Pakistan's first fashion designers' directory was launched at a local hotel on Thursday evening. The directory, compiled by the Almurtaza Machinery Company carried 1,000 entries.
The Vice-President of the Arts Council of Pakistani Karachi, Khusbakht Shujaat was the chief guest at the launching ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, she very much appreciated the initiative to this end.
Khusbakht said that the directory, which contains information about the fashion designers, was very much needed by the industry in the country.
She described the compilation of this directory as a 'historic work' and that this ill foster the interaction of the fashion designers with the industry.
Khusbakht pointed out that the fashion designing has now become an industry and that the fashion designers of Pakistan do not lag behind as they are creative as well as talented.
She said that fashion designing has now got encouragement in civil society which was not the case in the past. Khusbakht suggested the discipline of fashion designing be included in the curriculum in the schools and colleges.
Textile Commissioner Muhammad Idrees Ahmed who also spoke on the occasion endorsed this very suggestion of Khusbakht. He pointed out that Pakistan is blessed by young educated human capital, which is the future of the country.
Idrees said that the young and educated professionals in the field of textile engineering, textile marketing, textile management and textile designing are the core strength for our local textile industry.
He stated that designing is the most important aspect in the garment manufacturing and marketing. Idrees was of the view that fashion designers can play a very positive role in establishing market niche of designers' products in the global clothing trade.
Asif Ali Rasheed, the Chief Executive Officer and the Managing Director of Almurtaza Machinery, in his welcome address underscored the challenges being faced by the Pakistani textile and apparel industry in the face of cheap exports from neighbouring countries.
He emphasised that we must act with vision and foresight and convert these challenges into opportunities, this could be achieved in the textile and apparel industry actively co-ordinated with fashion designers to explore new ideas in style and fashion to give our apparel and fashion wear stronger emotive appeal, higher value addition and more competitiveness.
Asif pointed out that the fashion designers' directory has been completed in six months time. He further stated that in all 5,000 copies of this directory have been published. Zulfiqar Ali Rashid, Director of Almurtaza Machinery, presented the vote of thanks.