FASHION STATEMENT:  Omar Farooq, right, walks on the ramp with heartthrob Fawad Khan during his collection showcase at Pakistan Sunsilk Fashion Week 2015.

By Muhammad Asad Ullah

As Omar Farooq soars to the top of Pakistani fashion industry after launching his own label Republic, boasting the ultimate signature style and cuts, and not afraid to experiment with the new trends of chic and elegant clothing, it is hard to believe he’s just 33.
Basking in the glory of his brand, Farooq talked to Community about his nominations at International Woolmark Prize-Dubai and Lux Style Awards-Pakistan, the trend of being brand conscious and how designers across the border are making it big for their fashion industry.
Being self-conscious is perhaps, important in today’s world but this sometimes inclines people to become brand conscious.
The trend has shifted to bagging products with ‘expensive tags’ and the wise question of why to spend gratuitously on the products that are not worth the tag they hold is fading out, inducing a candid response from Omar.
“Men’s wear is not about wearing brands; in my opinion, it is the most vulgar display of anything you can do,” he says.
Stella McCartney, for instance, might design clothes that are meant to last and pieces that aren’t going to get burnt, but Farooq picks a hole in the former’s mantra, thinking fashion to be very different.
“Nothing is sustainable; I don’t believe in suitability, and fashion is all about evolving and experimenting. One should not be that predictable and that’s the beauty of it,” suggests Farooq.
“I’ve been very lucky in this respect and I really don’t remember my work being criticised in any form or shape. When I first started, I hired some boys from PFDC (Pakistan Fashion Designing Council) to help me out (when the idea of Republic was still raw).”
“They were all indeed very skeptical, and critical as well. It was very natural of them to feel that way because many men’s wear brands came into the market and failed miserably, especially when the formal wear where it’s hard to define the right niche.”
Farooq always wanted heartthrob Fawad Khan to be his brand ambassador since the start of his career. He likens him to the 60s French actor Alain Delon, who rose quickly to stardom at 23. The New York Times called his work “touchingly pliant and expressive”.
“I believe Fawad to be the Alain Delon of Pakistan, there’s no-one like him. Initially, when I started my first collection was based on Delon,” recalls Farooq, “I just love the way he used to be, his expression and his movies, just everything… and I believe this is what is lacking in today’s men — character and style.”
The International Woolmark Prize (IWP) held in Dubai recognises outstanding rising fashion labels. Regional competitions are judged by high profile industry figures during the international autumn/winter collection shows. For Farooq, it was a pleasant journey of six months from the time of nomination to the finale and meeting designers across the border on the international platform.
The collection of Pakistani men’s wear Republic for the Woolmark nomination was an inspiration from The Silk Road — an ancient trade route which ran throughout Central Asia to Turkey. From China to India, Kashmir, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Persia and Turkey, everything traded along the road had something to do with culture, tradition and religion along the way.
Talking about the collection winding down a long way through the Silk Road, Farooq says, “We ran our collection from India — Mughal Art architecture which is a marble screen mostly used in mosques followed by Kashmir, known for its shawls. We picked a Kashmiri shawl which is actually known as a Kami Shawl (hand woven jacquard shawl). We did modern adaptation of a classic traditional Kashmiri shawl and used it in the jacket just to give a feel of the Silk Road. Then, we painstakingly developed a fabric that wasn’t a shawl but a modern version of it — Marble Screen completely embossed on the overcoat, where we had to laser cut the entire marble screen known as marble jaali and bonded by fusing on top of the base fabric of the overcoat. It looked like woven in jacquard, but it wasn’t.”
Adds Farooq, “There was a sweater at the end, done in merino yarn and the other important element was the Persian motifs, which used to dominate the Silk Road throughout. We used merino yarn — half of the weight of the sweater and then we did single handed embroidery — an intricate work that can only be done by a single person and finally, we brushed the entire thing to give it a more luxurious look.
For Farooq, Suket Dhir — contender and winner of International Woolmark Prize — is a friend. The four-year-old label from Delhi, never showcased at a fashion week, brought India to the table of Woolmark Prize which impressed the judges no end.
“He’s a gem of a person and became a very good friend of mine in no time. Basically the concept of Woolmark is to compete with oneself rather than each other,” says Farooq, a touch disarmingly.
“India is doing a fantastic job in fabric making. Every designer has their own Khaadi unit. They are very good at developing their brand identity (so much so that) that you can always relate to their brand with their symbol.”
So ladies out there, making up the large market in terms of business, get ready for a bridal collection by Republic showcasing at Bridal Couture Week 2015 for the very first time — a collection co-designed by Omer’s Sana. “We have used the element of Silk Road again, but in a modern and European avatar — something very new, using pastel colours,” says the Republic Creative Director.
Thrilled at a fourth time nomination at Lux Style Awards-Pakistan, Farooq aims at producing the Woolmark Collection for the 2015 winter along with the launch of an online store for international market, including Doha.
“I am thrilled, but winning or losing doesn’t change any side of the business. Obviously, it’s an appreciation, but at the end of the day, what matters is the hard work.”
Fittingly symbolised by the lion and radiating power and majesty — sometimes arrogant, sometimes ambitious, Farooq remains a true Leo, very dominating, controlling and passionate in whatever he does.
In conclusion, the Republic CEO says, “No matter what, borders should not come between the people of India and Pakistan. We both have potential and I would love this to emerge on a platform where we both can benefit at the same time. We can do business together, work together and develop a great economy.”