The never ending cups of coffees over blazing fire, munching on dry fruits, come winter and those snug socks every woman is fond of wrapping a shawl around her when the weather turns chilly.
With the winter season kicking in, shawls and stoles are most suitable and there is nothing like a striking scarf wrapped around the neck or smartly slung on the shoulder for a formal evening out. The seasonal collections come and go but some that never goes out of fashion are the trends that we look up to and follow blindly.
I headed out to Komal Nasir’s exhibition and showcase of bespoke shawls, scarves and stoles that have firmly placed her within a niche circle of designers doing tremendous work in reviving our heritage and dying craft. Her work is a labour of love of much value and importance, which shows in an absolute testimony of her sheer mastery over design aesthetics. Each design varies from another, which gives her an edge.
“I believe that people should not fall in the trap of buying Indian shawls which are overpriced and also lack in quality. The shawls produced by our craftsmen are bespoke pieces of art, which I am sure the consumers will enjoy wearing and keeping in their wardrobes for many winters to come. My mantra is to give an effortlessly chic look to any attire and a whole new twist by pairing with a worked upon shawl,” she said.
It also shows her innate fondness for intricate embellished embroideries, in resham, marrori and gotta work that are unmistakably rich and bespoke. Implying animal and bird prints on stoles meant for the youth are inspired by a diverse colour palette. The digitally printed shawls are a main stay in three-piece ensembles and are expected to do roaring business.
Ranging from Kashmiri paisley to digitally printed stoles to plush velvets and silks adorned with sequins, tilla, dori and thread work, the entire collection has a versatility factor that differentiates it from Indian shawls.
The woollen jackets range that has an excellent quality of wool with a touch of finesse blended together to create a selection of contemporary designs intrigued me. The jackets can be worn over straight or boot cut pants or teamed with jeans for a casual look. The elderly ladies who are willing to invest in a keepsake mostly seek collections on pure khaddar and linen with 100 percent woollen Pashmina shawls. The extremely fine nature of the material and the meticulous hand embroidered craftsmanship involved indeed makes each signature shawl a keepsake for generations. This year the collection of single shawls started from Rs 4,000 going up to over Rs 100,000.
Fashion savvy and affordable luxurious shawls are measured at 2.75m to 3.50m apt, for that elegant drape and class. Often labelled as a luxury item, these shawls and wraps add panache to an outfit and look royal at the same time.
The designer is taking her showcase to London for the Pakistan Fashion Week, which will feature the best presentation of Pakistan’s fusion of east-west fashion under a western roof ever with leading and emerging designers presenting their latest collections on catwalk.
Published in Daily Times, November 21st 2017.