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Pakistan to test waters in fashion trade with Indonesia
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Pakistani women's wear label Zuria Dor is slated to present a collection on Oct. 20, marking the country's debut at Jakarta Fashion Week. (Shutterstock/File)
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akistan seeks to tap into Indonesia’s market as it gears up to participate at Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW) for the first time next month.
Pakistani womenswear label Zuria Dor is slated to present a collection on Oct. 20, marking the country's debut at the capital's annual fashion event.
The JFW runway is no stranger to international fashion labels, with last year's event for example, welcoming brands from Australia, the United Kingdom, India, Japan, South Korea and Sweden.
Muhammad Usman, the Pakistan Embassy in Jakarta’s commercial attaché, said the move would also be Pakistan’s first step toward forging trade relations in fashion between both countries.
Usman said fabrics are already exported from Pakistan to Indonesia, as the materials are suitable for the warm climate of the archipelago. However, he added, there had been little to none trade activities on consumer goods in fashion.
Read also: Jakarta Fashion Week 2018 celebrates diversity in 10th anniversary
Two-way trade between the countries reached US$2.64 billion in 2017, according to Trade Ministry data, tipping in favor of Indonesia. Exports to Pakistan was valued at $2.4 billion last year while Indonesia's imports from Pakistan was valued at $241.1 million.
Usman said trade between the two countries mostly comprised raw materials, with Pakistan's majority imports from Indonesia being palm oil, among others. The South Asian country, meanwhile, exports products such as oranges, rice as well as cotton yarn.
Seeing the untapped potential in consumer, the Pakistan Embassy in Jakarta forged a collaboration with JFW organizers and invited a designer from Pakistan to present a collection, with Zuria Dor chosen for the debut.
"So they'll be bringing in around 30 designs," Usman told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday, adding that it would be an equal mix between traditional Pakistani wear and modern designs.
"Indonesia, particularly Jakarta, has a huge population and a very good-sized middle-income class, which has spending power also. So maybe this will be a good start and hopefully we'll have good exposure. And next year, probably more designers will come.” (kes)
