Seventh Consecutive PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2014

In the lead up to the 7th PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week [#PSFW] being held from the 10 to 13th of April 2014, the Pakistan Fashion Design Council reveal their participating designers, textile houses and high-street brand list along with information on their corporate synergies.

Indeed the 7th PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week marks the tenth fashion week platform initiated by the Pakistan Fashion Design Council [with seven weeks of pret-a-porter and three of bridal fashion] and is a direct manifestation of the Council’s commitment to sustainability, structure and discipline with the business of fashion and the facilitation of Pakistan’s retail industry.

To this end, as announced earlier this February 2014, with their 7th consecutive prêt-a-porter Fashion Week, the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2014 teams continue and further their commitment to 3 distinct platforms within PSFW with separate showcases by Luxury/Prèt designers, High-Street brands and Textile Houses over a period of 4 days, defining and presenting trends for 2014, focusing specifically on the regions’ long hot summer months. Also in continuation of their spirit of promoting brand accessibility, the PFDC have invited all participating brands and designers at PSFW to create a dedicated stall space at the PFDC’s popular state of the art exhibition area, within the main runway show venue.

During PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week, expect Luxury Prèt collections at PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2014 from Akif Mahmood, Ali Xeeshan Theater Studio, Body Focus Museum, Deepak Perwani, Élan, Fahad Hussayn, House of Arsalan Iqbal, HSY, Karma – Pink, Khaadi Khaas, Maria B., Mohsin Ali by Libas, Muse, Nickie Nina, Nida Azwer, Republic by Omar Farooq, Rizwan Beyg, Saira Shakira, Sania Maskatiya, Shehla Chatoor, Teena by Hina Butt and Zara Shahjahan. In collaboration with Bank Alfalah, the PFDC will also be presenting the Rising Talent showcase comprising of 5 emerging designers.

Indeed Bank Alfalah’s patronage of the PFDC has grown from being a permanent banking partner to now working with the PFDC to nurture an entire generation of Pakistan’s emerging design talent, through this showcase. The PFDC also collaborates with the United Nations this year for a unique project as manifest in their collaborative showcase, “PFDC for Women Empowerment with UN”, where a panel of designers across Pakistan were invited to design and produce an indigenous version of the world’s most universally worn apparel, the T–Shirt, engaging regional craft in the form of colours, embellishments and embroideries. The T-Shirts showcased at PSFW will later be auctioned in Islamabad by the United Nations and the PFDC, whose common and long-term goal is to raise awareness of the need to empower women from rural areas.

In addition to the aforementioned showcases, the PFDC expands on popular demand their High-Street show platform to 3 days of afternoon High-Street shows featuring: Arooj Ahmed, Bareeze Man, BeachTree, ChenOne’s Pareesa by Sahar Atif, Generation, Gul Ahmed, Ittehad, Kayseria Pret, MK Nation and Roodaba Omar, highlighting contemporary affordable ready-to-wear apparel. Day 4 of the afternoon shows will comprise of Textile Mill Voile shows featuring: Five Star Textile Limited, Lakhany Silk Mills, Nimsay Redefining Style by Nimra Textile and Warda Prints.

Speaking about the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week platform, Chairperson of the Executive Committee of the PFDC, Sehyr Saigol said: “As we approach the 10th iteration of our critically acclaimed fashion weeks, the PFDC shifts gears, bringing the momentum inwards, recognizing the even greater need to work with brands to build market access and visibility within Pakistan. To this end we embrace an approach that focuses on building and institutionalising the strength of designers and brands through national retail prowess and accessibility.

To further this, the PFDC institutes a clear mandate on designer accessibility, not accepting any applications from established brands to participate at the PSFW show platform unless they demonstrate a visible commitment to retail presence and accessibility. In this same spirit, we are proud to have pioneered the concept of multi brand High Street retail with our PFDC High Street store, and what is even more significant, is its growth in the last year alone. At the PSFW, we now have 3 dedicated show days for High Street brands. We also work very closely with all of our emerging designers and several mainstream brands, to help hone their collections for the runway and retail alike.

The idea is to help more established brands grow their markets and access and to also introduce entirely new talent to the industry – the PFDC pioneered the entire concept of a new designer program precisely to work closely with burgeoning talent in the country and then provide such talent the production and retail support through the PFDC’s own stores. We are fortunate to have such committed sponsors and partners for the work we do at the PFDC, which gives us the flexibility and impetus to continue to grow our fashion week platforms.”

“The PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week is a key annual event for Unilever and provides us a great opportunity to take contemporary fashion into the homes of the Pakistani consumers. We recognize that Pakistan’s Fashion industry is now a major player in contributing to the development journey of this country and we are delighted that our brand Sunsilk is a part of such a fantastic effort

We are a company that believes in doing well by doing good and that is why our brands have stood the test of time and are household names today. Sunsilk is one of our many brands that are loved by the people in this country. I wish this event all the best and I am sure it is going to be a greater success.” said Asanga Ranasinghe, VP Home and Personal Care for Unilever Pakistan.

Indeed the success of PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week continues to prompt private sector associates to grow in their engagement of the platform to launch new products, marketing campaigns and promotional activities. In this spirit, this year the PFDC welcomes new sponsors, Abbas Carpets, one of Pakistan’s most influential carpet producers and exporters, now entering national retail through this platform, whose design ethos captures the opulent heritage of handmade rugs through an innovative infusion of vintage and nouveau concepts.

Indeed the synergy between Abbas Carpets and the PFDC is borne through their common vision of encapsulating and projecting a creative and design led aesthetic and business ethos. Also new to PSFW is the national carrier PIA, as special handling and travel partner. In continuation of their support for the platform, Magnum returns to PSFW for a second consecutive year with their popular custom made ice cream bar, Magnum Pleasure Spot, along with Diet Pepsi as the official beverage partner and Fed Ex – GSP Pakistan Gerry’s International as the official logistics partner, offering the PFDC a special arrangement for international designer consignments. Title sponsors Sunsilk also extend their patronage at Red Carpet sponsors will also be hosting an exclusive Sunsilk ‘Guess the Bottle’ Lounge.

PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2013 will be styled by the creative teams at Nabila’s and NGENTS. Show production and choreography is by HSY Events, front stage management by Maheen Kardar Ali, backstage management by Product 021, Sara Shahid of Sublime by Sara as the official spokesperson for the PFDC, logistics and operations by Eleventh Retail and photography by Faisal Farooqui and the team at Dragonfly with all media management by Lotus Client Management & Public Relations.