Binding threads

India8217;s Ritu Kumar and Pakistan8217;s Nadia Lakdawala are some of the most sought after designers being approached with lucrative orders by customers from the other side of the border. The rich and the fashion-conscious form a majority of their clientele, who mainly look for what is unique to the other country. As a result, there is a growing demand for Indian Silk saris and ghagra cholis in Pakistan, while in India, it is the zardosi and meenakari-studded dresses and Peshawari juttis that are much in demand. The prices match the status of the clients, with prices ranging between Rs 4,000 and Rs 25,000 INR.

Gita Sud, an Amritsar-based designer, who has been dressing up Pakistanis for quite sometime now, attributes this trend to a thirst for 8220;the different8221;. Apart from Amritsari cut-work and embroidery, a large number of people from Pakistan also came to India to shop for Banarasi saris, she says. 8220;The craze is more among the Pakistani youth, especially girls, who are known to go ga-ga over Indian pashmina silk saris and come with their parents to India to shop for their weddings,8221; she says.

The craze is mutual, she adds, 8220;I have friends and customers, who often go to Pakistan to shop for clothes for special occasions. I have a client, Roshni, who has been to Pakistan innumerable times for shopping. 8220;All of the special occasions in their family are famous for showcasing Indian and Pakistani designer clothes side by side,8221; she says.

Anjali Kapoor, a boutique owner, says clothes done in vegetable dyes too are a big hit with the Pakistani public. 8220;In fact, each state has its own specialty, which has of late been attracting many Pakistani customers,8221; she explains. She says that as far as Indians8217; craze for Pakistani threads is concerned, their bridal wear is more in demand in India these days. The intricate thread, gold and glasswork, which is done by village women in Pakistan, is also very popular here as these are rare in India, she adds.

Hina Anjum, a designer from Pakistan, who recently held an exhibition in Amritsar, says Pakistani designers see better prospects in India, because of which many of them are coming here to hold exhibitions and look for customers. During her four tours to India she has gathered a large number of clients, particularly politicians. 8220;Durability is another factor that comes into the equation here,8221; she says. 8220;Nadia Lakdawala is a known name in India now as she has held several exhibitions in India and also proposes to enter the Indian market in a more direct manner,8221; she says.

Hina says the craze can well be judged from the fact that the orders that she received during her recent exhibition in Delhi far outnumbered what she had received barely a couple of months ago. 8220;I have been flooded with orders of designer suits, particularly items that can be given away as gifts,8221; she says.

8220;We have also hosted several Indian designers who have a great following in Pakistan,8221; she says. Designers like Tarun Tahiliani, Rohit Bal, Manish Malhotra and Suneet Varma have their designer wear stocked at various renowned outlets in Pakistan. 8220;Ritu Kumar8217;s bridal creations are a rage in Karachi and surrounding areas,8221; she adds.

As for the men, Gunbir Singh, vice-chairman, CII, Punjab, says, 8220;While there is something common in the dress and culture on both sides of the border, it8217;s the intricacies in art work that set the two apart,8221; he says. 8220;Pakistani stuff is rough and tough, quite liked for kurta pyjamas here,8221; he said. Om Prakash Lati Shah, a trader, who often commutes between India and Pakistan, says a lot of men in India have a penchant for Pakistani salwar kameez.

Amritsari shawls add warmth to Indo-Pak relations

Pashminas, jamawars and embroidered shawls manufactured in Amritsar are finding their way into the Pakistani market in large numbers. Though seasonal by nature, the shawl industry of Amritsar depends mainly on orders from Pakistan and other international orders from USA, Middle East, Japan, Australia and Europe.

The once-thriving industry may have been hit hard by the unwarranted policies of the government here, but has found solace in Pakistan, one of the biggest markets for its wares.

Yogesh Mehra, a shawl manufacturer, says that initially Kashmiri shawls dominated the market, but persistence and hard work of the manufacturers here, coupled with innovations in the business, have been able to make a place for the shawls from the holy city in the Pakistani market.

Vijay Saini, another shawl manufacturer, says, 8220;Our hand embroidered shawls are as much in demand in Pakistan owing to constant innovation in design and form.8221; Even the machine-made ones sell like hot cakes. 8220;Stoles, which are smaller in size as compared to shawls and may or may not be woollen, have become a huge hit among global customers and are the latest rage in the fashion circuit in India as well as Pakistan,8221; he claims.