Indo-Pak designers exhibited their craft at the Shaan-e-Pakistan event

‘Shaan-e-Pakistan’, a three day fashion and cultural extravaganza in the capital kicked off with the aim to the bring India and Pakistan closer through fashion, food and music. The event’s curator Huma Nassr said that the aim of ‘Shaan-e-Pakistan’ is to forge newer ties between the two nations with fashion and culture.

Held at Hotel Grand, Vasant Kunj here, the second day of the cultural extravaganza on Friday saw Indian and Pakistani designers exhibiting their work for visitors.

A confluence of myriad colours, fabrics, hand-made embroidery and exquisite designs from across the border marked the second day of the Shaan-e-Pakistan.

Nassr said that they aim to bridge the gap between the two nations with this event. They have come here with a lot of expectations and are happy with the reception which they have received thus far. It’s a display of talent and workmanship. They are bartering food, aesthetics and crafts through this initiative.

Pakistani designer and actress Sanam Agha exhibited an intriguing mix of traditional and western wear through her designs. Agha said that her collection is a fusion of east and west. She has used pure fabrics for her designs. They are mostly made of chiffon and pashmina. She had launched the first western wear collection in Pakistan during 2009.

While Agha’s designs were quirky, modern and highlighted a sense of fusion, Sahar Atif exhibited a beautiful bridal collection made of exquisite hand-made and nourished embroidery.

Atif said that the embroidery is slowly becoming a dying art. Many designers are turning from artists to entrepreneurs. But as she believe in the essence of art being art she is keeping the tradition of embroidery alive.

Atif also said that due to the nature of the work, which is purely hand-made and doesn’t involve machine-work, it takes “one year to make a bridal collection”. She makes use chiffon and printing on polyester fabric for printing designs which is highly experimental.

Among the Indian designers, Raakesh Aggarwal displayed quirky, modern-themed bridal wear, which will be a part of the fashion event on the final day of the three-day fashion gala. This is for the first time Raakesh is foraying into bridal wear. His collections have been mostly couture and exquisite party wear. But now he is displaying a new bridal collection.

Aggarwal’s work was centered on Indo-western designs, with heavy embellishments to give it a chic, modern feel while still highlighting the essence of modern bridal wear.

The three-day fashion gala ended on Saturday with a fashion show by all participating designers.