It might have been the hot designer’s first fashion week in Milan and he may have been a tad nervous about it, but it didn’t show at all as he confidently and promptly answered all our questions from the land of fantasy and fashion just minutes after his show. Truck art, a common pop cultural statement in Pakistan, was the canvas upon which Deepak embroidered his artistic threads. Here’s what he has to say about the ‘overdose of fabulous fashion’ in Milan, his own pop-cultural collection and the designers – old and new – that he thought were the hottest at Milan Fashion Week 2010.

Is this your first Milan Fashion Week?

Yes it is!

What other fashion weeks worldwide have you showed at?

I have shown at our own Karachi Fashion Week, Colombo Fashion Week, Malaysian Fashion Week and Islamic Fashion Week.

Why did you choose Milan this year?

I chose to show here because it is a prêt trade event… and what better than Milan?

On a scale of 1-10 how nervous were you?

I guess around five… I wasn’t that nervous. In fact, I was pretty confident about the collection that I was showing.

What was the inspiration of your clothes this time around?

My inspiration was the tribal art of Pakistan, which is itself inspired by truck art. Truck art is a very unique cultural phenomenon in Pakistan. This is my first time in Milan, so I wanted to stick to my roots as a Pakistani designer. The collection was called Flights Of Fancy.

Which were the international designer shows that you managed to watch before and after your show?

We got to see a lot of shows; they were really kind to us, as designers are generally not seen at other designers’ shows! I saw Mila Shon, Marina Rinaldi, Frankie Morello, Atsu and Azara from India, and a lot of others! It was like an overdose of fabulous fashion.

Who were you most impressed with this year and why?

Well, most of them were impressive – when you’re showing in Milan, you do your best! But personally, I enjoyed a label called Antiprima – great clothes!

Who is your favourite international designer of all time?

Gianfranco Ferre.

Do you think that international designers have started using eastern influences in their designs?

The east has been an inspiration for a long time. India, China, Japan, Russia and many other countries have been a source of raw material for designers for a while now.

Did you attend any parties?
To be honest, we didn’t have that kind of a time… Our PR company made sure that we were heavily engaged in meeting buyers, attending seminars and doing magazine interviews and shoots – so we were pretty spent by the evening. Plus I don’t party anymore, so I wasn’t that interested.

Did you meet any celebrities this year at Milan Fashion Week 2010?

Well, the only celebrities I met were the Dsquared boys and Ursula Andress (the Bond girl).

What fashion week is next for you – Paris or New York?

New York all the way!

If there is one international design house you would love to collaborate with for a collection, which would it be?

Givenchy.