(DUBAI, Sep 8, 2009) Fashion Designer Sara Shahid takes her critically acclaimed label Sublime to multi label boutique Soirée in Dubai with an exclusive capsule collection on the 8th of September. Her presence at Soirée in Dubai is a natural extension of Sublime’s retail network across Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. Speaking about adding a new city and destination to Sublime, Sara has said: “It has been a proactive and busy summer 
for Sublime with the launch of our summer collections and Sublime.T. I feel now extending ourselves to Soirée is a natural progression and culmination to Sublime’s summer. The clientele in Dubai has always been great which is why I wanted to have a permanent base in the city. Soirée’s high end yet accessible fashion ethos and culture is synonymous with Sublime’s which makes this relationship instinctive and exciting.”
Sublime’s debut capsule collection at Soirée comprises of pieces from three distinct lines including:
SUBLIME DIVINE:
A couture line, made with rich ethnic pure silks, jamawars and chiffon fabrics. The embroideries are intricate with exclusive Sublime motifs carefully crafted by hand. Weddings, bridals, trousseaus, gowns for all special occasions, this line carries a variety of designs.
SIMPLY SUBLIME:
This ready-to-wear line is purely silhouette based. With completely western designing and cuts, this contemporary line has little or no embellishment and follows an international fashion forecast.
SUBLIME BY SARA:
Light to medium embellished tailored outfits with emphasis on superior cuts. A ready to wear line with attention to variety in design, produced in local fabrics with traditional embroidered motifs. Sublime By Sara prides itself on a subtle fusion of east and west making these outfits stand out locally and internationally.
In true Middle Eastern Ramadan spirit, this event will be a ‘fashion suhoor’ at the boutique and will also include and coincide with the introduction of other Pakistani and Middle Eastern designers.
Sublime will be available for retail from September 8 2009 exclusively at Soirée in Dubai.
ABOUT SARA SHAHID’S SUBLIME
In 1997, Sara Shahid graduated from London with a degree in fashion marketing and design. She returned to Pakistan and launched her career as a designer and partner at ‘Sub Culture’ in 1998. Five years into her vocation, this connoisseur of craft is an acclaimed entrepreneur and fashion icon. The year 2003 witnessed the launch of the independent label ‘Sublime’ – Sara Shahid’s brainchild and already a five time nominee of Pakistan’s most coveted LUX Style Award. This year Sublime has been nominated as the Best Prêt Designer.
Sublime believes in capturing the quintessence of feminism and natural beauty of a woman, with style. The central focus is the being of a woman. The designs are a fuse of the east with the west, where the finest from the past is blended with the contemporary. The results are classic outfits with unassuming, understated glamour. An advocate of simplicity and minimalism, Sara particularly emphasizes on the colour, tailored cut, comfort, drape and intricate embellishment of her outfits.
The Sublime fashion house features four lines; ‘Sublime Sara’ – the prêt line which includes eastern and western wear, ‘Sublime Divine’ – couture based and bridals and the ‘Sublime Women Entrepreneur Project’ – pieces handcrafted by women who possess skill, but lack the opportunity of being able to pursue a career beyond their homes. The concept translates into social responsibility, of which Sara Shahid is a loyal supporter. A recent addition, ‘Fab Sublime’ saw the successful launch of the label’s fourth line earlier this year and features a limited edition of exclusive, screen printed chiffons and a ready to wear line from the same fabric. Sublime also has on offer limited edition seasonal accessories which have previously included leather bags, belts and printed shawls.
Sara’s design expertise and versatility have enabled her to share her talent both within Pakistan and abroad, where she assumes the role of a fashion ambassador and makes a concerted effort to promote a progressive image of Pakistan. She has showcased her collection in Hong Kong at a fundraiser for the victims of the earthquake that hit northern Pakistan in 2005 and, on separate occasions partook in a Silk Route fundraiser and Bridal Festival in Los Angeles. Earlier this year in Pakistan, Sublime was seen on the ramp at the reopening launch of The Designers and also showcased collections as part of the Pakistan Fashion Design Council, twice: In December 2008 at their annual fashion show and in June 2009 as a fund raising endeavour for Pakistan’s Internally Displaced Persons. The LUX Style Awards nominated Sublime in Dubai (2004), Karachi (2006), Malaysia (2007) and Karachi (2008) in their best Prêt a Porter category.
The Sublime Sara Winter Line, ‘Live Life, Live Sublime’ introduced in winter 2008-2009 set trends by utilizing the medium of fashion as a platform to reflect a social situation – indeed a commentary based collection which was showcased on the PFDC ramp in Lahore in December 2008 to much acclaim. Sara Shahid introduced her ‘Real Woman’, campaign this Spring in addition to the launch of the limited edition, eco friendly and patriotic label, Sublime-T. In spirit of patriotism, Sara launched Sublime-T’s freedom collection to celebrate Pakistan Independence day on August 14. This September Sara will be launching Sublime at multi label fashion house ‘Soirée’ in Dubai.
Sublime’s boutique and stocked outlets include:
Soirée is Dubai’s first high-end, multi-brand Pakistani boutique. Elegant embroidery, sumptuous silks and Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage feature heavily in the designs showcased in the chic two-storey showroom.
At Soirée, the most prominent designers from Pakistan are brought together under one roof for the first time in the region, allowing fashionistas the opportunity to own this season’s latest creations straight from the catwalks of Karachi and Lahore. Designers on display include: Umar Sayeed, Rizwan Beyg, Deepak Perwani, Shamaeel, Maheen Karim, Nadiya Kassam, Sana Safinaz, Nida Azwer, HSY, Kamiar Rokhni and Nadya Shah. Many of these talented artists have never shown their collections outside of Pakistan.
Dedicated to designs that encapsulate the beauty of Pakistan’s luxury fashion scene, the name ‘Soirée’ was inspired by the shimmering glamour of embellished eveningwear. The comprehensive womenswear selection comprises bridal wear, saris, ensembles, tunics, dresses, jackets, embellished denim and kaftans. The range of accessories and striking accoutrements include beautiful Swarovski encrusted bags and shoes, perfect for parties or special events.
Soireé’s menswear selection features shirts, formal sherwanis, shawls and shoes, ideal for groomswear or formal occasions. In addition, a beautiful range of jalabeyas are available for the store’s Arabic clientele.
Soirée is also committed to encouraging the flair of up-and-coming Pakistani designers to blossom. A section of the boutique is therefore dedicated to displaying the designs of future ‘ones-to-watch’, such as Simoneel Sidiki, Huda Savul and Chamak. Local talent is also supported in the store that highlights designers such as Natasha Jethwani, who is gaining wide recognition for her stunning pieces of jewellery.
