KARACHI: Shamaeel Ansari’s solo opening show for the Fashion Pakistan Council, wove a grand tapestry of colour, weave and exuberant design. The grand opening of Fashion Pakistan Week 2017 kicked off at her palatial residence as she presented a curated exhibition of the Blue Tulip. This Winter Festive, the Czarina of Style was inspired by Turkish art. This was displayed in a glamorously fashionable, walk-through solo show to kick start the four-day long Winter/Festive FPW. At the Blue Tulip event, no stone was left unturned in the attempt to re-create Turkey itself. The venue was turned into an avant garde museum where regal fabrics and intricate embroideries paired with gold lattice, perfectly embellished motifs of saw-toothed leaves, repeat patterns, plates and the sublime Tulips were showcased in a walkthrough, harmonised by Turkish elements, music and tapestry. The event consisted of art installations, complemented by large paintings of Osman Ali Hamdi and Ottoman Sultans, being used as a backdrop for the installations. In addition to authentic Turkish music echoing with the ”ney”, there were also recorded voice overs being played from time to time. Each element, the outfits, music, paintings and voice over, perfectly blended together, creating an ethereal and pulsating Turkish ambiance. A ramp show featuring Pakistan’s top models Fouzia Aman, Sadaf Kanwal, Areeba Habib, Nadia Hussain, Sunita Marshall and showstopper Amna Illyas enchanted the crowd with their stunning wardrobe. “Having previously designed collections inspired by Egyptology, the Mughal era and Venetian scrolls, I decided to take on Turkish art and culture for my Blue Tulip collection,” Shamaeel said. “I have always been fascinated by the Turkish heritage. It’s so rich and pure that it leaves one mesmerised. Taking this inspiration forward, I turned some of their crafts into intricately designed modern trends involving the sartorial nature of the grapevines in Iznik art, the visual philosophy of the Ottomans and large scale floral and seagulls of the Bosphorus. My aim was to create an ambiance that depicted Turkey in every way possible, from my many outfits to the décor of the event, everyone loved the vibe and the collection which makes me truly happy.” Amongst the tastefully lit lighting and décor were famous faces with the likes of Deepak Perwani, Feri Rawanian, Atiqa Odho, Anoushay Ashraf, Nabila, and many more. The show was an exceptional preview of what’s in store for Pakistan’s fashion-lovers over the next three days. There is much to expect from this year’s FPW, with a line-up of well recognised designers, each having a unique inspiration for the collection that they have tailored. The entire collection is available to order via the Studio by TCS website, the on-ground décor and installations by Anisa and Amina Rasheed Khan for RAKA and styling by Nabila rounded off a stylish event. Published in Daily Times, September 13th 2017.