Our mega costume designer Joey A Frenette has landed in Pakistan embarking on a brilliant new collaboration with two acclaimed fashion designers in Karachi as part of the Pakistan/UK New Perspectives porgramme!

As part of their residency, Joey is working side by side with Pakistan based Yousuf Bashir Qureshi and Riffat Aliani to design and create a series of costumes for our live event in Birmingham this September.  They’ll be basing their designs on the themes of PoliNations, journeys along the Silk Road and the history of tea, as well as learning from each other’s practices. And their pieces will be worn by dancers as part of PoliNations. We can’t wait to showcase this amazing collaboration as part of the festival! 

Joey, Yousuf and Riffat will also be showcasing their designs at The PoliNations Pakistan Costume showcase in Karachi on Saturday 18th June, make sure you drop by for a sneak peek of their work if you’re in the area. 

We’ve also got distinguished sitar player Rakae Jamil will also be composing  two new compositions responding to the themes surrounding tea and the tulip flower - joining forces with PoliNations’ sound designer Tom Gibbons to present this new work in Birmingham.

PoliNations Creative Director and Artistic Director of Trigger, Angie Bual said: “We’re so excited by the creative opportunity and collaboration this partnership provides. Exploring, celebrating and learning from the diversity and creativity across our cultures is at the heart of what PoliNations is, so bring part of this season and collaborating with such talented Pakistan based creatives through the programme is a really exciting opportunity for us. We’ve worked with Joey on other projects too and know that their creativity knows no bounds – I can’t wait to see how their designs are influenced by time and collaboration in Pakistan this summer.” 

Laila Jamil, Director Arts, British Council Pakistan said: “We are very pleased to have enabled this cultural exchange between UK and Pakistani artists. It’s exciting for us to also have collaborative projects for fashion and music under the PK-UK Season. This is a great programme for learning and future projects in the arts.”

After the showcase, the costumes will be making their way back to Birmingham where they will be showcased in spectacular fashion by renowned dancers for a special series of performances around a beautifully designed Tea Tuk-Tuk that will serve free chai to visitors while telling the story of tea across history and the Silk Road. Audiences will also have the opportunity to listen to the Rakae’s new piece, bringing PoliNations and Pakistan together once more in the garden!  

The New Perspective programme showcases the cultural wealth and contemporary creativity of both countries; facilitating professional collaboration for culture, creative and education sectors; with a focus on a shared future through building lasting partnerships. Find out more here!

Fancy a cuppa? Find out more about tea and it’s journey to the UK this way...