Pakistan Fashion Week

Pakistan Fashion Week (PFW). “It was a great challenge to build a fashion week in Pakistan,” he says. The inherent PR skills take over and his tone becomes measured. “We began talking to both fashion councils (Pakistan Fashion Design Council and Fashion Pakistan). The industry was fractured initially. We stressed upon unity and dedication. We worked diligently with the players and witnessed some serious enthusiasm from the industry. We managed to establish a sense of unity and got corporation,” he explains. He hails the creation of the advisory board for PFW as a giant step that is necessary for a successful event. “It has representation from fashion councils, the media and the industry. I feel it’s a great start,” he says. But there must be something more about Pakistani fashion than a pool of talent that made him consider the prospects of a fashion week. “It’s a combination of many things. Pakistan has depth of talent in design, enough to sustain a fashion week,” he immediately replies. However, not satisfied with his answer, I repeat my question. This time details emerge. According to Lock, the west has shown certain level of interest in this region’s design. “Fashion is always looking for something new as it only survives on constant change. The world has started to understand colour, intricate fabrics and embellishments more. Pakistan has all of it and more to offer.”

This must sound like music to the ears of those who have always maintained that Pakistan must sell the world what it excels in: embellishment, textile and its unique colour palette.This brings us to the most important question: what will one get to see in PFW? Bridals? Especially since there are not many designers in Pakistan who can run merely on prêt-a-porter (ready to wear) lines. “Well, PFW is not anti-bridal because the bridal industry is the backbone of fashion in Pakistan and responsible for its growth. However, fashion weeks mainly showcase prêt collections. In PFW each collection will comprise at least 80 per cent of prêt, the rest is up to individual designers,” he declares.On the production side, IMG will import leading support professionals, especially production crews.

“Bringing international production professionals is very important for the growth of the event. With our expertise in organising fashion weeks, the local industry will also benefit as they will also be co-participants. From models to production crews, stylists to media and PR, a fashion week has a way of educating everyone involved,” he says.‘Fashion is always looking for something new as it only survives on constant change. The world has started to understand colour, intricate fabrics and embellishments more. Pakistan has all of it and more to offer,’ says the regional head of IMG, Simon P. Lock. PFW provides the local fashion industry and the country itself an opportunity to be a part of the global market place. In this aspect, Pakistani fashion has some good advantages: PFW will help to find new designers, and drawing upon IMG’s resources it can reach out to the world. PFW will be part of an impressive list including Milan, Berlin, New York and Sydney among others. This will provide opportunities to local stars to show in other fashion weeks. “Creating opportunities to network is our strength. This is how Marc Jacobs came to the attention of Bernard Arnault of Louis Vuitton conglomerate of luxury brands,” he claims.Pakistani designers will have to work hard to get noticed by international brands. They will have to learn the ropes of business of fashion. “Creativity, consistency and dedication are the necessary ingredients to becoming a success in the business of fashion. Designers have to be committed all the way. They cannot skip a year,” he warns. Given everything is followed to the tee, Lock gives a decade to Pakistani designers to make their mark on the international scene. However, even after 10 years of being a part of the global fashion circuit, Australian designers have not been able to achieve this kind of success. The chances then of an Indian or Pakistani heading a Parisian fashion house seem almost non-existent.“Image wise, Australian designers are not big enough like their European or American counterparts but in terms of exports they are big. In just decade (1996-2006) Australia’s fashion exports jumped from zero to approximately $200 million.” Lock gets a bit defensive. I press on. “Australian designers aren’t lacking anything. I think fashion is very Euro-centric. Bernard Arnault is only Paris. Almost all luxury and prêt houses started in Europe and conglomerates emerged. But things are changing,” he maintains.According to Lock, Asia Pacific is the new frontier of fashion. “We’re seeing it happen. Shanghai Tang is the best example of this emerging conglomerate culture. To support this revolution India, China and Pakistan are exploding with consumers and aesthete. And as they are becoming sophisticated, they are becoming more and more confident,” he adds.Lock maintains that creativity has no nationality or skin colour. You have to understand media and business fairly well. “Marc Jacobs has a persona. He is a sta

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