By Maliha Rehman
The business of men’s fashion is an important one, even an essential one – but it is one that often gets sidelined by the spotlight, in Pakistan.
The statement sherwani or the impeccably fitted suit just usually ends up getting lost, outnumbered by the plethora of unstitched lawn, pret, luxury-wear and wedding-wear designed for women. In fact, very frequently, designers who started their career with menswear have diversified towards womenswear, recognizing it as a much more lucrative field. Some have even set aside menswear altogether.
Emraan Rajput is not interested in doing anything of the sort. Menswear is his forte, his raison d’etre, and he intends to keep innovating within it. Over a career that now spans more than a decade, Emraan has streamlined his design ethos, explored the intricacies of stitching and silhouette and understood his clientele. There may be a deluge of womenswear in the market but it would be safe to say that an Emraan Rajput design for the discerning man still stands out.
How is this so? I meet with Emraan to discuss how he has built his brand and made a mark in the market for menswear in Pakistan.
For one, he feels that showcasing designs regularly on the catwalk is essential. “The fashion council-lead fashion weeks are no longer taking place,” he points out, “although the Hum TV Network regularly organizes the Bridal Couture Week (BCW). I could not take part in the show last year but I do plan to do so regularly. BCW is great for bringing in business.”
“Shoots are also necessary. They need to be planned out in detail, from the location to the makeup artist, the stylist and the photographer. The product needs to look good and all the details need to stand out.”
A cursory glance through the Emraan Rajput Instagram page attests to the fact that the designer invests in shoots very frequently. Every new collection gets shot with a particular aesthetic in mind before the images get rolled out on social media. A fashion shoot from earlier this year featured designs for grooms, with models taking centerstage against a backdrop of ancient arches and paint-splattered walls. A delightful lineup for children had the young models smiling toothily while sitting on the bonnets of antique luxury cars and tongas. A dramatic menswear shoot was photographed in the wide expanses of the Balochistan desert. Most recently, Emraan’s just-released lineup for the youth titled ‘ERresistible’, features images that are quite as punchy as the collection’s name, with young men posing in a range of quirky, fashion-forward casual-wear.
Generally, though, does Emraan believe in innovative fashion shoots or more straightforward catalogue-like imagery? “Innovation is very important,” he emphasizes. “It makes your collection stand out and be memorable amidst all the other designs on social media. For some time now, I have been opting to shoot my collections in Lahore. There’s a more varied pool of stylists, makeup artists and photographers there and they are more excited by the concept of working on editorial images.”
His brand also has a repertoire of working with celebrities. From Bilal Abbas to Wahaj Ali, Danish Taimoor, Muneeb Butt, Bilal Saeed and Imran Ashraf, veritably all of Pakistani TV’s popular leading stars have been seen wearing Emraan Rajput at some point or the other. Now that his brand is an established menswear label, does Emraan prefer working with models or celebrities? “For the past one year, I have particularly focused on working with models. I now know my audience and the kind of images that connect with them. Still, the power of celebrity ambassadors cannot be ignored. To date, I have customers who come to my store holding an image of an actor, wanting to place an order for clothes that are exactly like his.”
He continues, “At the same time, there are some male models who I feel carry the designs very well. The problem is that most male models in Pakistan move on to other careers after four years or so. There is no longevity to their careers and no respect or recognition. Often, the male model wearing a sherwani is a filler in a shoot for bridal-wear. Or, he’s a prop in a fashion show, walking with the ‘dulhan’ on the ramp, right at the end of the show. In my 11 years’ long career, I am now working with the fourth generation of male models!”
This is one of the main reasons why Emraan has also not planned a solo show for his brand, investing instead in shoots and social media promotion. “Where would I get enough male models to take part in a solo fashion show comprising of 40 different designs?” he asks. “I think this is precisely why there have been no solo fashion shows focusing on menswear in Pakistan.”
I ask him where his clientele is primarily from? “Karachi, of course,” he names his homebase, adding, “and a lot of people order from Punjab. I also get a lot of orders from the UK, USA, Canada, Europe and the Middle East. The only orders I am often unable to entertain are the ones from India and Bangladesh. Deliveries and payments can’t be managed directly from there. It has to be done via Dubai which can be very tedious and expensive.”
Why hasn’t he considered expanding to other cities within Pakistan? “It’s something that I keep contemplating but I feel that I wouldn’t be able to do justice to my business,” he admits. “When people come to my store, they want personalized service. They want to consider different fabrics and designs and discuss details at length with my team which has been with me for the longest time and is very well-trained. They also often want to meet me which is completely understandable. A man placing an order for his big day wants special attention. I think that I am able to provide this. If my work was spread out between two or more stores, with the inventory and staff also divided, I wouldn’t be able to fulfill my clientele’s requirements. Our online business, though, does very well.”
He is also very enthusiastic about experimenting with new collections. “ERresistible, which I have just launched, is a fast fashion line,” he tells me. “A niche clientele comes to me for their formal-wear but I now wanted to create a collection that was casual and trendy for younger men. Also, a lot of times clients would tell me that they were unable to find well-stitched, fashion-forward regular clothes for their sons. This particular collection is for this target market. It consists of shirts and pants, all very basic and easy-to-wear. I have worked with jute net, crochet embroideries, cottons and cotton silks. It’s a summer-friendly collection and the prices are very competitive.”
It’s an exciting lineup – and also, a sorely needed one in a market where, aside from one or two high-street labels, there are hardly any trendy, casual options available for men. “I understand my market,” he smiles.
Emraan’s words ring true. Earlier this year, during a swelteringly hot Eid, Emraan had launched a line of well-tailored kameez shalwar and kameez pants in solid colors. In the winter, he brings out elaborate tuxedos with velvet accents and tone-on-tone embroideries. How does he know precisely what will work and when? “I think I now have enough experience to know what customers want to wear,” he says. “I shoot collections six months beforehand and generally my predictions work out well.”
And then, there are the clothes that work all the year round. As I wrap up the interview, Emraan shows me a collection that he is working on; inspired by classical art. The prints and the embroideries are exquisite and standout and the jackets and long coats fall impeccably. It’s a lineup that would work brilliantly, on and off the catwalk, on the red carpet and at soirees, on men and even women. And then, you would want to place the clothes away carefully, to be worn the next time you want to make a statement.
At a time when the market is submerged in the bling and embellishments characteristic of womenswear, it is this flair for fashion, coupled with expert tailoring, that makes an Emraan Rajput creation stand out.
What do you think?