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Infashion: Fashion to the rescue
By Faryal
Shahzad
Around 15 fashion houses and over a dozen models volunteer to put an
act together under the auspices of PFDC and Hum Pakistani to catwalk
for the cause which has become one of the world’s biggest
displacement crisis.
The local fashion fraternity yet again joined efforts in the wake of
a national crisis while the elite of Lahore responded in equal coin
more so, than in equivalence in terms of clued-up concern. At a
fundraiser extravaganza that claims to have raised Rs4 million for
the IDPs, the chaste spirit of charity seemed to be more about being
fashionably philanthropic.
Ignoring the insane and threatening SMS messages, the affording
braved the venue, contributing generously through high-priced entry
passes and donations, but the detached attitude and relative
ignorance of most among the audience regarding the pain and
particulars of the Swat crisis left one wondering if entertainment
and sensitivity towards a cause can actually go side-by-side. Some
female guests, in particular, when approached, were at a loss to
comment on even the simplest aspects of the calamity and had little
to say on the plight of the IDPs.
Around 15 fashion houses and over a dozen models volunteer to put an
act together under the auspices of Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC)
and Hum Pakistani to catwalk for the cause which has become one of
the world’s biggest displacement crisis. Hum Pakistani is an
umbrella organisation that unifies more than 20 NGOs to provide
relief and services to the IDPs. The venue was Lahore’s Royal Palm
Golf and Country Club and Maria B, HSY, Karma, Nickie Nina, Kamiar
Rokni, Sonya Battla, Mehdi, Sonia Azhar, Asifa & Nabeel, Zara
Shahjahan, Ayesha Hashwani, Hajra Hayat, Elan by Khadija, Sublime
and Libas were among the fashion brands that paraded their summer
collections during the 25-minute fashion segment, showcasing an
impressive cool blend of colours and cuts.
The show opened with Zeb and Haniya performing Aitebar, Chal Diye,
Kabhi na Kabhi, Kahan and Chup. During the small multi-media
presentation aimed at educating and sensitising the audience to the
plight of the IDPs and the relief efforts, tempting hors d’oeuvres
were served on the tables and one could see the audience busy
socialising and chit chatting, being further distracted from the
real issue at hand. Meanwhile, a handful of members from Hum
Pakistani could be seen encouraging the audience to pay attention or
at least spare a minute to go through the heart-rending images and
information compiled and placed in abundance on every table.
Collaborating with the Red Crescent Society of Pakistan, Sarhad
Rural Support Programme, Care, Pakistan Medical Association,
Pakistan Rising, Shirkat Gah, Aurat Foundation, Flame, Peace, Shehri,
Horizon Fountain House, PFDC and a lot of other non-governmental
organisations, Hum Pakistani has managed to send articles worth
Rs5.5 million to the affected areas. Wheat, food rations, water
storage tanks, stoves, mattresses, bed sheets and pillows, besides
other utilities have also been dispatched. Cash support of over Rs8
million has also been provided and the organisation also aims to
work with the media to sensitise the public on the issue at hand.
It was a breezy evening in Lahore and the outdoor setup was
tastefully managed across the verdant golf grounds. The management
contributed towards the cause by providing a three-course meal
following which Hasan Sheryar Yasin thanked the audience for their
presence, marking the opening of the summer collection show after
which models took immediately to the runway sporting one of the
season’s most popular themes of black and white.
The black-and-white summer sonata combined the works of all
designers, as did the other colour-based segments to follow, in an
effort to compromise individual identity of participating designers
for the sole purpose of becoming one and uniting efforts for the
cause. Long, flowing dresses, adorned with embroidery and
embellishments, shirts with black and white striped trousers, all
seemed to lend a cool, breezy start to the show. From black and
white the designers moved to whites only, highlighted in silver and
gold. Two-piece, as well as, single-piece outfits seem to be the
popular wear this summer, as chic cuts were paraded in both types
along the runway.
Lemon was the colour next in line, a hue that never fails to appease
the eye in the scorching summer heat. Different shades of yellow
contrasted with white and adorned with gold mesmerised the audience
with their effect. By now the designers were gradually moving
towards darker and more intense colour tones, but only for their
effect to be neutralised by embroidered and sequined virgin white
gowns.
Well-crafted creations in pale pink, yet another obvious choice for
summer, were then paraded on the ramp. Delightful was the fact that
none of the collections were overdone in terms of embellishments or
gaudiness, and seemed to reflect the sedate summer mood quite aptly.
The designers seemed to have focused more on colour, cut and fabric
rather than loading dresses with heavy work. A pleasant amalgam of
yellows, whites and blacks came on the runway, each piece adorned
with delicate laces. Sky blue and aqua were next, and the models
looked stunning sporting creations in both, while orange and
burgundy made yet another bold entry. Surprising was the fact that
there were no short, skimpy, see-through dresses seen on the
catwalk, perhaps due to the fact that there were no multinationals
or other big names sponsoring the show that could dictate the type
of dresses that the models would showcase.
The procession to follow was all done in red, and though it was to
wind up the show, the depth and exquisiteness of the colour made it
the highlight of the show. There was uniformity in colour and yet
each piece displayed had an exclusivity of its own. There were
chiffons, silks and laces embellished in different shades of
scarlet, cerise and burgundy, and embroidered in gold.
The accessories were by HSY and Amna Kardar with hair and make-up by
Athar Shehzad. Sehr Saigol, among the main organisers of the show,
talked about how much the event had managed to raise at the closing.
By the time the show came to an end, the feeble breeze blowing
across the Royal Palm Resort was gradually gaining strength and the
guests hurried to their cars, while a multitude of Hum Pakistani
folders lay unclaimed and abandoned on the tables.
DAWN Images: Sunday, 14 Jun, 2009 |
