PIA
Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever
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Outlining fashion is an art itself and this time Humsafer is stuffed with defining it all, starting with a saying of Lauren Hutton that Fashion is what you’re offered four times a year by designers. And style is what you choose.” And belief is this that if fashion remains long term in the minds it becomes your choice. Pakistan have one of a kind fashion industry where designers offers ready to wear and prêt’ a’ porter too. The significance difference felt when this industry of Pakistan expanded its potential in few years with genuine designs and apparel instead of just pirating any foreign material. With these progressive measures stats, foreign investors also wants to invest their money for boutiques and other relevant businesses.
Above all this there is a name which is a central factory/Institute producing such assets to the nation representing Pakistan’s name in global forums with pride, and the name is Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design (Formerly Pakistan School of Fashion Design) established in 1994 with a divine brand motto “Read in the name thy Lord who creates”. PIFD is located in Lahore and is affiliated with Pakistan Engineering Council and Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.
This institute aims is to be a specialist in fashion designing as per the demands of the market and industry itself. The PIFD alumni have 100% employment scope in market after their completion of degree and currently we can see that many of them are in faculty at Shanghai, Cairo Fashion Schools and Dubai whereas many are in Media, Advertising, Merchandising, Designing and Pattern Making fields. PIFD further has affiliation with colleges all over the Pakistan. And this networking is succeeded with the consortium of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan.
PIFD is the only institute in Pakistan which offers various disciplines in the form of schools within it, i.e. Fashion Design, Fashion Marketing and Promotions, Textile Design, Accessories and Products (Includes Gems, Jewelry, Furniture Design and Manufacturing, Leather Accessories and Footwear.)
PIFD objective is the provision of contemporary design education with a focus on consumer and brand relationship. The consumer demand courses create a platform in market for the students to pursue their career in the field of fashion, all alumni of PIFD are well known designers of Pakistan now and their products are aesthetically appealing. PIFD is aiming towards training the new generation ad future talented creative directors and entrepreneurs blooming in the world.
For the success of Fashion Industry Pakistan, we must not forget the talents of this industry. One of them is Imran Khalid, a stylist and a genius on women fashion completed his degree from University of Arts London and thriving his designs in Pakistan as an individual entrepreneur.
This renowned Fashion Designer told Humsafer that he works with aristocratic designs which are not bound to any time or any region; among them are Luxury Pret and Bridal Wear, which are very famous in global market; gems and jewel are the heartbeat of Bridal Apparel especially 9 karat gold color Turkish motives are majorly found in this work.
Imran Khalid’s collection speaks about his fashion aesthetics and also that he is a free Spirited, Exotic, Flamboyant, Urban and Inspirational Guru. His brand philosophy is High Fashion Attire, He shared his core interests, life and process with Humsafer that his Collection Consist from Color Palette to Finishing. Craftsmen working for him are very hardworking and skilled making outfits on pure fabric. Fabric he uses for his collection are mostly Hand woven silk, India Silk and Turkish Silk because Imran believe that in Purity and Quality work there must be no compromise in fashion industry which not only keep customer or client contented but also brand reputation in market remains with good reputation. Experiment is not Imran Khalid style; Natural Colorants are used for making unique color and texture, however his favorites are nudes and pastels. Also one can find Heritage prints done by fruit color dying; whereas for his collection embellishment is being imported from all over the world. He works from rags to riches and the fact is that Imran Khalid is expert on fashioning women clothes.
“Nothing is easy that usually people think. You need to be a mi-stereo and need a command on whatever you make from fabric to drapes to embellishments.” And the jewelry where Imran Khalid has come up as one of the nation’s leading jewelry brand. Blend of contemporary mixing with heritage designs are famous all over the world. Reflecting Nawab culture in design inspiration Bold Stones from Nepal and design technology from Harappa Bring a new touch of today. No synthetic stones are used in our jewelry collections.
Talking about success Imran told that Friends are his best support he can ever had, Also when opening of his first outlet his calligraphy lawn was all sold out in 2010-2011, then his first fashion show. When he was told three days left for and he did it successfully and there are many other moments he consider it his success stories.
His startup was just his thoughts and dream whilst his first job was front desk officer in a hotel. His Inspirations are his ideas which reflect in his fashion, When talking about outside to Pakistan Influences in his work he answered, “Outside we’re small fish. In our lifestyle fashion is limited to niche. Outside fashion is not practical and working on it is disaster. Sub-continent is an old history so we’ve to follow our culture & heritage. Whatever i make, it has touches of East.”
He thinks that fashion industry is a soft image of a country and Fashion Designers are placed in tabloids/billboards. Film, TV & fashion are one and the same. He is not only workaholic person but also a fashionholic being in which his work frame carries 24/7 and late night’s research and work. Often Imran Khalid takes his time out to spend some time with coordinators, photographers, models & friends to bring the strong understanding between all of them.
His next upcoming collection will be a feel of a Desert wind in a starry night, which relates to that collection. Azure & midnight blues would be the key colors. Desert sand effects in silver embellishment following with real stones and details of Harmonic will make it all complete.
Talking about the fashion trend in Pakistan he replied, “Fashion in Pakistan is less, Darzi culture is more as comparatively to other countries, due to economic instability. Cheating and copying from the boutiques of Designers. I run my Atelier & Studio where you can find me; my collections are placed on the pages of top notch fashion magazines”
His advice to upcoming professionals in fashion industry is, “Live with your dreams and make them true.”
So the thing is that the beauty remaining forever and never will pass through the nothingness is a joy, and here the thing is called impressions. Such impressions come only when a designer understands the art of stitching and fabric. Pakistan Fashion Industry is full of gems and one of them is Imran Khalid. That’s why we are being allured worldwide, and the whole world is keen towards to incorporate with our industry.
Career Moves; Be Strategic About Your Future
This article is originally published in Humsafer July August 2015 edition (A PIA Magazine); available online & can be accessed at http://piac.com.pk/humsafar/
Hira A. Siddiqi
Dig the Well before you are Thirsty, a Chinese proverb opinionating that planning and struggle at one’s best is required when in need of something and it shows the determination of that person toward his goal and aims. It is quite relevant to the career goals of life as well where one person is already in the track of professionalism or seeking to choose one, for both it is as important as water for the thirsty person.
RIASEC is a Holland code which fits for this topic and stands for Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. What Are They? … They are Six Work Environment types. And if one personality type works with another which is same of their nature then the productivity of the working atmosphere is higher comparatively. And every personality type searches the environment either of their interest or to their proportional. A good career match means compatibility with consent and harmony. Understanding this Theory can help one to make better choices. This theory was founded and then named by same person John Holland who is an American scientist and Psychology Professor at the University of Michigan.
There are four stages of choosing any career, Self Awareness, Opportunity Awareness, Decision Making and Taking Action. Most of us start deciding about our career when very young, that’s not very easy and decisive at such age instead of working and struggling to get that position, broaden the professional approach towards your field or expertise. For example a pre medical student of intermediate should not aim to do only Medicine or Surgery in future, he can keep the safe margins for similar disciplines which are also important in the market and job world like Micro Biology, Bio Technology, Virology, Dentistry, Physio Therapy, Radiology and Pharmacy etc. And when you choose a path, then at that point you start working on your strength. That’s the time when your chosen career becomes your expertise and strengthens your vocation.
Don’t forget to socialize wherever one is working at, it’s a second home where they start socializing with people of different intellect and backgrounds. Everyone can take advices from different experts and professionals of similar career they have or from dissimilar ones as well; parents and siblings are also most supportive in these cases by giving a favorable decision to you because they know you inside out since your childhood but ultimately do what is your choice, choose what matches you most, work where your comfort level is higher than any of the advices you had for this.
If one find opportunity at their desired career, then he should not missed that and volunteer to work at their interested job, and in volunteering your work is priceless and more appreciating then the paid jobs. This strategy is for freshers because those who are bread runners of their family can’t go for volunteering whether it’s of their choice or not, they have to earn six figure salaries for their family especially in Pakistan.
Commonly, people change their careers in their life span some are dissatisfied with their current jobs while others are not at the right place they actually qualified for. Few are underpaid not survival in their current salary structure, then there are those as well who are fond of new experiences but by gaining them, it only add up the knowledge and flexibility to work with different cultures and people of altered behaviors, but it ends with the confused career and inconsistency is a drawback when one have not solid logic behind such experiences.
Change in life is the only thing which is constant but it doesn’t means one should not switch the career rather upgrade or enhance the existing career. If one person is optimistic enough then do the puzzle game with oneself and follow what Steve Jobs once said about same thing, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
Decisions of your life should not be make on money because temporary things never gives you permanent place anywhere, one cannot change anything in the company making a difference is a separate thing but change is a long term and takes more than decades. Family is always and must be the preference than anyone else; don’t ruin your true relations for the sake of maintaining so called professionalism in front of your social circle. Be Yourself !! And don’t forget the real You inside yourself, if you analyze yourself better then there won’t be any need of making vague moves in choices.
In Pakistan best career paths are Business whether big or small enterprises depend upon the market demand of that particular town or area, then medical have scope too. Majority of Pakistanis love sport and have interest to become athlete but it needs guts and confidence to build up oneself for this profession. Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence are emerging career pathways in Pakistan for those who have interest in computer sciences. Pakistan have one of the best fashion industry so to those who wants to be an artist can join this, Media will be perk for them if they get chance there too.
Chartered Accountancy in Pakistan is considered as crème profession which starts with lowers income but get higher in very short span of time if qualified. Engineering never lost its space for any other profession in Pakistan, now there are more than 20 fields in Engineering in Pakistan and Scope of career can only be created by choosing the right space for it. Civil and Military jobs are competitive and only adequate and refined group of people selected for these jobs where one not have any chance for further scrutiny. In recent couple of decades Engineering and Medical were the only professions students struggles for, but now there are diversifications in Science, Technology, Art, Humanities, and Management Studies. Every profession in Pakistan have its own grace it all depends upon the chooser or applicant that rather he make bridge from the stones he felt as obstacles in his way or make wall to not allowing those hurdles by fear of facing them; one Chinese proverb well explained this impression in a way that, “When a wind of change blows, one build walls, while other builds windmills.”
Chinese proverb well explained this impression in a way that, “When a wind of change blows, one build walls, while other builds windmills.”
MORNING WONDERS OF LAHORE
Written By: Hira A. Siddiqi (This article has been published in Humsafer Magazine of PIA (May-June 2014)
“Where do you go when lonely, where d’you go when blue…”
The Coors & Bono
The Twilight coming from your window calling you out there to come out and feel the breeze and fresh aura of Morning time. This tranquil ambience of nature calls everyone to feel its beauty when every bird is chirping to praise the Lord, when every road is waiting for its admirers and when every flower is unleashing its petals like a first yawn of morning, when every ray of sun blooms the darkness of night. When no human is there to welcome you but the time, the tick of clock and the passion to bliss you out in this world of freshness and healthy start of day.
Thomas Traherne illustrates this moment:
“To walk is by a thought to go;
To move in spirit to and fro;
To mind the good we see;
To taste the sweet;
Observing all the things we meet
How choice and rich they be…”
The same impression of morning can be felt in the City of Lively Hearts (Zinda Dilon Ka Shehr), they say it “A Person who hasn’t seen Lahore, haven’t lived! (Jinay Lahore Nahi Wekhya, O Jamiya Nahi). City of convivial and hospitable people indeed, that’s what Lahore is; Also known as historical city and heart of Pakistan. Everyone and everything about this city is alive, the scents, the sights, the places, the people and the colors. Lahore is the city of trends, an updated region of cultures and trending. People tremendously follow the trends here.It’s the city which gets attention of not only historians, archeologists or antiquities but also even a casual visitor enjoys many interesting places and people here; it attracts thousands of people of every class and creed within country and even from abroad. Now if you are foodie, traveler, tourist, researcher, youngsters hanging out, socialites coming from another city or country then you will find Lahore all in one.
Morning walk has also been a trend in Lahore, in 90’s it was more appreciated and found to be more followed than nowadays. But still you will find parks of Lahore full with groups and individuals of different age coming for morning walk. Time has changed but not the trend which has become the culture of Lahoris now. No matter its winter or summers, fog or sunshine; one will find them going for Morning walk daily. Mostly people go for walk after offering Namaz e Fajr. It was the trend of years ago that groups of people walk in streets of mohallas (Old Lahore), under the shed of trees these group gathers after daily walk and discussion from politics to domestic even in a way of arranging marriages of their children or settling someone’s domestic problems; then from social to health related matters; shows the enthusiasm of extroverted Lahori people. Even after the developments, and change in mindsets of people in Lahore like new roads, new towns, new shopping areas, Parties, Café culture and new parks which gave them more space to sit around and carry other time consuming activities; still to keep this ritual alive Lahoris keep coming in parks and treks for morning walk even in cold and foggy winters, not purposely for walk only but also socializing with other people around them, it’s better to say that Lahoris are more in discussions, gossiping and planning. They prefer listening to others, talking for solutions and helping other by all means.
There are different parks in Lahore as in suggestion for morning walk like race course park where mostly people found doing exercises and walk, Then there is a Bagh e Jinnah, Model Town Park, Riwaz Garden, Sukh Chayn Gardens, Gulshan e Iqbal Park, Shalimar Gardens, these are the most visited parks especially for Morning walk. Students mostly have their own lawn areas in the hostels and campus area. You will see students coming early to their grounds for walk before their classes. It’s being observed that Quaid e Azam Campus of University of the Punjab and different other universities grounds like of LUMS, LSE, and Lahore School of Home Economics are full of students in Morning; that shows their deliberate zeal for morning walk. It’s not about waking up early in the morning, It’s all about the socializing and health even, If not going walk because of laziness, other busy schedule ahead, or he/she slept late at night
In Lahore; the roads are almost deserted before Fajer Prayers but afterwards, you will feel good to see a life around you. A city which sleeps late but wake up early, when People smile as you walk past them; you can see that some of them are businessmen, students, retired men, athletes, civil servants, doctors and many others of various natures and professions coming for walk daily. Walking as we know is predictable; you can control your journey in Lahore because any park or track you choose here would be your best choice. When wanting to walk alone, no one disturbs you here like Johan Wolfgang said once that “the soul who sees beauty may sometimes walk alone” and when to become a sociable person, Lahoris will accompany you as if they know you from many years and will become your guide if you are new to this city.
One cannot even think to get tired or bored whilst doing Morning walk in Lahore, because unlike long routes and tracks here in this city every step you will get a new fresh idea, meet a person or something around attracts you. By the time you continue the walking activity more than a week you’ll feel yourself more energetic than before.
Well being a Lahori, I used to go for a walk in my student life with my fellows. My feet touched the grass of my university hostel, New Campus Lawns, Old Campus Grounds and many other similar places. Every time I visit Lahore, the first sunshine of morning makes me nostalgic. This is something special about Lahore and its aura. In Lahore, also you can find local walk groups living in your area, or join some healthy community like Photo Walk groups mostly founded by students of fine arts and photography and different member of NGOs for exploring the Lahore through their camera lens; this activity is an interesting in a way that you get more places to explore in a city. If you map out the places and mark the visited and non visited parks/areas of Lahore then it can make your daily walk more interesting.
If you are living in or came as a visitor in Lahore then it is preferable to walk to the shops for groceries and other stuff instead of driving, walkup the escalators on malls and use of stairs is recommended. Go out with family, organize and convince them for its positive outcomes. Set an aim daily to walk where and how far. Don’t eat anything while walking; drink water only after giving a 2-3 minutes pause to your walk. And then after a good walk, a desi food lover can go to have healthy breakfast with Sajji, Nihari, Paye, Lassi, Tafttan and Fried fish from Gawalmandi Food Street and Bashir Darul Mahi at Mazang, FazleHaq Dera near Model Town and Qazafi Stadium, Capri Resturaunt at M.M.Alam Road. But if you want a light one then near Race Course Park go for Fast food resturaunts.
Once you get addicted of morning walk here in Lahore, your love for this city will be same as Masud Sa’d Salman, who was a 12thcentury Lahore based poet expressed his love for his city “.. I want from my Lord, some velvet from which emanates the fragrance of Lahore…” So if you select to go for walk then visit Lahore and if you’re visiting Lahore then must go for a walk, A Morning Walk particularly.
A fest like Basant which was announced for 14 days this spring of year 2014, people knowingly participate in this celebration; colors, colorful clothes, filling the sky with trendy kites meeting up with the old friends etc. In the same way every trend cannot be set until unless we have trend setters for that. And healthy trends like Morning Walk are more likely to follow by people who don’t have time to take care of their health and they get isolated in their daily life busy routine. And Lahoris need an excuse to meet up with people, this is how Lahore work wonders and a Good Morning walk is here like a blessing in disguise.
Carved Diary 