MUMBAI: The first Pakistan Fashion Week, which is scheduled to take place in Lahore in October this year, is being organised by the country's television channel ARY digital Network.
Top designers from Pakistan and India are expected to showcase their latest collections in this maiden concerted effort to bring Pakistani designers under one roof and showcase the talent that they possess to the world.
IMG, the world’s premier sports, leisure and lifestyle management and marketing agency, which also has been managing the Lakme India Fashion Week since its inception in 2000, will be the International Consultant for Pakistan Fashion Week.
ARY Digital Network president and CEO Salman Iqbal said, "Over the years ARY has been promoting Pakistani talent from the music and television industry around the world and we are now proud to pioneer the effort to popularise Pakistani fashion to the world. We expect this initiative to help grow and support the evolving fashion industry through a structured approach. Pakistan Fashion Week will bring together all the important elements of the fashion industry in an integrated manner. Pakistan has the potential for becoming a significant player in the booming fashion sector and Pakistan Fashion Week will play a critical role to help achieve this position."
Pakistan Fashion Week is expected to provide a platform to develop business opportunities for designers, encourage investments and professional input in design labels, and aid the growth of the designer ready-to-wear lines. The development of an entire fashion supply chain through backward linkages with suppliers and textile mills and forward linkages with the retail and distribution network is estimated to create employment for a large number of youth in Pakistan. The event will also provide Indian designers to highlight their creativity and tap a new market.
The participating designers will showcase their ready-to-wear and bridal lines at the country's largest fashion event. The four-day event will include 16 shows, exhibition stalls, and business seminars. Thirty designers, 25 from Pakistan and five from India are expected to participate. The participation of Indian designers is likely to cater to the increasing demand in Pakistan for their products. Pakistan Fashion Week has been conceived with the primary objective of creating business relationships and facilitating a dialogue between designers, trade buyers and media.
ARY Digital Network has appointed IMG as the International Consultant for organising Pakistan Fashion Week. IMG today owns New York Fashion Week, Los Angeles Fashion Week and commercially represents London Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, Sao Paolo Fashion Week, the British Style Awards and IMG Models is considered the world’s number one agency.
IMG senior vice president and IMG/TWI, South Asia managing director Ravi Krishnan said, "We are excited that ARY Digital Networks has taken the initiative to organise Pakistan Fashion Week. We hope this will be the catalyst for the Pakistan Fashion Industry to make its mark and also provide an opportunity for Indian Designers to open up what could be a significant market for them. IMG is proud to be playing a role in this historic initiative."
Pakistan Fashion Week will be open to visitors by invitation only. It is expected to have more than 12,000 visitors ranging from individual buyers to institutional buyers, retailers, exporters, the textile industry, print and electronic media, as well as sponsors' guests.
