The last time the designer duo wowed us with their fashion acumen and designing skills, was at the launch of their flagship outlet at the Galleria Mall, Lahore. From bold reds to subtle greens, the couture and semi-formal collection on display at the store, sold like hot cakes and set trends for the ensuing bridal season. This season, Saira Faisal and Shakira Usman, team up with Crimson, for their lawn collection. Their partnering with the design house is not new and the duo seems excited about their venture. “We come up with the design and concept and Anum and her team make it production friendly and take over from there. We are all on the same page in that we are perfectionists – working constantly until we think we have perfected the outcome. Crimson is very supportive and encourages us to try out of the box ideas, something mass market retailers are usually weary of. We’ve had such a fantastic work relationship with team Crimson during our Luxe collection that it only seemed right to team up for lawn. When you connect with the right people, everything works like a well oiled machine; it just helps you bring out your best work,” they tell me. Many women complain about seeing certain prints, patterns and colours, repeat themselves year after year. Staying different and unique for a lawn brand might come across as difficult, owing to the saturation in the market of lawn designers. “We’ve always wanted to steer away from the typical and put something new on the table for people to try. This year we’ve put together a recipe of surrealism with a pinch of quirkiness. Internationally, checkered patterns are making a comeback, florals are dominating but the best design houses continue to reinterpret the trend. Butterflies and happy-go-lucky motifs have been spotted on a number of runways but our favourite print trend is the emblazoning of art and paintings into print. You will see our interpretation of these in Solivagant. Styling sets the tone for local summer trends as women look to our catalogue for the latest in stitching and accessories. Classic styles of pants and mid to short-length shirts will dominate,” the designer duo remark. They seem to have everything planned and in motion – a testimony of the fact that they have been carefully deciding on their lawn choices prior to the season. “The collection is called Solivagant which means a wanderer. It is inspired by the fearless, free-spirited woman who loves to wander. The joy of getting lost, the thrilling strangeness of the new and the fearlessness to embrace experiences define the Solivagant. You will see landscape inspired embroideries, mountains and water, surreal prints, Alice in Wonderland like patterns, exotic flora and gorgeous ancient relics. Every design tells the story of a new experience. It is different from any lawn collection you may have seen in its careful attention to detail, daring use of print and colour, the inclusion of scenic embroideries rendered in multi-colours and the addition of Saira Shakira signature metallic and embellished details. Solivagant has all the oomph of luxury wear and the practicality of lawn so it’s a real bargain at the retail price we plan on offering. We hope our audience loves the collection as much as we enjoyed designing it. Saira Shakira did not foray into the industry with a big bang. Instead, they slowly and gradually made their presence felt among giant retailers and design houses. I ask them if they’re secretly rooting for any brand’s lawn this season. “We are excited to see what the entire fashion fraternity comes up with but particularly looking forward to Mahgul’s debut lawn.” The Saira Shakira lawn for Crimson is priced between Rs 6,500 to Rs 7,500.