KARACHI: After graduating from one of the world’s top fashion schools, Parsons The New School For Design, and having worked for J Crew, 28-year-old Mera Anwar returns to Pakistan with her label MIRI. The brand, introduced back in 2010 in the United States, will now be stocked at the Labels store in Karachi. The designer talks to The Express Tribune about the vision behind her work and her preferences as a designer.
Anwar joined J Crew “fresh out of the oven”, as she says. However, as a result of too much workload, since she was running her label side by side, she finally quit her job to allow her own brand to grow.
Having faced a number of restraints to her designing, she does not enjoy her work being edited. “All I ever wanted was to have the freedom to create. I wanted to design freely and not have my stuff edited at the end of the day,” she says.
For Anwar, fashion has always been very functional and she loved dressing up as a kid. With an urge to create timeless pieces, she finds true inspiration in the work of Coco Chanel.
“Her out-of-the-box thinking for those times was truly remarkable,” asserts Anwar. Presently, the designer seems fond of socialite Daphne Guinness. “She is a socialite who dresses up every day and I am in awe of her persona.”
Mera Anwar launches her Western-wear brand at Labels in Karachi. PHOTOS: PUBLICITY
The US-based designer believes that Pakistan has “a great market for Western wear since a lot of people appreciate my outfits.”
Talking about her latest collection, Anwar says, “It’s a contemporary line meant for different occasions. Like my previous collections, this, too, is inspired by my travelling experiences.”
The capsule collection, showcased at Labels, included a range of short shirts which were mostly sleeveless and shimmery gold coloured pants — seemingly targeted at a specific class and not the masses. Her collection was inspired by her recent visit to the Middle East.
Anwar believes in the “well-functionality of clothes, with little embellishment and a subtle look,” since she believes that “nobody can rush home from work and get dressed instantly for an evening out. This collection will serve the purpose.”
She strongly believes that MIRI is a brand for girls who are ‘careless, free-spirited and never take things too seriously’.
“The MIRI girl is modern, edgy, downtown and chic,” adds Anwar. Hence, it does not come as much of a surprise that Anwar eagerly wants to dress up model and actor Mahira Khan some day.
“She looks great and always owns what she wears. Hers is a personalised look and she does a great job at that!,” says Anwar.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 29th, 2013.
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