TRENDS

The changing trends

Mr Afzal Pasha at his workshop
Photo credit: Nafisa Zaki

"As the days pass people get richer, the dresses get smaller and tighter" says Mr. Afzal Pasha, a designer and tailor of his own accord. The shop he works in is full of colors and designs of different clothing items which are waiting for their wearers to collect them.

Talking about the change in fashion from the past till now Mr. Afzal's views on it are that at past the normal public would prefer loose and much exaggerated styles but now the trend has become tighter and much more decent styles.

"Today, everybody is a stylist and everything is fashion" says Mr. Afzal who is from Bangalore and started his career in Bombay wherein he would serve tea in all the tailoring shops around the tea stall. The smiles and the look of contentment on the tailor's face motivated him to learn their skill.

Mr. Afzal Pasha showcasing his design
Photo credit: Nafisa Zaki

The idea of having to design dresses that people wear and that the people showcase their creativity with so much of pride is something that makes him happy and smile for the first time during the course of the interview.

When asked about his specialty and his idea of styling he says that he loved the suits that Mr. Prabhudeva, a Tamilian Actor wore in his first film. He copied many of those dresses for his customers which started gaining him more customers and made him popular in his area.

Fashion according to him can not be termed; it's always changing and ever evolving. But it gets better every day, world doesn’t stop and so doesn’t fashion. There has not been a time in life where I could have stopped and said this is it.

A few meters apart from where Mr. Afzal works, I came across Sheikh Kamruddin Jahir Ali who was standing very confidently in his shop called Vanity Fashions. As the most expensive resource is time, his generosity made him give me some of his.

Sheikh Kamrudding at his shop
Photo credit: Nafisa Zaki

Sheikh Kamruddin, the winner of various awards and certificates that recognizes his styles and designs, Proudly stands in the counter but stays busy enough to answer others who work under him. According to him the trends in fashion has changed from before in a very elaborate way. People wear what they are comfortable in.

"True fashion is what the people are comfortable in, as when they comfortable in it they carry it well and that becomes their style and fashion that suits them" says Shk. Kamruddin.

Sheikh Kamruddin showcasing his designs
Photo credit: Nafisa Zaki

He is from Bombay and is working in the same shop for 25 years and has full freedom to design what he wants. His designs are all over the market but they are all exclusive and made only once.

Apart from everything, one thing I noticed is that recession never hits creativity. According to Shk. Kamruddin. His orders are booked over the year. A dress that comes to him is only ready the next year. He says "When your work is good and you do it with all your heart however poor or helpless you might be. But no body can stop you from being successful."

Going through the work for this assignment one thing I learned is the secret to success and how to avoid situations that people are scared of the most.