As ramp, lights and flashing camera bulbs swung into action at Fashion Pakistan Week (FPW), Karachi’s fashion fanatics got to see Spring/Summer (S/S) 2021 trends, form, function, cut, and colour at ‘The Secret Garden’ on Saturday and Sunday. The garden setting, with mandatory masks, limited seating and a circular runway, was enthusiastically welcomed by the 14 designers who, despite the recent odds, sent their collections down the ramp. There were many firsts. Alkaram, the giant textile, put on a red carpet that was both bold and beautifully proportioned. A live band by saxophonist Lenny Massey, Selwyn Fernandes, Josh Dias and Arnold Andrews kept everyone entertained, a compact show area, fresh faced models and collections that had been curated and edited ensured that FPW S/S 21 hit all the right notes. This was liberation after a year of fashion isolation. The Alkaram Studio red carpet also reflected this renewal of energy after a tumultuous year, as fashion came back to the nation with FPW S/S 2021. An array of celebrities, legends, dignitaries, designers, and the fashion-savvy crowd shone bright at the red carpet, where some eye popping looks included one by Sarwat Gilani, who chose to wear a sleek ensemble by Maheen Khan, Fahad Mirza, who went for an eclectic jacket by designer Humayun Alamgir, Anoushey Ashraf who kept it classic with a duo-toned black and white dress, and designer Aamna Aqeel who gave an ode to the velvet dream and in an all-black outfit. Day 2 on the FPW S/S 2021 ramp began with an exquisitely-crafted collection from Shamsha Hashwani, which was then followed by beguiling showcases from Maheen Khan, Sameer Sain, Zaaviay, Sana Abbas, Gogi by Hassan Riaz and a befitting elegant finale for Delphi by Nida Tapal Day 2 on the FPW S/S 2021 ramp began with an exquisitely-crafted collection from Shamsha Hashwani, which was then followed by beguiling showcases from Maheen Khan, Sameer Sain, Zaaviay, Sana Abbas, Gogi by Hassan Riaz and a befitting elegant finale for Delphi by Nida Tapal. Each collection on the closing night of the fashion event proved to be captivating as the individual design aesthetics of Karachi’s leading couturiers set the tone for what we all will be wearing this year. In a nutshell, what we saw on the runway was the now, the new and the next of Pakistan’s fashion. Speaking about the return of fashion to the country and to be back with a bang that FPW Spring/Summer 2021 proved to be, the young CEO of Fashion Pakistan Council, Sarah Anees noted how this serves as a much-needed stimulus after a year that was full of inescapable misery. “The pandemic has plunged the fashion industry into a labyrinth of challenges. It’s at times like this when one truly realizes the merits and importance of the ‘significant (sometimes taken for granted) things’ that provide a meaningful canvas for expression to boost the spirits, celebrate excellence and inspire,” Sarah Anees explained. “Therefore, more than ever, we at the Fashion Council have forged ahead with FPW in the hope that it ticks the aforementioned boxes and provides much needed stimulus – an aesthetic vaccination, as it were – to the industry and its participants.” Like every FPW edition, this mighty return of fashion to the Karachi ramp would not have been possible without the help of some esteemed partners. Riwayat London led by the ever-energetic Adnan Ansari made the show look as great as the team took on the duties of choreographer, director and production partner. Alkaram Studio created the perfect space for some buzzworthy photographs being taken as the official Red Carpet sponsor. The special selfie mirror on the edge of the buzzing red carpet allowed everyone a chance to get an immediate print out and walk away with a photo keepsake of the evening. Ensuring seamless broadcasting of the show, media partners ARY Digital kept everyone in the know. The need to have some gleaming shoes for the runway was fulfilled by Nineteen, the official shoe partner. Our Food Guru kept everyone’s hunger satiated as the official food partner, Hilal Silk kept the style quotient high by being the official fabric partner, Insync Advertising shone as a proud patron of the event, and Nawan Healthcare ensured health safety by becoming the official healthcare partner for the event. Fashion Pakistan Week S/S 2021 was directed and choreographed by Adnan Ansari and the team at Riwayat. The hair and makeup was by the team at Depilex helmed by Masarrat and Nighat Misbah. All photography by Ahmed at Ebuzz.