Flying the flag for fashion!

Hasina Momtaz

Faisana: Fashion Weekend wows UK audiences with the crème of Indian and Pakistani design talent
Preview by Hasina Momtaz

Last Friday evening I was lucky enough to be invited to the celebrity red carpet launch of Faisana: Fashion Weekend and had an exclusive peek at some new designs – never before seen in the UK – by three of India’s and three of Pakistan’s most celebrated fashion designers.

In a first of its kind entry on the UK fashion calendar, Anita Dongre, Rina Dhaka and Bhairavi Jaikishan (India) and Umar Sayeed, Nida Azwer and Sania Maskatiya (Pakistan) showed their high-end couture designs for the first time together on one international platform.

The two-day event, hosted by South Asian fashion gurus, Radhika Hasan and Aamna & Aisha, launched with an exclusive “Champagne, Canapés and Couture” evening on Friday 2nd May in the salubrious surroundings of the Mayfair Hotel’s Crystal Room, where trend setters, VIPs and media personalities formed part of an exclusive invite-only audience.

The event was also attended by celebrities such as singing sensation Kanika Kapoor; former Bollywood actress Madhoo; actress, comedian, writer and singer Meera Syal MBE; and one of India’s original supermodels, host and VJ Nina Manuel. We were privy to a runway show featuring the latest collections from all the participating designers. The stunning models, beautiful designs, fantastic music and chorography made this an evening to remember. The evening also featured a classical dance performance by celebrated Kathak dancer Fasih ur Rahman of the Akademi institute.

A public exhibition, The Grand Trunk Show, took place on Saturday, 3rd May, showcasing a wide range of the designers’ pret and couture collections for the general public. These pieces had not been seen or available anywhere in the UK previously.

I spoke to the organisers of the event to get their thoughts on why this was such an important event both for the fashion industry and the UK. Co-host and organiser Radhika Hasan said, “For the first time in the UK, Faisana brought together the best of Indian and Pakistani fashion on one platform, showcasing their latest collections. The response from media and buyers has been overwhelming, proving the point that the UK holds a tremendous opportunity for South Asian fashion.”

Co-host and organiser Aisha Tabani Chowdhry said, “We are thrilled that the UK audience has responded so incredibly to our Faisana concept. We had hoped to deliver something new and exciting and I think we managed to achieve that. Our six brilliant designers produced an amazing array of the best India and Pakistan have to offer – it was fashion heaven!”

Co-host and organiser Aamna Lakhany said, “Faisana Fashion Weekend proved to be a dream come true. It has been such an exciting and amazing experience and we are entirely overwhelmed by the huge amount of support we have received.”

Faisana: Fashion Weekend marked the first event to combine Indian and Pakistani fashion from the respective countries’ most lauded fashion houses, showcasing the high end of South Asian fashion. The participating designers are fashion icons in India and Pakistan respectively. Their unique designs transcend the contemporary, the young and hip and hence are a perfect fit for the London and wider UK market.

Following the trends on www.faisanaweekend.com.