An extension of its 4th International Textile and Leather Exhibition, TEXPO, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) hosted ‘The Fashion Show (Day-01)’ on 26th May 2023 at the Expo Centre in Karachi. Welcoming the who’s who of the fashion world, the event is set to be a two-day fashion extravaganza, closing on 27th May 2023.
Chief guests for the evening were Federal Secretary of Commerce Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui, Chief Executive TDAP Zubair Motiwala, and Secretary TDAP Fareed Iqbal Qureshi.
An exclusive showcase for the media and foreign buyers, the event featured a treasure trove of designs, putting the spotlight on ready-to-wear, resort wear, and luxury pret items. All collections showcased at the event were exclusively curated with a focus on sustainable fashion, keeping in line with the theme of this year’s TEXPO, ‘Weaving the Way to Sustainability’.
The first day of the event offered collections by designers and design-houses Rizwan Beyg, Adnan Pardesy, J., Huma Adnan, Sana Safinaz, Wardha Saleem, Salt by Ideas, AIFD, M Jaferjees, House of Aamna Aqeel and Deepak Perwani.
Rizwan Beyg opened the show, followed by Adnan Pardesy, who lit up the runway with his ‘Roshnai’. A modern take on a classic fabric, the collection pushed the boundaries of what denim can be. A standout piece from the collection was a metal corset painstakingly created by the designer himself. Huma Adnan presented ‘Tolerance’ – a collection of beauty born of cross-cultural expression. Standing firm on her belief in cause-based fashion, Huma Adnan’s designs were representative of cultures adopted in a sustainable way.
Sana Safinaz presented ‘Raya’, a curation of 11 unique designs redefining monochrome couture with silhouettes that fuse timeless forms, draped in layers of mystical embroidered textures and glimmer. Salt by Ideas unveiled ‘Sleek-Spectra’, inspired by the allure of structural and boxy silhouettes and the expressive power of neon colors. M Jafferjees’ ‘Resort 2023’, showcased an array of timeless classics that blend traditional values with modern sensibilities. House of Deepak Perwani closed the show with its collection ‘Starry starry night’, a minimal diffusion collection with silhouettes blending eastern and western fashion with subtle embellishment on lux fabrics.
The day-one of this fashion-gala was directed by Nubain Ali, boasted Dino Ali and Anoushey Ashraf as its red-carpet hosts.
TEXPO 2023 paid tribute to the textile and leather industries for their resilience in the fight against the impact of climate change on Pakistan. It hosted 300 plus exhibitors, international textile sourcing agents, Pakistan’s leading designers and industry specialists from around the world, all while reflecting offerings ranging from leather garments, footwear, cotton, readymade garments, home textiles, denim, knitwear, sportswear, among others.
Buyers from Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, China, Japan, Columbia, Egypt, France, Germany, Iran, among others, attended the TEXPO this year. While buyers from 48 non-traditional markets and 286 new consumers registered.
Top international brands registered for the event include Smiffys, Royce Too LLC, Pem-America’s INC, Komex and Faro (Poland) – apparel and home textiles, Action (Netherlands), C&A (Germany) – apparel chain, French Connection (UK) – apparel chain, El Corte Ingles (Spain) – departmental stores, Essenza Home (Netherlands) – Tchaikovsky Textile (Russia), among others.
Official media partner for TEXPO 2023 was Hum TV, while the official radio partner was FM91. event management and Public Relations (PR) of TEXPO 2023 was handled by Take II.
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