By Maliha Rehman
The Saira Shakira Couture Studio – only recently having opened on Hali Road, in Gulberg, Lahore – takes one back to the designers’ trysts on the catwalk. Back when fashion weeks were still in circulation, the designer duo would regularly be a part of the entourage showcasing on the runway. Their signature was always modern, sophisticated, an edgy take on wedding-wear.
The designs on display at the Studio’s opening stayed true to the Saira Shakira ethos. The hand embellishments were inherent to the subcontinent – cut-daana moti, threadwork, kamdani, stonework – but the silhouettes often delved towards modern-lines.
A sleek skirt came paired with a backless, two-tiered shirt, with tone-on-tone embellishments in emerald green.
A standout design in deep red was worked with flora and fauna in gold with pops of color added in.
Another design which immediately caught the eye followed a monochrome black and white palette, with a loose fitting shirt set off by pearls, sequins and thread etching out artistic floral patterns.
There were boleros and longer jackets, sleek strappy shirts, izars, lehngas and pants and plenty of layering. It was quintessential Saira Shakira couture – wedding-wear with modern twists and interesting elements added in.
It made me wonder: do the designers miss the fashion week days, back when they could experiment with silhouettes and showcase them on a runway? “We definitely miss it,” they say. “With fashion weeks, you could go the extra mile, dabble with different variations in color and silhouettes to make an impact on the catwalk. We still do innovate with our designs but the focus, when running a studio, is to offer customers designs that they can connect with instantly. In the case of wedding-wear, most of our clientele wants to wear three-piece suits. And if there is a design that is sleeveless or backless, they ask to see how it will look with sleeves.”
So far, the designers had been operating through a private studio, where people could come in through appointments. What prompted them to expand to a more commercial place? “It was the next step for us. Earlier, customers would call us and ask for directions if they wanted to just come in and see the designs; others would take appointments. Now, people can just walk in. This studio showcases our formals and bridals from over the years, as well as our latest collection.”
I mention that the studio is also a very artistic space, the interiors having been conceived by Mohsin Ali Tasuwali. The clothing racks are lit up with flattering lights, there are installations and paintings on the walls and the nooks and corners that could veritably form the backdrop of a fashion shoot. “Now that we’ve opened up this space, we want our customers to have a shopping experience when they come to see the clothes,” say the designers.
They continue, “We have also introduced a range of more affordable bridal and wedding-wear. In this fast fashion age, there are clients who don’t want to spend too much on wedding-wear. They want to wear one design for some time and then buy new clothes. Also, we wanted to be able to cater to people with different budgets. The more affordable collection still has our aesthetic but there are less hand embellishments and more by machine, in order to save on costs.”
The couture studio’s launch gave one a whiff of the fashion week days, with many of Lahore’s fashion fraternity turning up to celebrate with Saira and Shakira. While fashion’s upper tier may not be as much in the public eye, due to the scarcity of events taking place, they are still very much at work. And they are eager to cheer for their peers and for events that celebrate Pakistani fashion. “It felt great that everyone turned up to support us,” say Saira and Shakira. “I think that we all miss fashion shows, where we would all get to meet each other as well as showcase our work. We all want to make an effort to support the industry and our peers however we can and it gave us such a boost that so many of the designers within Lahore came to our launch!”
What’s next for Saira Shakira? Their lawn collection – launched individually by the brand rather than in collaboration with an investor – is already up for retail, right in time for people on the lookout for Eid and Iftar-party wardrobes. Could they also be planning a solo show?
“Let’s see. We really want to,” they say.
And I, for one, would also really want to see that show. They may not be shouting it out from the rooftops through heavy-duty social media promotions and with the fashion week catwalk having bitten the dust, their latest work may not have been seen much, but it is evident that Saira Shakira have been growing from strength to strength.
The newly-opened Studio – artistic, elegant, classy – was testament to Saira Shakira’s clout as couturiers.
What do you think?