Day 2 of “Lifestyle Toronto” was a roaring success. Held to celebrate Pakistan’s upcoming 75th Anniversary Riwayat, the critically acclaimed global fashion production house and founder of Pakistan Fashion Week London, Riwayat concluded their 2-day fashion showcase at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel on Sunday June 12th. “Lifestyle Toronto” featured noted Pakistani fashion designers including Faiza Saqlain and Mohiuddin Abbasi and of course Pakistan’s supermodel Fouzia Aman. Check out all the highlights of Day 2 including their grand finale of this fashion extravaganza.
Downtown Toronto was buzzing in anticipation for the finale of “Lifestyle Toronto”, the Toronto extension of Pakistan Fashion Week London. Brought to life by Riwayat, the global fashion production house, the exhibition and fashion shows were hosted at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, which was the perfect swanky set to the shows that took place on June 11 and 12, 2022. After two years, of limited glam events, I was quite excited to get my fill of Pakistani fashion.
Moments before the show started, I got a few minutes to chat with Adnan Ansari, the founder and CEO of Riwayat, who said he was “feeling really excited after yesterday. The response was amazing, the crowd was amazing, so expectations are really high which is more pressure on me but the excitement is there.” Adnan also stated that the importance of taking the fashion shows global “…was to show the world who we are. We are fun loving, we are creative, we are artists, we are artisans, we are designers, we are equal to any international brand. From our embroideries, to our colour pallets, to our couture, anything you name it, it’s there. This platform is to give exposure to the best, to show people who we are.”
Gracing the catwalk throughout the shows from six marvellous designers was famed Pakistani model Fouzia Aman who added one extra layer of glam to the event. A supporter of the shows from its inception, Aman joined the team of London models on the runway.
The show was opened by Samsara by Khadija Batool’s collection which dazzled with many breath-taking looks that featured soft pastels with glints of gold, and deep navy and black hues with mirrors. She described her bridal line as a “fusion of Eastern and Western with a specialty of screen prints or hand painting which created and Eastern and European fusion that we were going for.”
Moazzam Abbasi’s line up featured ethereal white with punchy colourful splashes throughout. With light tones, sheer fabrics, and whimsical florals, this embodies the summer. Some looks play with fringe and ruffles and on trend neon adding a fanciful touch. Kurtas with a kick the fierceness was in the details. In chatting with Abbasi ahead of the show, he stated his line “this is going to be a statement, which will show how white is one colour which stays in style throughout the year and how you can amalgamate it with different colours to create your own fashion statement.”
Ash’s collection featured classic sarees and feminine shalwar kameez with statement asymmetrical cuts, prints, lace and sheer accents. The vastness of the collection had something for everyone and was nothing short of beautiful.
Raheila Junaid’s collection features bright bold colours with glamourous golden touches, asymmetrical tops with intricate bead work, and simple suits with lush floral accents. Ending on a different note, Junaid’s collection culminated in a few simple yet stunning black looks.
MDs Fashion House’s collection featured modern classic looks by mixing traditional patterns to create unique looks pops of the spring colour of the runways, neon pink. The mixing of materials throughout the collection give it an old-Bollywood meets modern-Bollywood feel.
After a round of thank yous, the finale collection from Faiza Saqlain was ethereal with classic white, intricate designs, muted yet rich tones. Her line also featured something for the men, with structured and clean kurtas with strong lines. Just to tie everything together, the looks also featured bags and purses.
In addition to the highly anticipated fashion shows, there was also a two-day exhibition to make sure you were leaving with the hottest finds. From elaborate sarees and lehengas to shiny baubles and kurtas, the exhibition had booths from Pakistan’s trendiest fashion brands such as Faiza, Gogi by Hassan Riaz, Sophia, Komal Nasir, Zarsah, Ash Studio, Uzee Designer, Samsara by Khadija Batool and Hamna Amir Jewelry. During the exhibition, I got a chance to ask a few of the designers what piece of advice they would give a budding designer. Hassan Riaz for Gogi said, “get inspired by older designers, be inspired by your country but create something with your own signature so people have something new to have.” Faiza Saqlain added, “Work hard and don’t be bothered with what others are doing or saying, just be influenced own spirit.”
Overall, the event was absolutely amazing and such a wonderful celebration of South Asian fashion and style.
Main Image Photo Credit: Annie Koshy – GTA South Asian Media Network Inc.
Cultivating a life she loves, Geeta (@geets.suites) is chasing all her passions, including her love for home décor. As a brand new home owner, her current journey has launched her further into that world - check out her Instagram @geets.suites for tidbits of her story and other decorating pieces. A...