The renaissance of Pakistani fashion is a sign of women\u2019s growing independence, and has fuelled the religious right\u2019s ire<\/p>\n
I<\/span><\/span>n the luxurious surroundings of a top hotel, a parade of glamorous, impossibly slim women walk with gazelle-like grace down the catwalk. Bare midriffs and legs are proudly displayed in intricately embroidered golden fabrics, and there isn\u2019t a veil in sight. This is\u00a0Pakistan<\/a>\u00a0Fashion Week, the jewel in the country\u2019s haute couture crown and an unrivalled glimpse into a creative industry that has surged in recent years. There\u2019s just one thing that\u2019s not quite as you might expect: Pakistan Fashion Week is not in Karachi or Islamabad but in London.<\/p>\n \u201cThe religious identity that is given to our country to some extent precedes the cultural identity. Many things that are beautiful in our culture are often suppressed and not prominent to their full extent at times,\u201d says the fashion designer\u00a0Fahad Hussayn<\/a>. \u201cThere is a clash between the religious right and the cosmopolitan youth.\u201d In Pakistan itself, the location of fashion shows is rarely publicised in advance and they are subject to strict security measures, meaning that they tend to be held in Europe and Dubai.<\/p>\n