day, and thereby finishing the day on time, unlike many global fashion weeks which go on till the wee hours.
This also proves that designers here want to spend more time on making a collection that will create memories rather than investing time on making huge sets and adding drama on the ramp with lighting and decoration.
All in all, there are many things to learn from this booming industry.
(The writer's trip is at the invitation of the Pakistan Fashion Design Council. Nivedita can be contacted at nivedita.s@ians.in.)