The recently concluded Spring/Summer fashion week in Lahore by Sunsilk gave fashion buffs much to talk about. HSY opened the first day with Paranoia focused on the life and times of the young technology driven new generation of today. The collection’s general aesthetic is relaxed and based in luxury fabrics such as hand woven silk and organza. Misha Lakhani’s Caravan is about poetic storytelling through hand-woven fabrics and superior fit. Saira*Shakira showcased Jiç using sporty forms and themes in clean lines, sculpted crop tops, racer back-straps on the front, sporty block-coloured panelling and embellished jackets. Emerging designers Sharoz Tariq, Zainab Hamid, Asra Khalid and Amna Sheikh presented their respective collections, as well. Tariq’s Let’s Celebrate! is about the festive spirit of Spring and Summer seasons. Inspired by contemporary western silhouettes, he featured floral fabric manipulation without the use of any embellishment. Hamid’s Still I Rise is inspired by the boldness of a woman and the strength and beauty with which she faces the storms of the society. It features experimentation with bold digital prints and patchwork, using slub khaddar and cotton. Khalid’s collection, The Local Vendal explores a diversity of cuts, silhouettes and textures, while Sheikh’s Rivaj-e-Virasat incorporates gold tila embroidery and gota pati on denim. New talent, Kokab Alvi draws inspiration from the nomadic and tribal background for Explorer Meets Music, incorporating high-quality silk and wool blends in traditional cuts. Zonia Anwaar’s ZELLIIJ boasts of geometric patterns with monochromatic streaks bonded with hand drawn rosettes on light weight silk, twill weave cotton and close knit sheer net to give this Spring well-deserved vividness. Generation by Khadija Rahman showcased its Bring Basant Back collection by drawing inspiration from the festival, the designer offered shape, construction and patch work of locally made kites to explore infinity in forms. Making a debut with her new western wear line, Sania Studio, Sania Maskatiya showcased Cruise Collection 2017, featuring intricate floral patterns and lively motifs in its signature house prints. This new line is based entirely on pure, luxe fabrics cut and draped in a range of directional but feminine silhouettes tailored by the finest craftsmen across Pakistan.

March by Ali Merch draws its inspiration from sea foam, loud mascara, & jazz music. It constitutes of large swathes of denim, giving the ensembles a broad appeal. Shiza Hassan showcased Lolita based on a style movement which started in Japan in the 70’s with an East-meets-West theme and radical art inspiration. Saira Rizwan’s Summer of Love is all about the fun loving summer trends such as frills and fringes over a variety of loose and flowy silhouettes. Amir Adnan presented Revisiting Heritage, a menswear collection comprising of formal, evening wedding wear of the past. Ethnic by Outfitters offered the Denim Patched-Up which revolved around offbeat fashion through the use of organza, grip silk, denim, high twist and net with a lot of experimentation in cuts. Holographic Memory by Cross Stitch incorporated luxurious fabrics and unique embellishments, and made use of opulent fabrics, stand-out detailing and intricate hand sequin embellishments. Sapphire closed the second day with Totem which is about oriental art and narrative paintings, featuring an earthy colour palette with silhouettes of endearing spirit animals, juxtaposed against Wind, Water and Air elements.

The final day began with Mughal Sway by So Kamal and was all about giving a contemporary touch to the traditional craft. The collection incorporated Mughal era-inspired bold patterns and chunky, stone encrusted embroideries in its ethnic wear. Noor by Saadia Asad showcased Daastan-e-Noor incorporated prints inspired by bold botanical elements with a fusion of modern ornaments on a blend of lawn, chiffon and silk. Rang Rasiya’s Spring Canvas highlighted curving lines to gilt and gold, and extravagant style of art inspired from timeless European patterns and medieval French roses. Chateau Marmont by Sana Safinaz draws its inspiration from the glitz and glamour of old Hollywood, featuring intricately crafted floral motifs in beadwork, embellished embroidery and dramatic appliqué on silks and plush cotton blends. Khaadi Khaas presented The Nomad collection, an interpretation of Central Asian rural crafts and modern aesthetics with eastern silhouettes, voluminous straight cuts and large scale prints embellished with chains, studs and leather foil sheets. Adnan Pardesy showcased Quixotic, integrating luxe fabrics such as silk organza and charmeuse, and boasting of embellished shalwars, summer layering and jackets in a variety of silhouettes. Republic by Omer Farooq offered PARADOX to the audience, making use of cotton, denim, jersey, tropical wool and a variety of silks to create structured silhouettes. Ali Xeeshan closed day three with Victory, comprising of 3D embellishments on neat cut lines, feminine flare and couture tailoring.