The mother-daughter duo behind the label Farah Talib Aziz, talks about their latest bridal and upcoming Eid collection. To wear FTA, is to wear femininity at its prettiest and most desirable. The single most important thing you need to know about FTA is what the clothes feel like to wear – a love affair. So many women faithfully covet the label’s designs.
Describe the Farah Talib Aziz brand philosophy in a few words. What do you think makes you different?
Farah: We don’t consider ourselves top tier! I feel one has to keep pushing themselves and aiming higher with our compromising on quality. When I think about it, I feel like we have a long way to go and we are very excited to grow with our team. Insha Allah!
Maliha: It’s all due to my mother’s hard work and talent, that I was fortunate enough to spring off and launch a younger and slightly innovative twist to classic pieces that she creates.
What is the mood of your new bridal collection, The Rajasthani Royals?
Farah: At the moment, I am fascinated by the amalgamation of classic silhouettes such as farshi ghararas and lengths paired with structured contemporary cuts such as high-low peplum cholis and boxed shirts. They have been infused into our wedding wear and our clients are really loving the look! This collection was all about celebrating the opulence of our saturated heritage and rich traditions. It bursts of colours that highlight our festivities, which are brought to life in this collection. It focuses on the beauty of tradition, whilst using a combination of contemporary and traditional silhouettes.
What can we expect from your upcoming Eid collection?
Farah: For our Eid Volume II collection, we have drawn inspiration from the charm of French country florals and the grace of old Parisian lifestyle, encompassing the delicacy and glamour of European heritage and the celebration of feminine splendour. We have diffused the Farah Talib Aziz aesthetics of delicate florals, intricate embroideries and flattering silhouettes with the use of bold patterns on a bed of soft summer shades to create a collection that appeals to women of all ages and backgrounds.
You are the only designer that shares edited pictures of your work on social media. Why is that?
The biggest challenge, in my opinion, is imitation, inspiration and flat out copying of designs. Internationally, the top tier designers are imitated by the high street – that is fashion. But in Pakistan, high-end designers imitate and copy each other and that too shamelessly! I find that very unethical and honestly, very heart breaking! We are forced to edit our images as we still want to share our creations and our work without it being replicated immediately.
Describe the type of woman who would wear FTA.
Farah: Our colours, styles and prints are chosen according to essential feminine traits that exemplify beauty and accentuate the eastern silhouette. The breezy, cool colours are carefully selected to suit our local climate. The designs are illustrated keeping in mind the woman of every age and background.
What is your favourite part about being a fashion designer?
Farah: I think team work is very important. You have to respect everyone no matter how big or small their role is. It’s very difficult to manage egos and work around them while trying to satisfy the whole team! My team is like my family and every one of them is very dear to me; I love the hustle bustle and chaos in a day’s work! It’s exciting, when such lengthy processes create the most beautiful pieces! Creating my daughter’s bridal was a long creative and emotional journey for me. I wanted to express so much in that one piece; I really wanted it to be perfect and I needed her to love it with all her heart. When I saw her wear it all together on her wedding day, my heart melted and to me, she couldn’t have looked more perfect – it was very her, it personified her! Most importantly, she loved it! Also, when I was launching my first lawn collection, it was a very lengthy process and we really put our heart and soul into designing it and perfecting every detail. I will never forget the day, when I went to the mill to oversee the final printing; I’m a very reserved person and I never thought I would be producing my designs on such a large scale! It was a strange feeling of nervousness, hope and happiness.
Who inspires you the most in fashion? Anyone who stands out?
Farah: As a designer, where do you draw your inspiration from? We like drawing inspiration from natural beauty and surroundings. We love the natural fauna and flora juxtaposed by classic imperialistic architecture and the power of old world charm. The glamour of bygone eras, that reflect the beauty and opulence of our rich culture and heritage, is a great source of inspiration. The Sub continent has the most enriching history that we draw upon to for references and inspiration. I love natural beauty and we source a lot of sketches and drawing from fauna and flora. I love adding shades to petals on a rose or varied stitches to feathers on a bird. I love imperialistic architecture and the old world charm. One can draw inspiration from everywhere – be it a mural in Istanbul or a café in Paris!
Maliha: We love all of the same themes and motifs! It’s amazing! Our inspiration and ideas to direct a piece in a certain direction are usually identical, which is really a blessing as we are never torn between contrasting opinions.