Some of India and Pakistan's top designers got together for a fashion extravaganza here over the weekend.
The Faisana Fashion Weekend brought together Anita Dongre, Rina Dhaka and Bhairavi Jaikishan from India and Umar Sayeed, Nida Azwer and Sania Maskatiya from Pakistan as part of a two-day event launched at Mayfair Hotel in London on Friday evening.
"Our fashion is similar yet with a distinctive style of our own. They (Pakistani designers) use a slightly different method and are very good with their leg wear. It is great to share the platform with my contemporaries from India and Pakistan," said Rina Dhaka, whose latest collection centred around a lot of Awadhi patti work.
Model-turned-entertainer Nina Manuel echoed her views, "In Pakistan there is a lot more use of prints and trouser lengths tend to be different. It is time we start looking at South Asia as a whole. This show is about presenting that wide variety to a Western world."
Some of the celebrity guests included Bollywood actress Madhoo, who is back to exploring her acting career after a hiatus of 10 years.
"My bilingual Malyalam and Tamil film has been received really well since it released about a week ago. I am now just waiting for the right Bollywood role," Madhoo said.
"It is great to be invited to such an event; I just wish I knew in time as I would have loved to walk the ramp too," she added.
The unique fashion event was co-organised by Radhika Hasan Limited and Aamna & Aisha - a London-based couture house focused on promoting Pakistani fashion.
"For the first time in the UK, Faisana brought together the best of Indian and Pakistani fashion on one platform, showcasing their latest collections," Hasan said.
