Hi All!
I apologize for my slight absence but my team and I have been involved in a spate of fashion pictorials for the ‘AI Femme’ (women’s wear) line. We were very excited about orchestrating the shoots and had planned the concepts way in advance. ‘AI Femme’ Head Designer Fayez Agariah took a breather from production of pret in Islamabad and flew down to Karachi for a few days to art-direct the shoots he had envisioned.
The first shoot was inspired by myriad influences; from 70s black and white photographs of androgynous fashion shot by Helmut Newton to iconic images of Audrey Hepburn from ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’. The outfits paid a reverential nod to these images but were contemporary in feel and cut from the back-beaded LBD to the structured rilli-like white sports jacket. Fayez chose his favourite ‘muse’ the irrepressible and decidedly androgynous dusky beauty Ayesha Toor to play the character who “transmogrifies: (a favourite word of Fayez suggested by Creative Consultant Zurain Imam which means “to transform in a surprising or magical manner” from an ultra-feminine socialite to an ambiguously a sexual character.
Photographer Fayyaz Ahmed and Fayez decided to shoot half the shoot (three outfits) indoors but insisted to shoot the rest at night in Karachi’s deep dark metropolis. Driving through Karachi the team shot some amazing photographs near the Clifton underpass, against the backdrop of the Sofitel Tower and then later in front of the Ocean Mall itself much to the chagrin and annoyance of the guards who tried to hurry the team up! Ayesha all this time with cigarette stylishly in hand à la Newton remained cool, aloof and unflustered!

The last image with Ayesha wearing a French-inspired riding jacket cum jump suit (which easily ‘transmogrified’ into a Batman-like cape!) was shot near the old Metropole Hotel a place that commuters traverse every day but never realize is an amazing backdrop for fashion shoots at night! With traffic crossing from all four sides at this crossroads, the team incurred a lot of attention from families in cars, to single men on motorbikes and even rickshaw drivers stopping to stare! Everyone loves a little night time glamour!

The team finally wrapped up shooting around 2:30am after creating a slew of unbelievably stylish, iconic and Vogue-quality shoots! I was delighted by the results and am sure you will too when they appear in a leading publication soon!
Next time I will relate the goings-on of the even more ambitious and most expensive and expansive Arsalan Iqbal fashion shoot to date!
Till next time!
Ciao!
Arsalan I.
Arsalan Iqbal 