Ayesha F. Hashwani

Femininity. Elegance. Understatement. This is the Ayesha F. Hashwani design ethos, flowing through the silks, satins, chiffons, voiles and charmeuse, her collections are structured in.

Like Eastern couturiers of old, AFH pieces are created from luxurious fabrics. Like contemporary Western couture, they are cut to light the body in movement.

This fusion of East and West, philosophy and practicality, defines Ayesha, the art she creates and the women who wear it. A reflection of the wider world, it explains why the brand has experienced rapid growth and critical success in a few short years. AFH remains a Karachi based label but is now stocked in Lahore, Islamabad, London, India, Dubai, Houston, New Jersey, Singapore and Hong Kong. Its online presence is finding a clientele across the globe.

If there is an AFH signature though, it has to be that hint of sensuality in the opulence of a brooch, a flash of skin, a trail of fabric teasing the air a second after the AFH woman has moved on.

AFH remains an individualistic brand rather than a design house. A passionate entrepreneur, Ayesha works on each piece with the same artisans she has worked with for years, their craftsmanship perfectly complementing the fluid cuts and draping she has come to be known for. She started with a tiny workshop housing a tailor and two embroiderers. Through her journey from that to a customized workshop, the covers of fashion magazines and shows at international fashion weeks, one thing has remained constant: if she can’t wear it, she won’t make it. Ayesha’s personal journey, her time in different parts of the world, is also visible in the embellishments she chooses to pair her fabrics with. Jewellery, stones, embroidery adorn but never overwhelm. She might flirt with ornamentation, but she’ll never be anchored by it.

If there is an AFH signature though, it has to be that hint of sensuality in the opulence of a brooch, a flash of skin, a trail of fabric teasing the air a second after the AFH woman has moved on.

But there is another reason AFH has become a ‘must have’ for trousseaus, discerning closets and suitcases packed for any eventuality: its palette. Colours inspired by international trends, culture and season appear and disappear, but there will always be the timeless black, white and beige. That is probably why AFH’s classic aesthetic isn’t just seen on runways, at parties and weddings and in fashion glossies but also at red carpet events like the Oscars and Film Festivals.