#FashionParade: Sadia Siddique talks about her upcoming show!

South Asian representation is always a problem in every industry. Have it be music, fashion, art or even any other talent. It’s a global issue and now that South Asians are feeling a bit of mainstream media representation we still have a long way to go. Sadia Siddique who founded Fashion Parade is making that change. She is making the change for good as she show cases some amazing talented designers on the runway hosted in NYC this month. We had a chance to speak to her about the journey she started in making it all happen!

Find out what she had to say!

What made you start Fashion Parade and how did the inspiration come about?

Fashion Parade started in London and is a well-established platform that celebrates South Asian culture, art, and fashion. I was inspired to start this initiative in London because I had felt a need for a platform in the West that truly showcases the best of South Asian fashion, something Westerners are not commonly exposed to. Fashion Parade hopes to initiate changes on outdated perceptions about South Asia in London and the West. We want to showcase the progression and evolution of South Asian fashion, how far it has evolved, and to give its creators the spotlight they deserve. I wanted to create a Fashion Parade purely to highlight the unique craftsmanship of South Asia and our London audience was important to help start it.

This year in NYC teaming with Citi Bank – how excited are you to showcase the line up?

New York’s current setting is welcoming of organizations with initiatives that celebrate and advocate diversity. My advisor, Raja Jawad Akram an enterprising man, has been instrumental in raising the necessary funding for this show. We have both worked together to find sponsors who recognize and support the initiatives of Fashion Parade. We are very proud and to have Citi Bank as our headline sponsor for Fashion Parade NY 2019. It’s the first time for Citi to sponsor an event like Fashion Parade that celebrates South Asian art and culture. Citi recognizes and believes in the diversity initiative that Fashion Parade has to offer and we are delighted to have Citi as our sponsor.

We do not have enough representation in the South Asian industry as far as upcoming designers and even current designers – what advice can you give to current and upcoming designers on showcasing themselves to consumers and clients?

There is an impressive new generation of South Asian designers who are making their debuts to the fashion industry. These younger generation designers have interesting ideas, some combining elements of both the east and west, revealing brilliant and unexpected designs. It is especially exciting to see such accomplished creators who are rising to the global market with innovative ideas. My advice for these rising creators: establish and utilize their Social Media platform to the best ability. In this technological age, social media has become a prominent and influential tool especially for creators and entrepreneurs who are looking to expand their audience. Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter have globalized fashion, making it easier for Brands to showcase their products and give creators a chance to be seen and acknowledged. I advise young designers to utilize and take advantage of this tool in the best of their ability.

What challenges have you faced as a designer when coming up with the creatives of the show?

The creative challenge was finding clever and creative solutions to make Fashion Parade a success; Especially when our venue was suited for other extraneous things besides hosting put on Fashion Parade at venues that were not designed for hosting shows. These creative challenges however, were easier to solve. What I found to be most challenging about putting together Fashion Parade is its overwhelming cost. It is a common misconception for people to think that organizing a show in London is more or equally expensive than one in New York. Currently, New York is the most costly show for Fashion Parade and compared to our shows in London, it has taken three times the cost to put together Fashion Parade New York. Convincing sponsors to join and support our initiatives has always been the most challenging aspect of Fashion Parade.

This years designers have a ton of great past clothing lines – what made you choose these designers in the show?

The designers that are featured in Fashion Parade NY as been chosen with great care. They were chosen not only because they were the finest designers from Pakistan and India, but also by their unique craftsmanship and style. Faiza Samee has vast knowledge of traditional artisanal crafts, her designs and embroideries are one of a kind and one of the finest I have seen. I love the concepts by Delhi vintage. Their use of aged materials is transformative and truly unique. Ali Xeeshan is young and energetic, the energy and drama that he brings on the runway is eye catching and his personality is translated beautifully onto to his clothes. There is a vibrancy that he brings onto the runway. Kmair Rohkni is one of the best designers of Pakistan, he is a true genius in the way he creates his clothes. Elan is one of the most successful brands in Pakistan. She has transcended both areas of luxury and commercial wear. Her clothing aesthetics are very elegant and glamorous. Rabani and Rakha by Raaz has exquisite and memorable design wear, known for their intricate designs. They have gained critical appeal by strong clientele based on their master-craftsmanship and creativity.

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Fashion Parade is a really cool name – how did you come up with the name?

When creating Fashion Parade, I wanted its name to be unique. Other shows around the globe have “Week” in its name and I wanted a name to stand apart from these shows. I essentially thought about the basic principles of a fashion shows: models parading down the runway. These shows are celebrations, and thus I chose “Parade” to portray Fashion Parade as a platform that showcases and celebrates South Asian fashion.

What were your previous experiences in doing a show like this?

I have a profound experience working on Fashion Parade in the UK and Pakistan, and New York could not be more different. Comparing my past experiences organizing shows in both the UK and Pakistan, I have never encountered such a distinctive environment like New York. This city works at an incredible speed and requires a great amount of focus and precision to achieve goals. There are many strict forms of regulation, countless rules that are needed to abide by, and overall requires a different and strong mindset. New York runs on a system that I have just newly encountered, and in many ways, I have had to relearn processes and elements of assembling a show like Fashion Parade in New York.

For the guests who will be attending Fashion Parade NY 2019, I want to announce my appreciation and joy for your attendance. Fashion Parade NY has been created with a lot of love and passion. The featured designers have worked tirelessly working on these collections that will be brought to the runway. We want you to enjoy the show. We want to see you relax, embrace it, talk about it, write about it, and give it attention. South Asia is here in New York City, and it’s a force to be reckoned with. Let us together change the narrative about this region.