Pakistan Fashion Week Was a Study in the Intricate and the Sublime

In April, Pakistan was host to two separate fashion weeks: one in Karachi at the beginning of the month, and another in Lahore held by the Pakistan Fashion Design Council, which just ended this week. If your idea of fashion perfection is centered purely on craft and textiles for luxuriating, I invite you to look at what some designers showed at these two events, and let the gorgeousness explode like little fireworks in the back of your eyeballs. Because this shit is GOOD.

FOR EXAMPLE: above, models draped in what can only be described as finery by design vet Shamaeel Ansari: intricately embroidered capes and trousers in detailed brocade of burnished gold and rich maroons. They’re clothes made for carrying yourself like a royal, no matter where you are, but also they have a lot of give and leeway; please let me introduce you to my one true love on earth, these wide-leg contrast silk trousers that drape like a single caftan for each leg. Perhaps without something structured it might seem frivolous, which is why Ansari gave the top half a popped Dracula collar with an armhole-assisted shawl crafted for always keeping it at the same comfortable level. HOW DO I PROCURE THIS.

Intricate detailing was everywhere, though—in the stunning, elegant motion of seemingly weightless shawls made by Zara Shahjahan (below). She has a bridal line, as well, which is even more extravagant than this; you can imagine based on the painstakingness of the beadwork, tiny stars on a navy sky.

But several of the designers showed that there are a trillion ways to re-interpret and make traditional looks contemporary. At left, a celebratory nature scene on a gown by Zaheer Abbas is festive and hyper-feminine while being authoritative and strong—that mandarin collar! A more casual but no less luxe look by Deepak Perwani, middle, combines relaxed, resort-appropriate pants with a to-die-for ombre dye job on balloon sleeves, no less. And the other love of my life, this technicolor floral pantsuit by Sana Safinaz (right), is the perfect ensemble for going from work to rave, my primary life’s concern.

Here’s some eerily silent video of the rest of the Sana Safinaz collection, which includes more rave-business separates and several stunning evening gowns worthy of the Oscar carpet, if anybody on the Oscar carpet had a stylist who made any kind of effort.

Certain fashion magazines seem to be constantly handwringing about how to mix patterns. The latest Gul Ahmed collection was like, um, why don’t you just go ahead and do it?

Also love: the colors, fabrics, flow of these super lightweight, super ethereal separates by Hina Butt’s label Teena.

The transparent cape? With the croptop? And the pink and orange trim? The parrots perched on the hoop earrings? You are my everything! TEENA!