Fashion DNA is a designer mentorship for emerging Pakistani designers organised by the British Council. The programme takes the format of a year-long intensive training, including face to face sessions, online sessions, UK catwalk shows and showcasing, Pakistani catwalk shows and showcasing. In addition to the mentorship, designers will be invited to apply their new skills through the production of a ready-to-wear collection with a clear brand positioning with a capsule collection presented at UK-based Fashion Scout during A/W 2016 London Fashion Week and the full collection at Fashion Pakistan Week in Karachi in April 2016.
While in London, designers will participate in the Centre for Fashion Enterprise’s Market Entry Bootcamp and engage and potentially collaborate with UK designers. In addition to the designer mentorship, the British Council is pleased to open up masterclasses by the UK mentors for public registration in Pakistan. For this first round, UK mentors included Ruby Hoette (MA Fashion, Goldsmiths College), Toby Meadows (Author of How to Set Up and Run a Fashion Label),Malcolm Newbery (Malcolm Newbery Consulting) and Rebekah Roy (Stylist). Pakistani designers include Akif Mahmood, the House of Kamiar Rokni, Wardha Saleem and Zaheer Abbas.
House of Kamiar
Warha Sleem
Fashion DNA Pakistan aims to bring together UK and Pakistani fashion industries to help grow and strengthen our understandings of each other’s different design cultures, while supporting the development of emerging designers. With the GSP Plus status afforded to Pakistani exports to the EU (0% duty), this is an opportune moment for Pakistani fashion businesses to open up to wider market possibilities. Fashion is the one creative industry in Pakistan that has successfully aligned traditional craft to contemporary demands.
Sustainable fashion enterprise platforms can therefore serve to empower large groups of semi-urban artisans and with the added advantage of international markets, can bring employment and prosperity to hundreds of Pakistani households.Zaheer Abbas
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. It is a Royal Charter charity working in English, education and the arts. With an on the ground presence in 110 countries around the world, the British Council’s Architecture, Design, Fashion department facilitates connections between designers, makers, businesses of all sizes, cultural institutions, students and interested individuals. The aims of the fashion programme are to create a dialogue between international fashion designers and practitioners and those working in the UK, to deepen understanding of the cultural and economic value of fashion around the world, and to broaden international perspectives in the UK.
For more information, please visit: www.britishcouncil.org.