The Creative Spirit of a Budding Designer

The crux of the budding Fashion Industry lies within the youth striving for formal professional education in the designing arts. These students are to replenish or sustain the state of the industry; determining its progression.

The Team at Rejuve sat down with Ms. Mahnoor Khan, who is pursuing an undergraduate program of Textile Designing at National College of Arts, Lahore. She allows an insight into the future designers of the country.

1. Has designing always been a passion of yours, or did it develop later on in life?

Growing up, I always knew I loved art. I was always painting and drawing, and I started sketching as I grew older. I developed an affinity for henna art. That’s when I started designing from my head instead of just drawing what I saw. It wasn’t until much later that I realized I enjoyed creating patterns much more than sceneries or objects.

2. Which designers do you hold as your inspirations and why?

I have actually always been more inspired and amazed by Pakistani designers more than foreign ones, maybe because their designs are easier to connect with. Since my area is basically the fabric and the art within it, more than the output product, I look up to the likes of Faraz Manan, Maria B, and Fahad Hussayn. This is mainly because their work is the closest to mine. It is fairly easier for me to connect with their individual motifs and design psychologies, which means I can find inspiration within their designs.

3. Are your designs emotionally motivated? When you are developing a pattern, do you reflect your own thoughts into it?

I think yes. My mental state and situations affect my designs quite a lot. It is very apparently reflected on the colors I use. But it also shows within the pattern. When I am happy, my designs are usually more floral, with curves and brighter tones. But if I’m working under stress then they mostly end up being darker and more abstract.

4. What motivates you to design? What is your driving force to create designs?

When I started out, before university, it was just a recreation for me. Whenever I was bored or just free, I would pick up my sketchbook and start doodling and forming patterns. But now, designing for me has become more of a psychological time out. It has become like an escape for me. So anytime I feel like I’m going under water from the pressure around me, I have learnt to put that energy into a pattern. For me, the design is very explanatory of my thoughts. So it is a very visible outlet, but it’s also very private.

5. How has fashion and design changed in Pakistan over the years? Do you think it has changed for the better?

It has actually changed significantly. When we were younger, looking back and studying those designs, they were much more conservative. You can see it when you analyze the textile, designers didn’t take risks. The patterns, the colors, they were all very politically correct. Now, designers take a lot more liberty. There’s an identity visible in the work. The producers and the buyers are not afraid of daring designs anymore. Personally, I do believe it is a major step forward. For people like me, it allows me to own my designs and be able to create what I want to, not what is expected. Looking forward, this may be the biggest push into bringing a design revolution.