KARACHI: The Sapphire retail brand was launched through its first flagship store at Dolmen Mall – Clifton in Karachi on December 5, says a press release issued on Saturday.
Indeed ‘Sapphire’ is a collaborative venture between Pakistan’s leading manufacturers of high quality textile products, the Sapphire Group and fashion designer Khadijah Shah of Élan, who is the brands Creative Director. Inspired by the rich culture and heritage of the East, the ready to wear brand features high quality, refined designer products at affordable prices.
The launch event itself included a fashion presentation showcasing a selection of Sapphire’s seasonal designs featuring models Amna Babar, Hira Tareen, Fia, Sana Ansari and Fauzia Aman and was well attended by fashion industry stalwarts, celebrities and media personalities including: fashion designers Safinaz Muneer, Sadaf Jalil and Mohsin Ali of Sana Safinaz, Ayesha F. Hashwani, Adnan Pardesy, Umair Tabani of Sania Maskatiya, Wardha Saleem, Sanam Chaudhri, Zahir Rahimtoola of Labels and Naushaba Brohi of Inaaya; jewellery designer Shehrzad Rahimtoola; TV personalities Ayesha Omar, Ayesha Tammy Haq, Syra Shahroz, Palwashay Yousuf, Samra Arsalan Khan, Alishba Yousuf, Momal Sheikh, Shabbir Jan, Mira Ansari; photographers Tapu Javeri, Arsalan Khan, Nadir Firoz Khan and Fayyaz Ahmed; musician Maha Ali Kazmi and stylists Maha Burney and Raana Khan to name a few.
The event was managed by Amina and Anisa Rashid Khan of RAK Associates, with model styling by N-Pro, choreography by Fia, store design by team Architects Inc., digital support by Shopistan and public relations by Lotus.
On the collaboration and Sapphire store launch, Nabeel Abdullah, Director of Sapphire has said, “The idea was to bring a superior product into the Pakistani market, both in terms of quality and design. We are selling a ‘designer’ product at an affordable price for the consumer. With Sapphire Group’s manufacturing strength and Khadijah Shah’s beautiful design aesthetics, we hope to set a new standard in Pakistan’s fashion industry.”
On collaborating with Sapphire, Creative Director Khadijah Shah has said “Sapphire is one of the oldest and most renowned business houses of Pakistan – They have a long history of producing premier quality products in every industry they have so far ventured into. When Sapphire proposed a collaboration it seemed like a perfect fit and a great opportunity to create something outstanding together- based on our individual and cumulative strengths. I am thrilled to introduce the mass retail RTW label Sapphire. For myself as Creative Director of the new brand and my entire team, this is a significantly bold step into mass retail but one that we feel comes as a natural step, following our growth in lawn and pret over the last 3 years.
The Sapphire group have the expertise and strength to be able to launch, grow and expand and my design team and I have spared no effort to create collections that complement their strengths, with l versatile designs which we have endeavoured to create for women of all ages, within a higher end luxury aesthetic. ”
Sapphire hosts a range of products which includes stitched day wear and unstitched printed fabric for women, scarves, a special formal range ‘Naqaash’, a menswear line ‘Shikaara’ and a range of precious and semi-precious stones jewellery called ‘Nigeen’. With a price range starting from PKR 2,200, Sapphire’s debut winter fabric collection reflects an eclectic bohemian spirit through vivid designs and bold embroideries. For the new line, the team drew on their shared passion for art, block-print, vintage floral patterns and chinoiserie to compose prints and embroideries, employing new methods to recreate old world craftsmanship on luxuriant woollen and silk fabrics custom made for the winter season.
The collection embarks on an exciting voyage, from the rich heritage of the subcontinent to the artistic traditions of the orient, moving through the annals of history, and beyond. Using 100% pure fabrics, the collection comes in over 50 distinct designs in 2 colour ways and a diverse colour palette
