INDIA: [LFW] Pakistan Designers debut at Lakme Fashion Week

Pakistan Designers Faiza Samee, Rizwan Beyg, Sania Maskatiya and Zara Shahjahan to mark their Lakme Fashion Week debut at the upcoming season.

POPxo.com in association with Hello! Pakistan presents four Pakistani designers at LFW WF 2014

Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2014 is all set to host four remarkably talented Pakistani designers, another in a series of firsts for the Indian industry pioneer at its premier fashion event. This is a trail-blazing move in the history of Indian fashion, allowing for the co-mingling of creative sensibilities from both sides of the border. POPxo.com and Hello! Pakistan are presenting designers Faiza Samee, Rizwan Beyg, Sania Maskatiya and Zara Shahjahan who will mark their LFW debut with a grand showing on 22st August, at LFW WF 2014.

Commenting on this massive coup, Saket Dhankar, Head-Fashion, IMGReliance, said, "Lakme Fashion Week believes in showcasing new International designers each season. This season we are very excited to host four exceptional designers from our neighbouring country, Pakistan. Both countries have some extraordinary talent as well as fashion and cultural similarities and we are happy to bring them all together on one platform."

Priyanka Gill, Founder and Editor in Chief, POPxo.com said, "POPxo is delighted to partner with Hello! Pakistan to introduce 4 leading Pakistani designers at Lakme Fashion Week. It is an important collaboration and we are very happy to be playing a pivotal role in making it happen. We hope that it will be the beginning of a constructive, inspiring conversation between the Indian and Pakistani fashion fraternities which will benefit consumers in both nations."

Zahraa Saifullah, CEO Hello! Pakistan, said, "We are thrilled to bring a few of Pakistan's finest designers, including Rizwan Beyg, Faiza Samee, Sania Maskatiya and Zara Shahjahan, to the prestigious Lakme Fashion Week. We firmly believe this endeavour will be valuable in promoting the Pakistani fashion aesthetic and in enhancing future synergies between the fashion industries of India and Pakistan."

Lakme Fashion Week is scheduled to take place from 20th – 24th August 2014 at Palladium Hotel, Mumbai.

Introducing the four distinctively talented Pakistani design marvels:

Faizaa Samee:
A multi-award winning designer, Faiza Samee stands for tradition and innovation. She is known for rare and intricate hand embroideries.

Through her creations she is constantly evolving. She believes in paying tribute to the rich heritage by maintaining the highest standards of artisan craftsmanship and strengthening techniques.

Samee's LFW WF 2014 collection is inspired by a journey through the Central Asian landscapes and the old world romance of the Ottoman royal court. The ethnic Central Asian weaves and rich Turkik motifs form the heart of her collection with rich prints, embroideries and luxurious silks & velvets.

"My collection is produced by hand…each reflecting the passion and dedication we have towards our craft ensuring high standards of both luxury and quality."

Rizwan Beyg:
Rizwan Beyg is one of the most popular Pakistani designers. He boasts of prominent celebrity clients like Jemima Khan, Cherie Blair and the late Lady Diana.

The definition that "all fashion is a reflection of the times we live in and shaped by the culture we inhabit" is the basic concept behind all of Beyg's collections.

Beyg's design sensibility is reflected by a smart fusion style in terms of pattern and cut, all within the context of today's changing face of fashion.

Spearheading a philosophy of working with rural communities to empower women via ethical practice has led to a rise in non-exploitation awareness and Beyg is now considered a pioneer in this new awareness.

His LFW collection incorporates soft feminine romantic feel, smart and clean lines and reflects modern trends. It is a homage to the both the Pakistani woman and women globally.

Sania Maskatiya:
Sania Maskatiya is a talented young designer whose label has grown exceptionally since its launch on 2007.

She was recently shortlisted for the 2014 global 'Woolmark Award' – one of the world's most influential design awards.

Sania's signature aesthetic reflects a balance between elegance, comfort and practicality. Her designs often take imaginative inspiration from a unique interplay of colours, using imagery inspired by nature and her surroundings manifest across three main lines including prêt a porter, luxury wear and haute couture, for women of all ages. Her LFW collection will reflect the same sensibilities.

Her brand also retails a selection of Menswear apparel. Sania continues to showcase her designs both within Pakistan and on the international circuit extensively.

Zara Shahjahan:
Zara Shahjahan believes in making women feel beautiful. She says, "The way one dresses defines their personality. Beautiful clothes give a woman's personality an edge and the confidence to inspire her as well as the people around her." It is this very belief that her brand strives to achieve by giving its clients the power to inspire. These characteristics will be at the heart of her LFW collection as well.

Zara's brand is a decade old and over the years her design house has grown beyond borders due to her understanding of different cultural genres of style.

She covers all the bases of Luxury Pret, Western wear, and Couture with equal grace. She is passionate about everything vintage which she blends with her own unique style mantra. Her couture collections are extravagantly detailed with Gara embroideries, Swarovski crystals, and authentic hand crafted embellishments. 

About Lakme Fashion Week:
Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) is jointly organized by Lakme, the No.1 cosmetics and beauty services brand in India and IMG Reliance, the global leader in sports and entertainment event marketing and management. LFW has been conceived and created with a vision to "Redefine the future of fashion and Integrate India into the global fashion world". LFW is organized twice every year. Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2014 will be held from August 20 to August 24 2014 Palladium Hotel, Mumbai. For further information log on to www.Lakmefashionweek.co.in

About Lakme:
Contemporary Indian beauty expert Lakme continuously innovates to offer a wide range of, high performance and world class color cosmetics, skincare products, and beauty salons. In addition to leveraging Unilever's worldwide expertise, Lakme also partners with the leading cosmetic house Milan-based Intercos Italia, Schwann Stabilo Germany and Paris-based Fiabila. Combining international cosmetic technology with an in-depth understanding of the Indian woman's needs, Lakme also offers its consumers a comprehensive beauty experience through its products and services at the Lakme Salons and Studios. For further information log on to www.Lakmeindia.com

About IMG Reliance:
IMG Reliance Pvt Ltd., is an equal joint venture between Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), India's largest and most recognized private sector company, and IMG Worldwide (IMG), the world's leading sports marketing and management company. The joint venture company will develop, market and manage sports and entertainment in India. Its current assets include India's premier fashion event, Lakme Fashion Week and South Asia's only ATP World Tour event, the Aircel Chennai Open. 

About POPxo.com:

POPxo.com is India's first influencer-led content platform covering fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Attracting over 750k readers each month and over 2 million page views, it is fast becoming the leading digital destination with inspirational, viral content for urban Indian women and the South Asian diaspora worldwide. Log on to www.POPxo.com for more information.

About Hello! Pakistan:

Hello! Pakistan is Pakistan's bestselling monthly lifestyle & fashion magazine covering everything from cuisine & culture to fashion & celebrities. It combines the best of what Pakistan has to offer along with exclusive content from around the world made available for the first time in a locally published magazine.