The case of the Lawn exhibition
Come summers and hordes and hordes of women flock to the various exhibitions being held throughout the country to what has become the new fashion phenomenon in Pakistan, the designer lawn, catalogues arrive, exhibitions dates get announced and hence starts the Lawn drool. The majority of Pakistani ladies love their clothes more than anything else, save gold, and lawn is major summer clothing staple. Just to find parking space outside an exhibition venue is a headache in itself.
The hot summers that otherwise afford little pleasure to the ladies see swarms and swarms of them queuing up in quest of that one suit they will wear but a few times . Women observe, take mental notes of who's wearing what and one would often see them commenting, oh is that a Sana Safinaz you're wearing or a Sobia Nazir, and designers are cashing in very well on the obsession. A number of new names have sprung up too to get their fair share of the Rupee churners. So what if a lady can't afford haute couture, branded lawns suits are the answer, flaunted proudly. It has to be admitted that the majority of those designs are creative as the market is very competitive and women know a plethora of catalogues by heart and word always goes around of who's brought in the best designs for the season and what's an absolute must have, however, as time is passing by one has also seen major increase in the prices of these brands.
There was a time when a Gul Ahmed or Vaneeza would be easily available from 1500 to 2500 hence accessible to the majority but now that’s totally out of the question, these suits have now crossed the 5000 limit, giving rise to the question is it worth it? Of course a sceptic would say don't buy them if you find them unaffordable, but given the texture of the fabric a lawn suit can only be worn one season and who would’ve thought it would cross the 5000 mark? What are we in for now, a 7000 suit next year that can't stand but a few washes? That would be ripping off I say. And since it's mainly the house wife market that’s being targeted shouldn't their budget constraints be kept in mind? Why deprive someone of the one little pleasure in an otherwise difficult life.
Of course there are those 'copies' to be had that spring up in every town weeks after the original designs have been released but a number of consumers refuse to purchase them, stating they want to go for the real thing only, so shouldn't this customer loyalty be rewarded? Or are the ladies themselves responsible for the price hike? May be the endless queues, pushing around, constant exhibition hopping have sent signals that the lawn lover would do anything to emerge victorious with a piece of fabric that means much more to them, it’s not just fabric, it's a statement.
