LAAM Fashion Week made its debut in Lahore, returning Pakistan’s fashion runway to a four-day event featuring over 35 presentations from established designers and emerging brands. The week stood out for integrating technology, commerce, and fashion, creating a platform that bridged designers, retailers, and consumers in a cohesive and commercially aware environment. By making collections immediately available through the LAAM app and live streaming shows in over 120 countries, the event brought runway fashion directly to the digital retail space, responding to the modern consumer’s demand for accessibility and wearability.
The opening showcases highlighted leading names in Pakistan’s fashion industry, including Ali Xeeshan, Fahad Hussayn, Deepak Perwani, Nomi Ansari, Élan, HSY, Saira Shakira, and The House of Kamiar Rokni. Emerging talent was also emphasized through the LFW Hot List, featuring designers from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design. These showcases revealed confident collections that, in some cases, surpassed those of established designers in coherence and market appeal. The inclusion of the Top 16 Pakistan Idol finalists added pop culture relevance to the event.
Several collections demonstrated strong commercial and creative potential. Mo by Mohsin Tawasuli presented structured silhouettes with a versatile and timeless approach, while Fahad Hussayn balanced cultural references with wearable designs suitable for retail. Nomi Ansari’s showcase was playful yet market-conscious, and Deepak and Fahad offered androgynous pieces with clear commercial viability. Other collections, including Ali Xeeshan and Tena Durrani, struggled with cohesion or felt recycled, underscoring the importance of market-readiness alongside creative expression.
High-street labels like Kibo, Bulbul, and Amna Ilyas also delivered notable showcases, highlighting fashion-forward thinking. The event reinforced fashion’s role as a broader economic ecosystem, supporting designers, production teams, artisans, and technicians, while positioning runway shows as infrastructure for commerce rather than mere spectacle. With its digital and retail-focused model, LAAM Fashion Week has set a new benchmark for Pakistan’s fashion industry, offering a platform that combines creativity, commercial potential, and industry growth. Improvements in show management and scheduling are expected to enhance future seasons further.
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