Divided by politics, united by fashion

The Pakistan Fashion Week 2013 in April turned out to be a fruitful event for Pradeep Hirani, CMD of designer-wear Karmik store. Not only was he mesmerised by the creations, but he also discovered business opportunities there.

Within four months, he opened his first store with Indian designers' work in Lahore. ‘There is a strong political divide, but fashion doesn't understand such boundaries,’ Hirani told IANS.

The store is the outcome his pact with Sheikh Aftab Arshad, Asad Amin Sheikh and Asif Amin Sheikh of Lahore-based fashion retailer Arshadsons in July. The estimated investment for the deal is around $3 million over three years.

‘The association with Arshadsons is for three years. We have plans of opening six stores starting with Lahore and then Karachi and Islamabad,’ said Hirani. Depending on the response stores will also be opened in cities like Faisalabad. Hirani feels that people from Lahore and Karachi are better versed with fashion trends, but the Indian designers' collections are for everybody.

‘They are for anybody who wants to feel good and wants to indulge in Indian fashion,’ he said.

Creations of top-notch Indian designers like Rohit Bal, JJ Valaya, Anamika Khanna, Neeta Lulla, Ritu Beri and Shantanu & Nikhil, that will approximately cost between Rs. 3,000 and Rs. 9,000, will be available in the multi-designer store. IANS