Summer Preview brings Asian fashion flare to

WGSF
highlights
global
fashion designers at Ziryab
LFW show 2016
The 4th Ziryab Fashion Show London was hosted by the Women’s
Growth and Success Foundation on Thursday 15th September 2016.
Ziryab highlighted an extensive selection of fashions from
well-known international designers at the City Hall London, an
iconic location with stunning views across the River Thames.
Among those featured were: India’s Chandan Gandhi and The
Maroon Suit; Iraq’s Ibtesam Turky, Sacha, and Najat Baki under
the Najat Baki label; Tunisia’s Mona Bin Saleh, Riman; Saudi
Arabia’s Sahar Madani under her eponymous label; UAE’s Hanan
al Sayoti, Sayora Anna; UAE’s Shamsa Al Mazroie, Bon Dana and
the UK’s Nayati Shah with the D’Joya jewellery brand.
Tanmyat Dubai was the main sponsor for the event.
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About WGSF
The Women’s Growth and Success Foundation actively encourages
women in business, through leading them to business
consultants, buyers and marketing researchers. Themed and
focussed on events, to gain confidence, so that members can
give the best of themselves in a competitive professional
environment, and enjoy the process at the same time.
For further information visit www.wgsf-london.com
India’s
Chandan
Gandhi
showcased at Ziryab LFW Show
2016
The Maroon Suit, a bespoke luxury menswear studio based out of
Mumbai and Pune, India, was showcased at the Ziryab show on
15th September 2016. The Maroon Suit, memorable as TMS started
its flagship store in 2014. The objective was to cater to a
clientele that believes in the unconventional sophistication.
High fashion at its core, TMS has won numerous accolades for
the quality, design that has successfully satisfied the
clientele and the critical media alike. ‘Be different to stand
out’ is their underlying belief. TMS is a landmark brand known
for an impeccable style and a perfect fit for each customer.
Chandan Gandhi, the brainchild of TMS is an inspiring
innovator. A designer and an entrepreneur with decades of
experience in the luxury fashion segment, he leads a team that
is dedicated to maintaining the legacy of creating ‘that one
suit’.
For further information visit www.themaroonsuit.com
About Ziryab
The 4th Ziryab Fashion Show London was hosted by the Women’s
Growth and Success Foundation (W,G,S,F,) on Thursday 15th
September 2016. Ziryab highlighted an extensive selection of
fashions from well-known international designers at the City
Hall London, an iconic location with stunning views across the
River Thames. Tanmyat Dubai was the main sponsor for the
event.
About WGSF
The Women’s Growth and Success Foundation actively encourages
women in business, through leading them to business
consultants, buyers and marketing researchers. Themed and
focussed on events, to gain confidence, so that members can
give the best of themselves in a competitive professional
environment, and enjoy the process at the same time.
Omar
Mansoor
showcases
‘Dreams of a Princess’ at LFW
2016
Omar Mansoor returned with his 12th collection at LFW 2016
featuring dresses inspired by the Persian symbol of the
Faravahar from Zoroastrian traditions. From the start of the
20th Century, the Faravahar icon found itself in public spaces
and became a known icon among all Iranians. The Faravahar is a
national symbol rather than a religious icon. Nowadays, it
represents both the modern and ancient Iranian State. The
symbol first appears on Royal inscriptions and it is thought
to represent the “Divine Royal Glory” of the King. The winged
discs which are usually blue in colour have a long history in
the art and culture of the ancient near and Middle East.
The Navy Blue is the inspiration and colour scheme for Omar
Mansoor’s Collection. “Navy Blue” which describes both a
bright and dark shade of Azure Blue combined with the
tradition in European Art and ancient Persia. Omar Mansoor
marries both points of inspiration thus drawing on his
heritage and European traditions. The collection features full
and short length dresses made up of vintage laces, Crepe and
Chiffons. By combining vintage fabrics alongside modern
fabrics, Omar has created an elegant look for a woman, who
embodies the self-confidence, high spirits and splendour.
Designer: Omar Mansoor
Concept and Styling: Arshia Tousi
Photography: Shahid Malik
PR: Enigme Internatioanle
Capital’s fashion industry
backs Mayor’s London is open
campaign
London’s fashion industry has joined the Mayor Sadiq Khan’s
campaign to tell the world that the city remains the
international fashion capital of the globe. To mark the end of
London Fashion Week, a behind-the-scenes fashion film –
created for the Mayor’s #LondonisOpen campaign and supported
by the British Fashion Council – has been released featuring
the breadth of the fashion industry, from catwalks to design
schools and paparazzi lenses to fashion media houses. Iconic
brands, fashion figures and institutions have all backed the
Mayor’s #LondonIsOpen campaign including Henry Holland, Greg
Williams, Central Saint Martins, Joseph, Martha Ward, Mount
Street, DAKS, Vogue House, Models1, Nicholas Kirkwood, the
British Fashion Council and Dylan Jones.
#LondonIsOpen was launched to spread the message that,
following the EU referendum, London remains united, full of
creativity and open for business, a message echoed by the
British Fashion Council and the fashion industry as a whole in
London. The city has long been considered a diverse and
creative driving force for contemporary fashion as well as a
notable part of the London economy. Fashion Designers, brands,
schools, models, fashion figures and photographers, all those
who make up one of the biggest industries in the UK, have got
behind the #LondonIsOpen campaign to pledge their support.
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The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London Fashion Week
has shown that London is open to the world and is an
international leader of creativity and entrepreneurship. There
was a fantastic range of designers and talent on the schedule
this season, highlighting the very best the industry has to
offer from big brands to independent retailers. The London
fashion scene has never been more diverse.”
Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries, Justine
Simons said: “We have all the best ingredients as a fashion
capital – we are home to leading fashion colleges, we are
really good at growing the next generation of talent and we
have wonderful established brands. Fashion is such a big part
of London’s success as a creative capital – both economically
and culturally. It contributes £28bn to the UK economy and
London Fashion Week provides the glittering centrepiece,
showcasing creativity and innovation, underlining the fact
that London is open to the world and a global hub of talent.”
About the #LondonIsOpen campaign
#LondonIsOpen will show the world that London remains
entrepreneurial, international, and full of creativity and
possibility, while reassuring the more than one million
foreign nationals who live in London that they will always be
welcome, and that any form of discrimination will not be
tolerated. The Mayor is urging all Londoners, organisations
and businesses to show their support for the #LondonIsOpen
message via social media, through other creative ways. The
starting idea for the campaign is built around London opening
its doors to welcome people in, and will encourage people to
use this as a platform for their own contributions.
S9 Muses curates its first
ethical heritage clothing
collection
S9 Muses, founded by childhood friends Sita Shah and Anjli
Shah, launched its first ethical heritage clothing collection
on 15th September 2016 in London. Featuring the tie-dye ‘Ka
Sha’ range by LCF-trained Karishma Shahani Khan and a couture
collection by Vaishali Shadangule, S9 Muses presents new-age,
trendsetting, luxury designers who advocate fresh ideas for
women from all walks of life. With a mantra of “Upcycling.
Recycling. Restyling. Repairing. Each garment has a story to
tell; let its story evolve”, S9 Muses is firmly wedded to the
idea of building a heritage wardrobe collection which can be
passed down through the generations.
S9 Muses was formed in September 2013, and for the last couple
of years, they have curated collections and held various popup shops around London, showcasing saris, jewellery,
accessories – such as handbags, stoles and scarves – as well
as some Western wear from these designers, all the while
sourcing and introducing new designers to each event. Now the
business has taken a leap forward with the launch of their
online retail platform, celebrated with a Global Travellerthemed evening at the Fable Bar and Restaurant on the 15th of
September 2016.
The two friends, with a knack for style and not being afraid
to experiment whilst wearing clothes to suit their
personalities, have handpicked non-conventional pieces –
handwoven, hand block printed, capsule collections and
specially curated pieces; from heirlooms to eclectic,
traditional to androgyny. Their ethically produced, handwoven
fashion in bold colours and prints by Priya Chhabria and
Pretty Crow, among others, featured summer dresses, jackets
and scarves that have already attracted plenty of attention
among fashion bloggers, as has their exotic, eye-catching
jewellery.
S9 Muses strongly believes in sustainability and slow fashion,
and whole-heartedly promotes the revival of the age-old
garment, the ever-elegant sari. Supporters of ethical fashion,
they make sure that these values are shared with the designers
they work with. Advocating heritage and handcraft in all its
forms, the founders wish to educate through storytelling.
“Dressing up should always be about making you feel good,
regardless of occasion. Build your wardrobe with timeless
pieces; garments that have been passed down from generations
above and can be passed on to future generations. Let their
story unfold.” The ladies encourage, “Don’t be afraid of
colour; don’t be afraid of prints; for experimentation is
always more fun than plain ordinary.”
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About S9 Muses
S9 refers to Section 9, an area in the quaint yet bustling
town of Thika, Kenya, where Sita and Anjli both grew up. This
is where their childhood was spent, deeply rooted in family
values and traditions, riding their bikes around and savouring
street delicacies, such as roasted cassava with chilli and
lemon.
The number 9 is associated with magic, with completion and
fulfilment, with wisdom and heaven. Romantics at heart, Anjli
and Sita naturally believe in fairy tales. So, from the
mystical nine Muses in Greek mythology, symbolising the
goddesses of poetry, art and music, came about the apt
reference to the term Muses.
For further details visit www.s9Muses.com
Designer Raishma showcases
SS17 collection at Rise on
the Runway
Designer Raishma Islam showcased her Spring/Summer 2017
collection, ahead of London Fashion Week, at the Rise on the
Runway fashion show on 12th September 2016. The show was
hosted at the London Hilton Waldorf Hotel for the ‘Give a Girl
a Future’ appeal launched by the British Asian Trust in
association with the GMSP Foundation. For Raishma, the show
represented a crossing of the rubicon, she is now firmly
established as a mainstream couture designer actively looking
to expand with a new shop in Central London and in New York.
This East-London based, wildly talented designer is ready to
blossom on the world stage with a new collection that is
distinctly “fashion forward”.
“It has taken me a long time to reach this stage. But the long
way round, doing hand embroidered, beaded, bespoke work has
meant that my new pret collections are so much better” said
Raishma, who is increasingly seeing greater demand for her
range from mainstream markets, the Middle East and even young
British Asian women who “keep part of their Asian heritage but
wear something modern. They want clothes you could wear to an
English cocktail party, and also to an Asian wedding.” That
was in 2001. Fast Forward fifteen years to 2016 and the
designer has no need to mention the ethnicity of her clients.
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“The Raishma pret range is flying off the shelves with the
blush beaded, crop top matched with crepe trousers being one
of the best selling items in my shop”, added Raishma. For the
Rise on the Runway show, the designer dressed TV presenter &
host Jenni Falconer in a black floor-length cocktail dress
with a beaded bodice; Grace Levy in a stunning beaded top and
taffeta skirt and singer Sonique in a silver beaded cocktail
dress stocked by high street retailers John Lewis and House of
Fraser.
Acid-attack victim Laxmi who flew in from Mumbai to support
the ‘Give A Girl A Future’ appeal walked the ramp at Rise on
the Runway in a classic Raishma best-seller, an embroidered
cut-away lace top with crepe silk ¾ length trousers in cream
and fellow acid-attack victim Adele wore a Chantilly lace
dress with the coral beading from the SS17 range.
The Rise on the Runway show launched the high-end couture
label ‘Rai’ by Raishma featuring beautiful, bespoke, handembroidered bridal gowns in traditional white, cream and
blush. The designer packed her first solo fashion show with
the five different collections based on the coral reef theme:
ready-to-wear pret ranges stocked by John Lewis and House of
Fraser in blues, pastel pinks; coral themed kaftans and resort
range clothing; a fusion range featuring 3D beaded dresses,
skirts and gowns, saris echoing the under the sea colour
palette; the gorgeous, grand finale of wedding gowns followed
a unique set of five saris inspired by artist Inkquisitive
which Raishma gifted to the charity auction in aid of Asian
women.
Raishma told The Huffington Post UK: “Being a woman of Asian
background and Pakistani origin, this was a fantastic
opportunity for me to give back to my community. “My clothes
are made in Pakistan and India so I’m very familiar with the
poor conditions for women in some of the poorest areas.
Empowering women through skills training, education and jobs
is something I feel very passionate about.”
The designer teamed up her ‘Rai’ couture collection with a
range of high-end shoes by Lucy Choi, niece of the legendary
Jimmy Choo, wowing the audience that included actresses Preeya
Kalidas, Laila Rouass; ex-West Indian cricketer, Carlos
Braithwaite; singer Sonique; politicians Lord Popat and Lord
Gadhia; GMSP CEO Sonal Sachdev Patel, Ramesh & Pratibha
Sachdev; Asian Power Couple Mike & Shalina Tobin; Trustee
Shalni Arora and a host of others. The reaction to the fashion
show was enthusiastic and contagious with many bidding on the
Raishma Inkquisitive art sarees.
Fresh from celebrating her twentieth anniversary in business
in June this year, Raishma Islam looks set to step onto the
world stage from twenty more years.
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About Raishma:
Having trained under distinguished designer Elizabeth Emanuel,
famed for creating Princess Diana’s iconic wedding dress,
Raishma was inspired to launch her self- named label in 1998
after much anticipation and to high acclaim. From a couture
and bespoke background, Raishma is renowned for creating
exceptional and beautiful gowns. With 20 years of expertise
and experience, the established designer has had the privilege
of dressing British Royal Family member, HRH Princess Beatrice
and HRH Princess Eugenie and A-list celebrities including Mel
B and Hollywood actress Goldie Hawn.
For further information visit www.raishma.co.uk
About Lucy Choi:
Lucy Choi launched her brand in 2012, pioneering the next
generation of luxury footwear. She has combined her unique
heritage, set of fashion credentials, and design expertise in
order to establish an innovative shoe label that is at the
same time extremely chic, comfortable and affordable. With her
uncle Jimmy as an influential role model, Lucy learned early
on the importance of character, comfort & craftsmanship, which
was to become the founding ethos of her brand.
For further information visit https://shoplucychoilondon.com/
About GSMP
GMSP foundation was set up by Ramesh and Pratibha Sachdev in
2006 to support vulnerable communities in India and the UK.
They invest in immediate needs and long term mindset change.
Their focus is women and girls who they believe are the engine
of social change.
About the British Asian Trust:
The British Asian Trust supports the development of a South
Asia that maximises the potential of its people, and that is
free from inequality and injustice.
It was founded in 2007 by
HRH The Prince of Wales and a group of visionary leaders from
the British Asian business community.
About the Give a Girl a Future Appeal
Donations to the British Asian Trust before 7th December 2016
will support some of the poorest people in South Asia. The UK
Government will match all donations up to a maximum of £5
million during the appeal. This match funding will be used to
give girls a future in Pakistan by supporting them to get the
skills and opportunities they need to secure a sustainable
livelihood.
For
further
details,
or
to
donate
visit
www.britishasiantrust.org/giveagirlafuture
Rise on the Runway credits:
Fashion by Raishma London
Make-up by Gini Bhogal
Inkquisitive saris in association with Amandeep Singh
PR by Media Hive
Asian fashion elite turn out
to support the ‘Give A Girl a
Future’ Appeal
The British Asian fashion elite turned out in their droves to
support the launch of British Asian Trust ‘Give A Girl a
Future’ appeal on Monday 12th September 2016. Organised in
association with GMSP Foundation, set up by Ramesh and
Pratibha Sachdev in 2006 to support vulnerable communities in
India and the UK, the appeal was launched with a Rise on the
Runway fashion show featuring couture by Raishma Islam and
shoes by Lucy Choi London. Sonal Sachdev Patel, CEO of, GMSP
Foundation said: “This is an incredibly important appeal to
support the lives of vulnerable girls, women and their
families in South Asia. The ‘Give a Girl a Future’ campaign is
aiming to transform the lives of 100,000 girls, women and
their families in South Asia through an appeal that will see
the UK Government match all donations by members of the UK
public made before December 7th.
In some rural areas, 94 women in every 100 have no work and
even those with work, may earn as little as 17p per day. With
no skills or hope the brutal reality for thousands of girls
born into poverty in South Asia is that they have no real
future.
Money from the UK Government will support girls and women in
Pakistan to access the skills they need to secure a
sustainable livelihood.”
International Development Secretary, Priti Patel, said: “By
matching and effectively doubling the British public’s
generous donations to the British Asian Trust’s ‘Give a Girl a
Future’ appeal, the UK is helping as many as 50,000 women and
girls develop the business skills they need to secure steady
jobs. We can reduce an entire generation’s dependency on aid
as we enable young women in Pakistan to earn their own living
and work towards a better future for them and their families.”
Those in attendance at the Rise on the Runway event were TV
and Heart Radio presenter Jenni Falconer; actresses Preeya
Kalidas, Laila Rouass; ex-West Indian cricketer, Carlos
Braithwaite; singer Sonique and politicians Lord Popat and
Lord Gadhia, among more than a hundred and fifty guests.
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About the British Asian Trust:
The British Asian Trust supports the development of a South
Asia that maximises the potential of its people, and that is
free from inequality and injustice.
It was founded in 2007 by
HRH The Prince of Wales and a group of visionary leaders from
the British Asian business community.
About the Give a Girl a Future Appeal
Donations to the British Asian Trust before 7th December 2016
will support some of the poorest people in South Asia. The UK
Government will match all donations up to a maximum of £5
million during the appeal. This match funding will be used to
give girls a future in Pakistan by supporting them to get the
skills and opportunities they need to secure a sustainable
livelihood.
For
further
details,
or
to
donate
www.britishasiantrust.org/giveagirlafuture
visit
About GSMP
GMSP foundation was set up by Ramesh and Pratibha Sachdev in
2006 to support vulnerable communities in India and the UK.
They invest in immediate needs and long term mindset change.
Their focus is women and girls who they believe are the engine
of social change.
About Raishma
Having trained under distinguished designer Elizabeth Emanuel,
famed for creating Princess Diana’s iconic wedding dress,
Raishma was inspired to launch her self- named label in 1998
after much anticipation and to high acclaim. From a couture
and bespoke background, Raishma is renowned for creating
exceptional and beautiful gowns. With 20 years of expertise
and experience, the established designer has had the privilege
of dressing British Royal Family member, HRH Princess Beatrice
and HRH Princess Eugenie and A-list celebrities including Mel
B and Hollywood actress Goldie Hawn.
About Lucy Choi
Lucy Choi launched her brand in 2012, pioneering the next
generation of luxury footwear. She has combined her unique
heritage, set of fashion credentials, and design expertise in
order to establish an innovative shoe label that is at the
same time extremely chic, comfortable and affordable. With her
uncle Jimmy as an influential role model, Lucy learned early
on the importance of character, comfort & craftsmanship, which
was to become the founding ethos of her brand.