Daily Times

The Asian Institute of Fashion Design (AIFD), in collaboration and with the unwavering support of Iqra University, marked a historic milestone in its 24-year fashion journey with a spectacular fashion showcase entitled ‘Fashion Odyssey.’

Held at Iqra University’s Main Campus on Saturday, the autumn-themed extravaganza drew an audience of almost 1,500 attendees, including some of the country’s top celebrities, fashion icons, influencers and key corporate figures.

Speaking about the accomplishments of the students of AIFD and the showcase, the Founder of AIFD, Sanober Ahsan expressed, “Equipped with a highly qualified and distinguished faculty and buoyed by a purpose-built-state-of-the-art campus, AIFD has been imparting the finest form of quality education to the students for 24 years. The focus at AIFD has always been its students and its faculty who possess intellectual curiosity and open-mindedness that has and will always continue to help craft and curate the future of Fashion. Today, it gives me immense pleasure to learn about the myriad achievements of AIFD graduates: what they are creating, the heights they have reached, top-tier jobs they have undertaken, the businesses they have launched and the recognition – locally and internationally they have garnered. Moreover, it fills me with a sense of pride to see designers like Zaheer Abbas and Adnan Pardesy, esteemed alumni of AIFD, excelling in the fashion industry and making a remarkable impact. It’s thrilling to see where our AIFD graduates have taken their talents which are being demonstrated at the ‘Fashion Odyssey’ show.”

The fashion extravaganza spotlighted the creativity and craftsmanship of AIFD’s final-year students of 2024 whose designs were brought to life by 11 renowned models from ZINC Modelling Agency. The runway was also graced by recently trained AIFD students making their fashion runway debuts, further illustrating AIFD’s diverse talent.

From handcrafted jewellery to intricate embroidery and fusion cuts, the imaginative designs highlighted the students’ innovative use of colour, texture and form. The runway, glowing with dusky lights and autumn-inspired foliage, was a testament to the artistry of the next generation of fashion visionaries.

Event Management and Production for AIFD’s ‘Fashion Odyssey’ show along with the PR was handled by Tehmina Khaled and TakeII Events and PR.

Industry legends Rizwan Beyg, as the official show director, and Nabila, as the official makeup stylist, lent their expertise to ensure an evening of seamless sophistication.

Quote from Rizwan, “The idea behind this show stems from the realisation that fashion plays a vital role in the cultural revival, yet it is slowly losing its essence as everyone focuses solely on bridal wear. AIFD has done a great job because they have turned out tremendous talents like Zaheer Abbas and Adan Pardesi we need to create a platform for young people to be able to do new experimental cutting-edge fashion and this is the perfect occasion where we can promote fashion through the AIFD fashion show.

The models showcased 60 couture masterpieces on the runway styled meticulously by celebrity stylist Tabesh Khoja, who has been a part of AIFD alumni. Ten additional wardrobe designs were also featured in an exclusive pictorial display.

Adding more star power, Asfa Sultan served as the mistress of the ceremony while Dino Ali hosted the red carpet.

Reflecting on the success of the event, the Chairman of Iqra University, Naveed Lakhani who lent his unwavering support remarked, “It was an honour to host the biggest fashion show in AIFD’s history, celebrating 24 years of creativity, passion, and artistry. This event not only showcased the exceptional talent of our students but also reaffirmed our commitment to nurturing the future leaders of the fashion industry.”

The momentous event was proudly sponsored by SHINE Soorty Enterprises, Foundation Fighting Poverty (FFP), Allure, Red Bull, The Ranjeet Kumar Show, Amavel Aura, Skincare Pakistan and VIDA.