Neelo Allawala
Neelo Allawala took her passion for clothes seriously from the start. As a young girl in the Sixties, she was fascinated by the super-glamorous Madame Gogosh, a famously beautiful Iranian pop idol. Neelo would always carry a sketch pad and dreamily draw her bold and creative design ideas for fashionable apparel.
Even though she had 3 young kids, she started to design clothes professionally as early as 1986 with a series of successful exhibitions in Karachi.
By 1996 she had expanded her business to a purpose built boutique which catered to a select and discerning clientele looking for bespoke couture and eastern wedding wear.
Neelo's main forte is intricate embroidery and exquisite embellishments inspired by our rich Mughal heritage. She was obsessed with Turkish Ottoman cuts and Mughal designs.
Neelo prides herself on creating unique ensembles with vivid colors and quality zardozi work.
Her embroideries are exquisitely intricate and always painstakingly made by hand by a team of very talented and skilled artisans who have been loyal to her for over 2 decades.
"When I look at some of the latest embroideries in the market, it pains me to see the lack of neatness and craftsmanship. Karachi is now host to a flourishing market which is churning out mass produced, coarse handiwork. Our skilled artisans are capable of so much more. My couture line is tailored to those women who want to wear fine fabrics and who have an eye for quality."
While her inspiration is traditional, her cuts are always modern.
Neelo is now launching a new studio which will have a varied pret line in addition to her bespoke couture collection.
Her first pret collection, Neelo Allawala Spring Summer 2018 as modeled by Faiza and Sadaf Kanwal is an ethereal blend of georgettes and cotton fabrics designed for the style and comfort of the modern Pakistani woman who wants to look effortlessly chic. The cool and breezy cuts and the soft hues of the fabrics are designed keeping our humid summers in mind.
This collection is a fusion of global trends juxtaposed with our cultural and climate needs. Sje has tried to incorporate very slick cuts and trends that she is confident with appeal to the Gen X and Millenials alike.
