After more than 200 years, Paris women finally allowed to wear trousers

Women in Paris can finally wear trousers without fear of criminal prosecution after the government said a more than 200-year-old ban no longer had any legal effect.

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, France’s minister of women’s rights, said in a statement that the ban, imposed on November 17, 1800, was incompatible with modern French values and laws.

The municipal order required Parisian women to seek permission from local police if they wanted to “dress like a man” by wearing trousers.

It was modified in 1892 and 1909 to allow women to wear trousers if they were “holding a bicycle handlebar or the reins of a horse” but had officially remained on the books.

Answering a question in the Official Journal of the French Senate, Vallaud-Belkacem said that while it had not been formally struck down, the order was in effect abrogated.

“This order was aimed first of all at limiting the access of women to certain offices or occupations by preventing them from dressing in the manner of men,” she said.

“This order is incompatible with the principles of equality between women and men…. From that incompatibility stems the implicit abrogation of the order,” she said.

The element of fear leads to a good show: Wardha Saleem

Wardha Saleem is best known for her prêt-a-porter as well as lawn collections — modern and traditional embroidery, vibrant colours and block prints. Her latest collection Folk Play, a colourful exhibition of psychedelic prints, was one of the best collections to have come out of Fashion Pakistan Week (FPW4).

“I belong to Sindh and that is why this rich culture is so prevalent in my work,” says Wardha, referring to her Jhirki and Folk Play collections. “At the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture [IVSAA], I learnt about this craft in detail — how to take inspiration from this culture and turn it into a statement piece in today’s time.” The designer did her bachelors in textile design from IVSAA in 2003 and has been teaching at the institute since.Wardha feels that if you want to reach the pinnacle of your career and “keep the ball rolling”, you need to love what you do. “We always put something special in our clothes,” she says, adding that people consequently try to copy the embroidery and overall style. “However, there is a lot more to a complete outfit than just that. It cannot be copied entirely.” Referring to the imitations of her lawn designs from 2011, she says, “I believe you need to be a trendsetter. People follow you and you should enjoy it and not get angry — it’s part of the game.”

For the designer, it is the constant support from family, friends and workers that has allowed the label to make a place for itself in the fashion realm. Her brothers look after the brand’s marketing and legal affairs while her friends, Tapu Javeri (official photographer of the brand) and Ayaz Anis, have been pillars of support. “A strong family system brings out the best in you,” she smiles.

“The craftsmen that work for us are very poor and I feel responsible for them,” she continues, talking about her workers based in Tando Allahyar who are responsible for patchwork, Tando Muhammad Khan for ajrak and Karachi for block-printing. “As designers, I feel it’s our responsibility to save our traditional craft. Look at India, their craft industry is blooming,” she says. “We have a lot of talent and skill in Pakistan too and we need to save it from falling apart.”

When it comes to the dynamic and stressful phenomenon of fashion week, Wardha feels anxiety and stress are prerequisites to a successful show. “I get scared at the beginning of every show, like it’s the very first time; but the element of fear certainly leads to a good show,” she says. She also feels that fashion weeks provide a colossal platform to designers and give them opportunities to grow. “I love the madness of fashion weeks and the competition that is out there — it challenges you and shows that you cannot be monotonous if you want to survive,”

For Wardha, a good life partner should have a “strong soul with family values and good morals” and should be open to others’ opinions. He should be “someone who doesn’t view life from one dimension and is open to other perspectives too”.
“Being in love teaches you a lot about life and yourself — it’s important to fall in love at least once in your life,” she says. When asked why she hasn’t yet been spotted with a significant other, she says, “I would love to be spotted — just waiting for my Mr Right.”

Reviving tradition: Artisans attract visitors by displaying skills

An exhibition on cultural heritage is ongoing as part of the Pakistan Week celebrations at Lok Virsa, the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage, according to a press release.

Over a 100 master artisans can be seen at work in cultural pavilions, putting their creativity in arts, crafts and innovation.
Attractions include embroidered items from across the country, block printing, lacquer work, pottery, tie and dye, dolls, khaddar, truck art, woodwork, papier mache, metal work, shawls, zari work, motikari, traditional carpets, ajrak, wax printing and stonework.
A multi-talented artisan, Zulfiqar Ghazi specialises in the famous Kashmiri art of papier mache. He is also an accomplished artist in stain glass, fabric designing and traditional furniture painting. Ghazi paints landscapes, floral motifs, birds, animals and Mughals in his paintings as well on papier mache artifacts.

Lok Virsa’s executive director Khalid Javaid said “Pakistan with its rich and varied heritage has a craft tradition dating back to the Mehergarh civilization in Balochistan, when reveals the earliest evidence for pottery production. The Indus Valley civilization of Mohenjodaro in Sindh and Harappa civilization in Punjab indicates impressions of woven cloth production from cotton and wool.

Interior designer’s debut collection shows traditional furniture with a splash of colour

Maira Chinoy has spent the last two years in Italy, taking in all she could from the country’s art and culture. She has now returned to share it with Pakistan.

The 26-year-old showcased her first collection at The House of Ensemble on January 18 and 19, which included decorative furniture pieces like mirrors, candle stands, mannequins, chairs, and trays along with other art pieces.

Chinoy said her work is a representation of herself. “This exhibition defines who I am. It brings out the fun as well as classical side to me,” said Chinoy, who has done her Masters in Interior Design from the Florence Design Academy in Italy. “In Pakistan, artists have become a little stagnant with their designs. With my work, I want to encourage people to be fearless and take risks.” She feels Pakistan is going through a gloomy period and needs something fun and colourful to look forward to.

At her debut exhibition, Chinoy tactfully infused a vibrant theme to traditional and antique designs; one of the chairs, for instance, was uniformly rustic and dull gold with a bright and cheerful seat print. “My main goal is to light up a room where my art piece is placed,” she said.

Growing up, Chinoy said she always knew she wanted to create enthused art. “I started off by creating art pieces solely for myself. This is something I absolutely adore and enjoy doing,” she said. “When I start working, I get inspired by tons of things and have a million ideas going through my mind at once; as a result, unique things are created which you would have never imagined.” The theme she had in mind for this exhibition was nature, which was clearly depicted through the mannequins and animal (deer and horse) heads.

“All my pieces are made of fibre glass. It’s a good material — light-weight, doesn’t break easily and moulds very easily too,” she said, adding that she’s made every piece herself.

Prices for different pieces vary, so when asked how she structured them, she said, “I’ve put in my time and effort into creating each piece so I’ve set the price accordingly.” She hasn’t surveyed the market and is indifferent to what prices others are setting for their art pieces. At Ensemble, other designers are showcasing cutlery, crockery and silver, something she doesn’t plan on doing.