Friday, May 10, 2019
The Dinner Party
Lubaba Abbas Kazmi
Step 1: Research
As soon as we were introduced to this project, I knew what I wanted to do. Ali Xeeshan has been my favorite Pakistani fashion designer for the longest time. He dominates the market, and, in my opinion, he deserves the attention he gets.
Step 2: Brainstorm
Enigmatic, honest and aesthetically endowed, Ali Xeeshan has made his mark in the industry in just nine years since his debut.
He is someone who likes to have a dash of theatrics on the ramp — accessories at his show have ranged from monkeys to peacocks and from embellished kites to Mickey and Minnie Mouse. And apart from all the hype, coquetry and drama, Xeeshan is also a designer with a distinctive signature. His work mostly circles around the Pakistani ethnicity with heavy embellishment and antique accessories giving his brides and grooms a Mughal and traditional look.
In 2016, he launched his couture collection titled ‘Khamoshi’, an Urdu word which translates to silence. It had bridal designs with individualistic verve: florals, horses, peacocks and birds flitting about a multi-colored canvas and molded on to unusual but wearable silhouettes. More significantly, it was a collection that highlighted the issue of child marriage with the models in a wedding ceremony, clutching stuffed monkeys with locks placed on their lips. You can’t have an Ali Xeeshan collection without a bit of drama.
“This is how I have always been. I have always loved dramatics. When I was in college, I would wear a scarf round my head like a bow. I don’t think there is anything wrong with it as long as I don’t offend anyone. People may not like it, but I have never really bothered about people. The day I begin worrying about what people say, I will lose out on my creativity and begin churning out generic designs.”
Step 3: Sketch
I wanted the logo to look like his own signature to compliment the heavy embellishment of his designs.
Step 4: Final
