When it comes to Pakistani fashion, after a point we all just become accustomed to the idea of seeing the bad more than the good in the name of fashion but what I have seen this past weekend has in fact set a much worse and worrisome standard.
While medical experts around the world are developing vaccines to battle one pandemic, it might also well be the time for our fashion gurus to put their heads together and rethink where this industry is headed because if the recently concluded Bridal Couture Week is any indication, we might just find ourselves in a ‘fashion-pandemic.’
Fittings, and other Faux-pas:
Probably the biggest blunder that could be witnessed right from the very first collection of the first day and continued onto many other shows was the bad fittings or rather it seemed the designers were just unbothered to make their outfits look even decent.
To be fair there were no extensive fittings allowed during the show owing to the coronavirus SOPs but the designers had been provided measurements of all models and had ample time to make alterations before the big show.
The fact that it wasn’t just one or two outfits that were badly fitted but many collections on especially the first day suffered from the very same really makes you wonder if the designers were even prepared for the showcase.
Similarly, another major problem with the collections was the tailoring. Somehow the outfits didn’t seem to even be well structured or stitched let alone the design itself. Balloon sleeves were somehow ‘deflated’ while frills and fringes which in some outfits seemed forced and just looked shabby given their substandard finishing.
Moreover, the painful repetition of colours and designs also didn’t help any of the designers as after a point you just start feeling as if you had seen the same outfits at least twice before.
Why has it become so difficult to try out different combinations and techniques when making clothes especially for a fashion week where there are millions watching. Pastel bridals, steel grey, peach, mustard and pink seemed to have been the favourite of most designers along with the traditional red — which of course no desi wedding is complete without.
Celebrities — Are they really THE showstoppers?
With the rising trend of ‘bahus’ and ‘betis’ crying buckets on primetime slots, we have seen a major boom in the trend of celebrity showstoppers taking over the runway.
While internationally the showstopper is supposed to be wearing the best piece of the collection, at the BCW that honestly didn’t seem to be the case as in many collections one could sense that a better piece was worn by a model who walked the runway before the celebrity while the celeb was in fact given an outfit that maybe was easier for them to carry.
Then again given how we have seen many of these celebrity showstoppers struggle on the ramp with them lifting up their lehengas and marching down the ramp as if in a parade, it really does make sense for designers to give them the second best or the easier outfit to carry as the sole aim of having them walk for the show seems to be to hog social media attention and promote the brand rather than showcase the best outfit.
Or maybe the celebrity showstoppers were in fact wearing the best outfit of the collection? If that’s so then I’d like to believe what I have said above.
Building off a point discussed above, we have of course seen celebrities not being able to carry their outfits well —be it heavy bridal numbers or even a gown, a lot of them just simply struggle to walk and at most times are seen lifting their lehengas up and running down the runway sometimes even ditching stilettos for joggers under a bridal number — which is simply agonizing to watch!!
While choreographers and designers of course don’t seem to mind so, I really do wonder if they’d be as ‘accommodating and forgiving’ if a model commits a similar act.
Decoding the Debuts
As much as I appreciate the platform giving room to new and upcoming designers to showcase their collections at such a massive stage, I also cannot ignore the fact that most of these collections were downright unflattering and dare I say ‘bad’.
It seemed as if the showrunners had at this point just let anyone who could pay up the entry fee display their collection without any quality check which is also disappointing given that BCW was celebrating its 10th anniversary this year — with that in mind you expect a certain standard out of the show and outfits showcased.
Out of these debutants, there was one designer who is infamous for unabashedly making and selling ‘inspired’ designs, and as expected the said person not only ended up feeling a bit too ‘inspired’ by the works of others but even ended up replicating another designer’s similar concept for his show.
A morning show sweetheart and famous beautician also made his fashion week debut with an army of celebrity showstoppers wearing the most atrocious pieces of garment one could ever imagine seeing. And if the gaudy and garish outfits weren’t enough, the bright and loud hair and makeup of the showstoppers could very well remind you of a 90s’ horror movie.
While the rest of the collections weren’t as bad they were also not very outstanding. These designers seemed to have watched the market closely, they knew they had paid for showcasing and only wanted to tap into their market further.
The criticism here is definitely not to write-off any designer and even though we end up blaming the designers for producing unappealing clothes, it is the responsibility of fashion week organisers to set a certain criteria and ensure a thorough quality check so at least the show doesn’t become a mockery.
And Then All That Was Good
While there were some of the most horrendous outfits displayed over the three days there were also a few collections that appeared as a light at the end of a tunnel. However, even the best collections had their share of flaws and it was more of a case of being the figure among cyphers.
Starting with Fahad Hussayn whose collection although suffered a fittings fiasco still managed to dish out a few memorable pieces such as the opening number on Sabeeka, a yellow ensemble on Nimra and black outfits on Maha and Walid along with the printed rust shawl on Abeer.
Haris Shakeel was surely a surprise package with his sense of colours and print. Especially I found his shalwar suits vibrant and wearable, that said I do hope he works on his tailoring, finishing and of course fittings.
Naushad Imdad also had me impressed with his smartly curated collections featuring pieces that not only will sell but also were pleasing to watch. Of course it wasn’t a perfect collection but definitely among the best.
Munib Nawaz was the last designer to showcase on Day 1 and the collection had some very interesting pieces such as a neon green sherwani, asymmetrical jacket over kurta pajama, the black ensemble on Munsif as for the womenswear the white and gold outfit on Farwa is a winner for me.
The only thing anyone remembers from Day 2 is the ostentatious outfits by a certain designer. But designers like Uzma Baber somehow managed to restore my faith in fashion. I particularly admired the certain elegance her ensemble carried and a clear favourite for me was the ensemble on Aneesa and how graceful it looked.
Ali Xeeshan presented his collection titled ‘Numaish and his outfits were without a doubt worthy of exhibition. My personal favourites were the sherwanis paired with banarsi shawls on Aimal, Imi, Walid and Munsif along with the showstopper red bridal on Roshanay.
Another collection that stood out was by Ahsan’s Menswear as I liked the fabric, tailoring and the use of solid colours.
Jeremyn Street that also was a debutant at BCW showed everyone that with attention to detail, the right styling and an eye for fashion you can score a winning collection even in your very first fashion week outing.
The sherwanis, the suits and the kurtas all were elegantly tailored and did not seem shabby; there were however one or two pieces that seemed off but that can be let go. The maroon shawl and gold sherwani on Guzel, an orange ensemble on Imi and the red sherwani on Munsif get double thumbs up.
Last but not the least is Zaha Couture with as always a truly remarkable and flawless collection with not a single piece out of place. The showstopper bridal although was beautiful but the one outfit that still has me gawking on it was the blue ensemble on Abeer and what a marvellous piece of clothing it is — true craftsmanship.
It’s all about the Market
Although one might argue that the collections displayed by designers and allowed to be showcased at fashion weeks mirror the demand of their respective market niches but does that really justify the fact that year after year we are forced to sit through hours watching clothes that seemed to have been made without any thought process.
While the fashion industry at the end of the day is a business as brands and designers do need to make sales to keep themselves afloat and 5-star reviews can definitely not help them pay rents and salaries but must we suffer from the most atrocious of fashion each season.
Similarly, another theory floated as the industry tries to recoup and make sense out of the recent fashion week argues strongly about the impact of TV and celebrities on consumerism and the overall understanding of trends of the common buyer.
There’s also a perception of the local market still not having been exposed to the finer fashion given rising inflation and poverty which makes sense as well while the elite can’t stop gushing about Gucci and Chanel, and then Bunto Kazmi and Shehla Chatoor, there’s also a lower and middle-class class that also needs to be catered to.
This very segment makes up for a huge chunk of the purchasing power especially during the wedding season but all they want is to look good in of course for less hence designers also feel compelled to supply the ‘less finer’ of their works and shift their focus on churning out more pieces than creating exceptional wedding wear.
It’s all business when it comes to the bridal market, the after effects of which we are seeing at these fashion weeks when the sole aim of many designers is to attract more clients rather than produce aesthetically pleasing outfits.
Criticism or Bullying?
Concluding the article which by now may have offended at least a dozen people, it is important to address this growing sentiment where it is believed that critics’ feedback particularly on debut designers has been harsh and deemed unnecessary.
Such comments have also been equated to bullying. But as we know the fashion industry is as cutthroat as it comes and a designer is as good as his/her last collection. With social media having allowed everyone to form and express their opinion it’s rather naïve to expect any sort of compassion and nurturing for an unworthy collection.
Zaha Couture — a collection that is being praised because IT IS praiseworthy!!
For a designer who’s easily offended by negative press, should opt to present their collection for a select audience but when you enter the big leagues you should come prepared to either be praised or panned. And to expect fashion critics and analysts to let go only because it’s the designer’s debut is unfair to the person who’s doing their job.
A good collection is a good collection and a bad collection is a bad collection — regardless of it being presented by a veteran couturier or a debutant. The sooner we learn to take criticism positively the more we can improve as an industry.
