A trendy, new, local menswear brand called Checkmate launched itself in Lahore a couple of months ago, offering men both formal & casual shirts made from the finest Italian and Egyptian 100% cotton.
It has enjoyed great success through its exhibitions which it has previously held in Lahore and recently in Dubai.
On Saturday23rdFebruary 2013, Checkmate held another exhibition for its casual & formal wear, as well as its latest Ethnic collection, at The HAP Store in F-7, Islamabad. The event was a day-long exhibition open to all, and saw a good turn-out of people who came, saw and bought! Checkmate was completely sold out by the end of the day, with its Ethnic collection of shirts being the most in demand.
The Ethnic collection is inspired by Pakistani art including truck art, sozni, and ajrak. The elements of ethnicity are highlighted on the inside of the shirt collars, as well as the inside of the cuffs, which give that great look when the cuffs are folded back to reveal the motif. Through this collection; Checkmate wants to express and celebrate the great pride it holds in being a Pakistani brand.
About the Checkmate brand, Managing Partner Omair Abbasi says, “The essence of the Checkmate line lies in the attention to detail paid to each shirt. High thread count luxury cottons are the foundation of the line, giving the shirts a soft touch and comfortable feel. The collection includes original patterns, solids and stripes; the shirts are vibrant in color and rich in texture. Signature Checkmate design elements include: contrasting top-stitching; double-buttons; unique cuff & collar treatments; contrasting button holes & edges woven with a hip, fresh contrasting fabric; superlative embroidery and of course the Checkmate logo. Furthermore, along with Egyptian and Italian cotton we are trying to promote best quality Pakistani cotton as well.”
Upcoming Checkmate lines include Rook, Pawn and Queen (for women), which will be launched mid 2013, and at a later stage, Checkmate plans to offer knitwear and accessories to compliment its collections.
ABOUT CHECKMATE
An enigmatic trio coming from diverse backgrounds – Omair Abbasi, M. Zahid Farooq and Usman Arshad Khan – have come together to launch Checkmate, an exciting new Pakistani clothing brand, for men. Checkmate is the result of an ambitious and hardworking group of friends, with a big dream. As the name suggests, the inspiration is from chess, the game of kings and queens.
Currently, the Checkmate line includes long sleeve woven shirts and classy Polo shirts for men. Coming soon however, will be an offering of knitwear and accessories to compliment the Checkmate line.
Creative direction is led by M. Zahid Farooq. He belongs to the third generation of a family of designers, who inevitable adopted the gift of originality and creativity. Hailing from a family of businessmen, it was clear that M. Zahid had a natural talent from a very young age.
Managing Partner Usman is the savvy visionary. With his varied experience and background ranging from aviation, electronic media to working within the government sector, he brings strong diversity to the team.
Last but not least, the third managing partner, an integral part of the team, is OmairAbbasi. Having spent much time traveling the world and possessing a flair for identifying trends in men’s fashion, Omair is the brains behind the label.
Checkmate offers menswear which has a fresh, youthful edge and succeeds in making a man look & feel good.
Sourced in Lahore, the essence of the Checkmate line lies in the attention to detail paid to each shirt. High thread count, luxury cottons, is the foundation of the line, giving the shirts a soft touch and comfortable feel. The collection includes original patterns, solids and stripes; the shirts are vibrant in color and rich in texture. Signature Checkmate design elements include: contrasting top-stitching; double-buttons; unique cuff & collar treatments; contrasting button holes & edges woven with a hip, fresh contrasting fabric; superlative embroidery and of course the Checkmate logo.
Checkmate is the ideal choice for today’s trendy man
Checkmateis available at:
The HAP Store, 3-Kings Arcade, F-7 Markaz, Islamabad.
