Our correspondent speaks to the owner of the only specialised niche fashion boutique in Pakistan. Established in 2000, Sonya Battla has been a popular brand; catering to dignitaries and working women on a different level. Never compromising on quality and fashion sense, the brand has kept its integrity throughout the years and gained the respect of the fashion industry. Sonya Battla was the only fashion designer in Pakistan invited to speak at Oxford University representing Pakistan. She was also a part of the group of designers invited to the London Fashion Week. Graduating in 1995 in Women’s Wear Fashion, she attended ACL and Central St Martins in London, UK. Her flagship store remained the one place in Pakistan with countless original designerwear produced with a focus on originality as her education dictated. The brand would soon be celebrating its 20th anniversary. The Establishment I had graduated and was back working in Pakistan in a small appointment-based space. I decided to expand to a commercial store for the growing clientele. I opened my store in Zamzama and my business took off. My clients were loyal because they knew what they wanted as they had international exposure, so they understood the fashion sense. I started to get a very eclectic and discerning crowd which continued to be the same. They have been crucial for my growth and I hope they remain demanding and discerning for my good. My clothes speak through their style. It must be a part of your DNA; something that matches with your personality and I base my work on that. Design integrity is a must at Sonya Battla. My work enhances strong personalities due to its minimal nature. It allows the wearer space to shine. That’s what excites me as a designer. The Exclusive Clientele I have dressed many women leaders in the past; catering to their public sense of style. I love styling a strong personality. It gives me a sense of excitement when I know a person with a bold presence is wearing my clothes. Dignitaries such as Sherry Rehman and Maleeha Lodhi are all people with a unique sense of self, who carry forth into their fashion style. The Challenges “The growth has been slow and steady and a huge learning curve,” says Battla about these years. As a one-woman show with only a small team of exceptional staff, one can become stretched. This is an exclusive boutique where each design is thought-out with precision and care; not to fill up a rack. Style matters. Skilled labour and trained staff who work well within a niche market strategy are few and hard to find and even harder to retain. There is a dearth of discipline in functional staff generally. One has to work harder to maintain standards in Pakistan. On the other hand, people from the field of fashion like our masters and pattern makers are at par with the rest of the world. Breaking the norm in the Fashion Industry I wasn’t trying to make or break any barriers. I was trying to be true to my nature and being myself. You know the saying “Be true to yourself.” I didn’t realise that it would set a precedent in Pakistan. I had established and introduced a specialised “three-inch cut apart from the body” and at the time I started, I believe our market was ready for it. A lot of people were well-travelled, they were knowledgeable about pret-a-porter fashion, and once they saw it filtering here they picked it up. The wave of cleaner cuts and sleek lines was not a market strategy for me but more of an expression of my style and fashion sensibilities which I inculcated commercially into my business. I didn’t realize people would take it as a trend and take it forward, and I’m truly grateful this happened. International Recognition I was invited to read a paper at Oxford on fashion and the craft in Pakistan. I got excellent feedback and was asked to convert this into a book. It will be a long process but I was encouraged by my father who wanted me to complete this. Pakistan allows one to work closely with indigenous craft and update it for a modern global consumer. Slow fashion is a new global trend that Pakistan can encash as a business opportunity. The British Council put together a show to represent Pakistani fashion designers and I was one of them. It was lovely to be part of the London Fashion Week; there was much to learn and it was very inspiring to be amongst so many top designers. It’s a different experience altogether when one showcases on that level. The Family that surrounds me My parents not only supported me by my education but also in materializing my aspirations. My mother has played a great role in my life in this, she’s been my biggest support and an arch critic. My father with is textile export experience helped establish my brand initially. Future of the Fashion Industry In Pakistan If Pakistan’s Fashion Industry is to gain the status of an “Industry” it needs to be licensed. That ensures that only serious players enter/remain the field which in turn ensures quality. Currently, it is an incoherent sector where there are no criteria for entry. There are no official quality standards. It would all be done very differently if licensed. It would become a value addition hub. If they are imposing and increasing taxes there should be some government subsidy too as other “industry” sectors get. There are certainly merits to elevating this sector into a proper platform and I feel that is where it needs to head. The writer is a freelance columnist