LAHORE: The business of fashion in Pakistan is constantly changing with several prêt and ready-to-wear stores cropping up. With Generation being the original frontrunner, brands such as Khaadi, Sapphire, and Sana Safinaz have followed suit and become veritable behemoths in their own league. Simultaneously, high end designer labels have put out their own prêt lines in stores along with their custom made or couture lines. While at one point it seemed that the ready-to-wear market was oversaturated, Warda, So Kamal and Crescent came along proving that it is still a viable business model. The latest to join the bandwagon is Juggun’s Prêt, an eponymous label by model, actor and morning show host Juggun Kazim.
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Donning many different avatars over the years, Kazim has already made a name for herself in the entertainment industry. Her morning show has made her a daily feature for many housewives and even a style icon for some. “I have never repeated a single outfit”, she claims. This she feels has given her the know-how about what off-the-rack clothes available in the market right now are lacking. With her new store she aims to bring her experience with clothes into retail, giving women a chance to emulate the actor’s style.
The store, located off MM Alam Road in Lahore, is divided into three levels with a plethora of three-piece outfits ranging from cotton, cotton silk and the silk variety. There were myriad design inspirations ranging from animal prints, sequins, to lace on silk and block prints. “We want there to be something for everyone here”, Kazim told The Express Tribune at the launch. In doing so, no signature aesthetic emerges among the clothing available but perhaps design isn’t where her focus lies, having had no formal training in it herself. She recognises this and shares that a trusted team of designers has been hired to take care of all design work.
One of the head designers on board, Noman Riaz, shared, “The trend in Pakistan is to follow brands or designs and I have tried to break away from that with our designs.” Kazim added, “We want there to be everything for her so eventually we’ll add bags, clothes, jewellery and drop the “pret” from the brand to make it a holistic one-stop shop.”
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An interesting feature at the outlet is a designated area for a tailor to make immediate alternations for people. “If someone is an XXL or XXS they can get immediate alterations at the store,” mentioned Kazim. The sizes she has available in the store right now range from XS to XL but since prêt wear sizes in Pakistan have not been standardised, alterations are more than often necessary.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2016.
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