Designers that I miss seeing on the catwalk
Fashion weeks in Pakistan tend to oscillate from brilliant highs to utter lows. But they do steer the wheels of the business of fashion and with the coronavirus having wiped...
Inside Lajwanti’s Laal Bahaar exhibit
By Maliha Rehman Fashion’s moved firmly into the digital age, where every image is evaluated for its Insta-worthiness and the online customer is just as highly coveted as the one...
All-natural, great for the skin and made in Pakistan! Ayesha O. Beauty by Ayesha Omar
By Maliha Rehman Ayesha Omar turned entrepreneur almost three years ago with the launch of her eponymous range of beauty products, Ayesha O. Beauty. The pandemic, while it wreaked havoc...
Meraki by Republic by Omar Farooq – a tale of a million French knots
By Maliha Rehman How often do we equate the word ‘couture’ with women’s bridals? Within Pakistan’s limited fashion-scape, it’s a word that conjures images of extravagantly detailed designs for the...
Emraan Rajput’s Shalima 2024: Mughal grandeur and sharp collars!
By Maliha Rehman The best menswear collections stand out for their neat cuts. Unlike their female counterparts, silhouettes for men can’t hide within the folds of voluminous layers or swathes...
Emraan Rajput ushers in a cool new ‘ERA’
By Maliha Rehman He’s one of Pakistan’s most seasoned menswear designers and he is now dipping his toes in the fast fashion pool! It is irrefutable that Emraan Rajput has...
Dreaming ‘big’ for Pakistani fashion
By Maliha Rehman “The key is to realize we are all dispensable. The goal is to keep on evolving to beat the odds,” Asad Malik, CEO of Cresset Pakistan, tells...
Celestial Magic in the Melia by Annus Abrar luxe wedding-wear!
A whirl of shocking pinks, greens and reds glint with gold. Pastels are set off by silver filigree. It’s wedding season at the Annus Abrar atelier and a curated collection...
Laam Fashion Week Day Two Flexes Some Serious Fashion Clout
By Maliha Rehman The second day of Laam Fashion Week (LFW) served as a prime example of what makes fashion weeks so much fun. Why, despite multiple collections sharing a...
Mehrunnisa by Waniya by MA – a regal take on the modern bride
Bollywood actress Aditi Rao Hyderi peers out at the camera, stately, her dupatta wrapped about her with scallops with twinkle with hand embellishment. Fledgling designer brand Waniya by MA has...
Where art thou, sleeveless?
By Maliha Rehman Designer Deepak Perwani tells me that he hasn’t created a sleeveless design in a while. This is the same Deepak Perwani who was once known as fashion’s...
Some celebs wore a LOT of designer-wear this Eid – here’s who wore what best!
Trussing up on Eid with a designer outfit sometimes takes a whole new meaning in the celeb life. Unlike the rest of us mere mortals, celebrities usually have a plethora...
“I don’t think I’ll ever win an award in Pakistan’ – Model Champ Imi talks about making his mark internationally, local fashion and the notorious modeling casting couch
Champ Imi is instantly noticeable on the catwalk. Broad-shouldered and long-haired, he walks on the ramp with an assured confidence. He also immediately catches the eye when you’re glancing through...
Eid, the coronavirus and the Elan Lawn dilemma
By Maliha Rehman Eid outfits can trigger a wealth of emotions. Selected after much deliberation and planned out in advance, they are a main highlight of the festive season. In...
Bonanza Satrangi zeroes in on Eid – and it is ‘Satrangi’ indeed!
The name ‘Bonanza’ is a very familiar one in the Pakistani high-street. Eons ago, before the mushrooming of malls and high-end shopping areas, ‘Bonanza’ stores were dotted all about the...
Are bespoke text and images going to be all the rage in Pakistani couture?
By Maliha Rehman Actress Iqra Aziz announced that she was expecting her first child through a series of Instagram posts on her own and husband Yasir Hussain’s accounts. The images,...
Lux Style Awards 2021 – What You May Not See On TV
By Maliha Rehman This year’s Lux Style Awards (LSA) event wasn’t like your usual awards ceremony. The stage was set, there was music and dance and plenty of awards results...
Nabila’s World, Sunny Side Up
By Maliha Rehman Over the years, I have seen stylist Nabila constantly dabble with change. Her hair has always fluctuated, switching between lengths, styles and color. “What’s life without color?”...
Home-truths served out by the PISA ‘21
By Maliha Rehman The stars shone bright and so did a magnificent stage set up with colossal screens and lighting. The second edition of the Pakistan International Screen Awards (PISA)...
Magic on the Catwalk – Laam Fashion Week wraps up! Day Three and Four Reviewed.
By Maliha Rehman Laam Fashion Week (LFW), with its very first edition, has jumpstarted the fashion week machinery after a long, long time. And it has set some very high...
Remembering Haseena Moin
By Maliha Rehman The last time I spoke with playwright Haseena Moin she had been very excited. ...
A Decade and Beyond: Dastaan’s Historical Fiction still inspires patriotism and emotions
By Sarah Shaukat The best period dramas tell emotionally charged stories while staying true to the era ...
Corona-compliant Live Awards Ceremony 101: Taking notes from the Grammys 2021
(image via Getty Images) By Maliha Rehman Awards season in a pandemic can be a drag. Over the ...
5 times Mehwish Hayat Stood Out with Rational Social Messages
By Sarah Shaukat When it comes to Mehwish Hayat, actress and activist go hand in hand as ...
Meghan Markle and the British Crown – deep down, everyone’s just a desi at heart!
By Maliha Rehman Desi bahus everywhere nodded their heads in sympathy when Meghan Markle told Oprah that ...
A message, sugarcoated for impact – Oye Motti
By Maliha Rehman A drama revolving around fat-shaming and promoting body positivity could very easily have downslided ...
Shamaeel Ansari’s ‘Saaz’ – to the tune of fierce, beautiful music
Shamaeel Ansari’s aesthetic has always been a fierce one. For 34 odd years, the designer has ...
Are you Vibing to Lahore Qalandars’ New Beat?
By Sarah Shaukat The anthem Bol Qalandar starts on an awkward note and may not be spurred ...
‘Tis the season for lawn! Inside Ansab Jahangir’s Lawn 2021 Launch Party!
A flurry of colors were splayed out on a picturesque garden by the sea at Karachi’s ...
Plans for the ‘Turki Lala’ series gain pace, aiming to vanquish Islamophobia
The name ‘Turki Lala’ wasn’t a familiar one until a few weeks ago. It was only ...