The Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture Fashion Design Class of 2025 showcased their thesis projects, a year-long culmination of garments and silhouettes inspired by a range of aesthetics. From time periods in fashion, to streetwear based on Karachi, to more specific cultural identities, skill and concept shone through this year in the department of Fashion Design.
A playful, yet elegant understanding of color, silhouette and embellishment took center stage. Generally, each student presented three styled mannequins, along with concept-inspired decor, illustrations, moodboards and booklets. Beyond industry appeal, these young designers channel the personal and abstract into intricate garments that tell a visual story.
Marium Tariq’s project, Raised by Color, exhibits a concept rooted in the style of the 60’s. With florals, bold colors and pleats, she captures the essence of an era of optimism and mirth. Though the color palette and motifs are a direct callback to Tariq’s era of choice, the drapery is modern. Other projects also incorporate this amalgamation of polarities: retro and modern, eastern and western.
Clothing as an expression of culture, akin to language, is sensitively recognized and expressed as well. In Zemal Menghal’s Bright Nation, traditional Balochi embroidery meets boxy shalwar kameez silhouettes from the 80’s. Citing pop icon Nazia Hassan’s style as inspiration, Menghal incorporates dramatic tassels as a decorative element. With real cardamom pods and cloves threaded through them, these garments carry a cultural tradition along with texture.
A distinct Pakistani charm is also found in Sarah Shahid’s Echoes of Folklore. The feminine protagonists of Heer Ranjha, Umar Marvi and Sohni Mahiwal come to the front. Shahid imagines a style that brings key motifs and elements from these regional myths together. Embroidered motifs of the lotus, the matka, and the palm tree sit elegantly on puff sleeves and bodices. Bright earthy greens and blues, which mimic the pastoral landscape of these stories, are complemented with deep maroons and pastel pinks.
Together, these projects reflect a generation of designers confidently weaving heritage with innovation, transforming personal and cultural narratives into contemporary fashion.