Pakistani designer Parishae Adnan closes Flying Solo show at New York Fashion Week

Pakistani designer Parishae Adnan has closed Flying Solo’s show at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) with her collection Second Skin, a notable achievement for a young Pakistani designer on one of the world’s biggest fashion stages.

Flying Solo is one of the largest platforms for independent designers during New York Fashion Week, and Adnan’s eponymous label, Parishae, was chosen to close its show this month.

A sustainable collection, built from scratch

Second Skin reflects the approach Adnan has become known for: sustainability. She created the collection entirely from scratch, and has built her reputation on bringing sustainable practice and South Asian craftsmanship together in contemporary designs.

Sustainable fashion is one of the most difficult areas of the industry to work in. It means sourcing materials responsibly, reducing waste and paying attention to how every piece is made, often at higher cost and with longer production times. Doing so while preparing a collection for an international runway makes the achievement more notable.

Part of a fashion family

Adnan comes from one of the best-known families in Pakistani fashion. She is the daughter of designers Amir Adnan and Huma Adnan, two of the biggest names in the country’s fashion industry. But she has made her own mark, helping to reinvent the family’s luxury brand and developing her own identity as a designer and chief executive.

Beyond the runway

Adnan also has a large social media following for her fitness and strength-training content. Asked about it in a recent television interview, she said what motivates her is the messages she receives from people inspired to begin their own fitness journeys.

“When I get messages in my inbox from all those girls, women, even men, who see something and get inspired and start their strength and self-training journey, for me, that’s a big thing,” she said.

The interview, on a morning show, drew attention online after the host focused on her gym clothing rather than her NYFW achievement. Actor Anika Zulfiqar publicly criticised the line of questioning, saying the conversation should have centred on Adnan’s work, and Adnan’s mother, Huma Adnan, described the questions as “uncalled for”. Adnan responded calmly, later thanking those who had spoken up for her.

Pakistani fashion on the world stage

Adnan’s NYFW moment adds to a growing presence for Pakistani designers internationally. The country’s fashion industry has long been admired for its textiles, embroidery and handcraft traditions, and a new generation of designers is taking that heritage to global audiences with contemporary, sustainable approaches.

It is part of a wider picture of Pakistani creative talent finding success abroad, from film, with director Sarmad Khoosat’s Lali set to open Seattle’s Tasveer Film Festival, to design and music.

Why it matters

Closing a major show at New York Fashion Week puts a designer’s work in front of international buyers, press and audiences. For Parishae Adnan, and for Pakistani fashion more broadly, it is a chance to show that the country’s design talent, craftsmanship and commitment to sustainability can compete on the world’s biggest runways.

This article draws on reporting published by Dawn’s Images.