Fashion Pakistan joined hands with Made in Pakistan 2017 to increase the worldwide export Pakistani-made designs. The event comprised of three days filled with designs showcased by known designers and fresh-out-of-college fashion students. More than 700 foreign delegates from all across the world flew in to attend ‘Made in Pakistan’ fashion show.

The main objective of the show is to increase the exposure of the export-worthy collections designed by Pakistani designers and to provide the budding designers with a solid platform to display their talent and skills and to mentor them into the fashion leaders of the future.

The event showcased the collections of seasoned designers namely Amir Adnan, Aamna Aqeel, Fnk Asia, Nova Leather, Hassan Riaz, Tena Durrani, Deepak Perwani, M Jafferjees X Wardha Saleem, Zuria Dor, Adnan Pardesy, Nauman Arfeen, The Pink Tree Company, and Maheen Khan’s Gulabo. The third day of the event was dedicated millennial fashion segment where selected fashion students from the top fashion schools of Pakistan, PIFD, AIFD, and TIP named Farah Usman, Sundus Talpur, Salman, Shahmeer Ansari, Farah, Sobia Halar, and Naina showcased their work.

The Millennial Showcase, a day dedicated to young designers of various fashion schools of Pakistan was the main attraction of the event.

Designers came up with really new and out-of-the-box concepts for their collections. Sundus Talpur from Asian Institute of Fashion Design, designed her collection on three elite cars. How did she land on fashion from Lamborghini, I don’t know, but the concept was certainly sleek; “Royalty is not only in the car you drive or the money you possess but also in the clothes you wear.” I also believe it wasn’t really important if we couldn’t tell (if we hadn’t been told) that the collection was actually about cars.

Salman Javed came forward with ‘Flux’ with a technology-based fashion collection. And yes, technology means silver. What else? Javed was also inspired by video games. Incorporating these two themes we got models dressed in salt and pepper shakers.

Young designer Zainab Khalid used monotony in her design to communicate self-exploration. Blue, ochre and off-white colors were the only three colors Khalid used in her designs. According to the designer herself, her collection ‘embraces the power of visual arts merged with numerical figures, further fused with the minor, overlooked details present within our surroundings. Silhouettes derived from the mathematical graphs portrayed acceptance to change and consider body movement.’

Sobia Halar based her collection on the concept that fashion is a reflection of the times and should indubitably create a socio-political statement and render an emotional connection with the audience. Her collection named ‘Broken Souls’ was about bringing awareness about the destructive effects of child labour. With her colour palette including muted shades of green, black and white, the collection included dark, tall silhouettes.

Farah Usman’s collection ‘Transparent Shimmer’, to me, looked like glamorized casual, daily-wear clothes. Using materials like chiffon and net, Usman displayed the concept of ‘transparency’. The collection was inspired by both eastern and western trends.