Four designers have been part of the Fashion DNA mentorship program, initiated in Pakistan by the British Council. The designers have been part of the program for the past six months, training with global fashion big shots to hone skills in terms of business, production, marketing, creating their own brand and even on work ethics.

The four designers that were a part of Fashion DNA mentorship program that made it to Vogue are:

  • Wardha Saleem
  • The House of Kamiar Rokni
  • Zaheer Abbas
  • Akif Ilyas

Fashion Scout is one of the largest platforms for upcoming designers at London Fashion week and they had Pakistani designers showcasing their Autumn/Winter Collection on the runway. The designers are expected to showcase their full collection at the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week (March) and Fashion Pakistan Week (April) in Pakistan.

Apart from the four, 6 Pakistani Fashion Designers were featured on a segment of Fashion DNA as well. The handpicked designers then went through training through Skype session with top-notch designers Toby Meadows, Safia Minney, Sury Benegal and Carri.

1. Zuria Dor: Tropical Romanticism collection

In Dor’s collection, there was the usage of tranquil and calming colours of nature. The collection gave an impression of a gradient effect, starting from subtle tones leading up to teal and finishing with midnight-blue.

 

2.  Gulabo: The Hippie Trail collection

You could see the cultural touch in the collection from the northern areas of Pakistan while the core theme of the collection revolved around the hippy movement of the ’60s and ’70s. The leftover fabric cuttings were recycled and given to local charities to make quilts out of patchwork.

3. The Pink Tree: Jahan collection

As the name suggests, the theme of the collection is very regal and romantic. Hand-written calligraphy was embroidered on the garments like ‘Jaanam’ which translates into ‘love of my life’ in Persian. The colours ranged from gorgeous blues to warm orange hues and emerald greens. The collection featured delicate hand-painted prints, zardozi and hand-woven organza fabric.

4. JEEM: Songs of my Nation collection

The highlight of this collection was that it took minimum 96 hours in making. The collection was designed for women who want to redefine their fashion sense. The idea behind the collection would be much appreciated by ambitious and empowered females.

5. Sonya Batla: Weave — Indigo Infusion collection

The main theme of the collection was Sufism and was inspired by the Sufi Shrines of Pakistan. The popular tone being blue, the collection showcased gorgeous hues of the cool colour. The collection was solely made of locally hand-woven fabric including handmade ikat.

6. Munib Nawaz: Sci-Piritual collection

Munib Nawaz showcased his capsule men’s collection at the show on Saturday. It was a blend of science with the design which is quite evident through the name. There were two noteworthy jackets that exhibited the traditional ‘rilli’ patchwork and a hand-embroidered leather bike jacket.

The masterminds truly made us proud by exhibiting their work at such a prestigious platform!

Contributed by Adeela Akmal