The trend of retail stores collaborating with designer kingpins has taken off.. Recently, a few outlets of Gul Ahmed Ideas have been raising funds for the Layton Rahmatulla Benevolent Trust through collaborations with designers Sania Maskatiya and Deepak Perwani.
Sania, who created a series of scarves for the same cause last year, has now come up with a capsule collection of kurtas emulating her quintessentially elegant aesthetics. Meanwhile, Deepak has created a range of printed scarves with themes that reflect the ‘Fashion for a Cause’ ethos.
Placed next to Gul Ahmed’s regular ready-to-wear, the designer creations certainly stand out. Although Gul Ahmed and other retail bigwits such as Nishat Linen, AlKaram and Bonanza are aiming at taking over the high street with ready-to-wear, they seem to prefer sticking to their own brand philosophies instead of leaning on a designer.
But with multiple outlets and a considerable budget, it would be beneficial for the fashion industry at large if Gul Ahmed and other textile brands establish long-term partnerships with the country’s leading designers.