Adding more power to the booming Pakistan fashion industry, the eighth edition of the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week (PSFW), beginning here on Saturday, will feature eight high-street brands, 16 luxury/prêt designers, six textile brands and four emerging designers showcasing the wave of change in the country's style choices.
The four-day fashion event will witness three distinct platforms within PSFW. Day one will be dedicated to showcasing by luxury/prêt designers, while day two and four will start with early evening high-street brand shows, followed by late evening luxury/prêt shows.
The third day will feature platform creations by textile houses as a step to highlight Pakistan's textile prowess and high street fashion strength, which are of significan to national and international fashion markets.
Saad Ali, CEO of Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) -- the organising body of the fashion gala -- says he is excited to further their "commitment to holistic fashion in Pakistan" with this edition.
"All participating brands are Pakistani. We are also giving three dedicated platforms and categories within PSFW to three distinct fashion tiers: high-street brands, textile mills and both mainstream/emerging luxury/prêt designers," he told IANS.
"Ultimately, our vision is the promotion of the business of fashion in Pakistan which is why we have worked hard to include, project and retail these three distinct categories. You can expect trends emerging in three distinct markets as a result of their PSFW 2015 showcases," added Ali.
To ease the business-to-business process, the organisers are also facilitating a way to "determine each designer collections' retail ability, its production timeliness, as well as whether a designer is able to have it in stores, and if so, when."
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"This year we have an entire schedule that shows when each designer will be available and where for instance that is available to all press and media," said Ali.
In terms of show line up, one will see luxury/prêt collections from designer names like Fahad Hussayn, HSY, Huma & Amir Adnan, Misha Lakhani, Muse, Nickie Nina, Nida Azwer Atelier, Republic by Omar Farooq, Saira*Shakira, Sana Safinaz, Sania Maskatiya, Teena by Hina Butt, Zara Shahjahan and Zonia Anwaar.
The PFDC also introduces debut solo ramp showcases for designers Natasha Kamal and Syeda Amera with their luxury/prêt collections, along with focus on young names, who will present their creations under Bank Alfalah Emerging Talent Showcase.
"Expect a new and fresh take on both high street and luxury/prêt from PSFW 2015," Ali told IANS.
The high street shows will feature Hassan Riaz, BeechTree, Chinyere, Erum Khan, Generation, House of Arsalan Iqbal, Rayya Gilani and Shirin Hassan, highlighting contemporary affordable ready-to-wear apparel. The textile day will feature shows by brands like Alkaram Studio, Gul Ahmed, Harmony, House of Ittehad, Shubinak and Warda Prints.
The overall attempt is to "benefit the very trade and business of fashion", says Sehyr Saigol, PFDC chairperson.
"With the 12th iteration of our critically acclaimed fashion weeks, the PFDC is always working to streamline our prêt-à-porter platform to make the PSFW experience more beneficial for all stakeholders in terms of show experience, exposure and ultimately, retail value. To that end, each year we look inward to find the best possible formats and categories," she said.
When it comes to buyers, the forthcoming fashion week will focus more on "strengthening the capacity building and operational efficiency of the Pakistani retail fashion industry".
"As in past fashion weeks, we focus on national stockists, regional buyers and local clientele. However, it is important to state that at this burgeoning period of fashion in Pakistan, our immediate focus is to be introspective and to first strengthen the capacity building and operational efficiency of the Pakistani retail fashion industry and instill seasonal collection discipline before reaching out again to international buyers," Ali told IANS.
The PSFW will conclude on April 21.
(The writer's trip is at the invitation of the Pakistan Fashion Design Council. Nivedita can be contacted at nivedita.s@ians.in.)