Cashmere by Izza

Islamabad is no alien to fashion exhibitions – be it long-awaited designer launches, fashion shows, or new designers looking for their big break; the high society of the capital has an ever-growing appetite. Sunday, October 14, at Table Talk in Kohsar Market, Izza Adnan showcased her Cashmere Collection, celebrating three successful years of Cashmere since its debut.

Cashmere by Izza is an exclusive range of shawls and scarves, ranging from intricately embellished pieces and embroidery, to the classic block-printing.

Making use of the location, Table Talk, the exhibition was an intimate display – with the pieces showcased opposite a full-wall bookshelf. The cosy setting allowed a homey feeling, letting the customers’ experience be comfortable.

In an exclusive interview with the Rejuve team, Izza opened up about the birth of Cashmere. “Buying shawls was always a very difficult process for me because I could never find exactly what I had in mind” she admitted. “Islamabad never had a variety of options and ordering out-of-city is always a hassle.” Agitated by this, she decided to start her own fashion line of formal shawls and scarves.

Cashmere by Izza is primarily an elitist brand, targeting the high society, with their selective luxury designs.

The exhibition displayed the top picks from the line, with the maximum variety in embellishments and embroidery.

Disparately from most fashion line exhibitions, Cashmere provided a lot of liberty to the customers. They were allowed to try on any of the display pieces, while Izza herself was constantly attending to any and all concerns, questions, and queries. The presence of the designer herself, ready to elaborate on the inspiration and ideology behind each design, established the sense of a personal entity with the work, making it significantly more appealing to the beholder.

With an estimated total of more than a hundred customers, Cashmere took orders for approximately 80 designs. Buyers had the liberty to customise pieces in terms of colour, design, or artwork, however suits them best, as well as the provision of getting the original design as it is.

Talking about the showcasing, one of the customers, Ms. Seema Riaz commented, “Izza’s work has really provided many more options for formal shawls. Getting embellished shawls was a big hassle since you had to go to the workmen and have the design made. The Cashmere Collection has wonderful designs and makes the process much easier too.”

The exhibition culture forms a more interactive forum between designer and customer, allowing for a largely interactive and intimate buying experience.

Start-ups like Cashmere by Izza, are a really interesting segment of the fashion industry. By taking the heat off established designers, they significantly displace the market. They allow customers to explore more options, ones that are more accommodating and economical.