International or citywide?

International or citywide?
Published in Instep [The News]
Sunday 26th March, 2006

The 2nd International Fashion Festival Awards, were far from being international, but they are a step forward all the same

By Fariha Rashed
As glamorous fashion events have suddenly come into vogue in Pakistan, so have giving out awards to acknowledge the great talent inherent in these fields. Lahore was once again highlighted as a potential international fashion ground, as Kamber Entertainment Group organized the second International Fashion Festival Awards 2006 from March 15th to 18th at the Pearl Continental Hotel. It was last year in April, that two Lahore based designers Salina–Wardah held the first fashion awards, aiming at putting the vibrant city of Lahore on the map of the fashion world. A great deal of hype and excitement had been created prior to the beginning of this festival, with well known fashion labels such as HSY, Karma, Lajwanti, Nabeel Aqeel, Walid Atallah, Amna Malik, Arshad's and many more participating.
Kamber Entertainment's Vice Chairman Syed Rehan Ahmed, who is a Dubai based businessman and designer, rightly pointed out that the Pakistani fashion industry is unfortunately controlled by a few names, that do not appreciate or let budding fashion designers and models come to the forefront, or share the limelight with them. Ahmed says he wants to genuinely help the Pakistani fashion scene flourish at the international level and holding such events is his way of accomplishing just that and at the same time, encouraging upcoming talent. It is pertinent to mention at this point however, that of the 20 international countries that were meant to participate in the festival, only a given few were present.
The International Fashion Festival took place at the spacious yet sophisticated Crystal Hall at Hotel Pearl Continental, Lahore. As people made their way in, they were met with various colorful stalls spread across the sides of the room. A long white ramp at the centre ran, like a slithering snake, from one end of the Crystal Hall to the other. The stalls were abundantly laid out with formal and informal clothes displayed either on mannequins or hung on racks, and accessories such as shoes, bags, belts and other fashion-related items, lying decoratively on tables. Each designer displayed the latest trends and their newest collections. Karma's stall was very well equipped, with three or four representatives for the label available at all times, incase anyone wanted information about Karma designs. There was a multimedia screen in the background running Karma fashion shows constantly. Even Maheen and Kami made an appearance once or twice to check up on things and meet potential buyers. Designer Walid Atallah had his catalogue available for viewing, as well as some beautiful white dresses from his couture line, displayed on mannequins. Chic Wear House, headed by Malaysian educated fashion designer Imran, had its women's and men's wear collection on display. The designer himself was seated very comfortably and rather quietly at his stall throughout the festival. However, strangely enough it was his PR person who gave any necessary information to curious passers by.
Other than fashion designers, cosmetic companies such as Cosmetica and Diana of London had a wide variety of luscious make up items in a number of colors available for purchasing and sampling on the spot. As we all know, beautification is the most important thing for a woman. Therefore, it was no surprise to see, that a bunch of ladies were found, every now and then, huddled all around the cosmetic stalls, testing products and giggling away as they saw themselves transformed when they peeped into mirrors. Also, SAAI Concepts, headed by designer Sahar Atif had displayed among other things, a myriad of beautifully crafted steel decorations such as small chests, in hues of greens and blues. Other items on display by them were scented candles, exotic looking cushion covers, steel coasters beaded jewelry and clothes.
Although excitingly enough, models from Germany, Greece, Cyprus, Hungry, Philippines, Romania, Norway, Dubai, Italy, Australia, Belgium, India, South Africa, Kenya and Bulgaria were expected to catwalk at the show, one only saw a handful of models from a very few of these countries actually on the ramp and that also for a very short period of time. The fashion shows on both the 16 and 17 March were held at 7:30 pm after the exhibition had wrapped up.
Four exclusive models from Ukraine, Lithuania, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan also took part in the fashion show on March 16. Pakistani models showing off designer clothes on the ramp included Hina, Aleena, Mehreen Syed, Neha, Sara Gillani, Seemab and Sanam. Male models included Gul Danyal, Emad, Naeem Haq and Meekal, who was appreciated on the first day, but was not seen the next day among the male models. A few unknown models also appeared in Nabeel & Aqeel's segment, which managed to surprise the audience quite a bit.
As always, the awards were the highlight and climax of the whole fashion festival. National Assembly member Riaz Fatyana was the guest of honour. What was a little disturbing was the fact that at the awards ceremony, many people had to stand outside the crystal hall, as passes distributed to the public exceeded the seating capacity. Even inside the hall, several guests had to watch while standing since they had no seats allotted to them. The award categories included best smile, best photogenic face, best model, best designer and best formal and informal dresses. The jurors making all the decisions about who won the many awards included the likes of Yusuf Salahuddin, Wasim Akram, Moammer Rana, Yahsir Waheed, Aaminah Haque, Vaneeza Ahmed and Khanito, Lebanese choreographer and adjudicator.
On the whole and in circumspect, the Second International Fashion Festival went off well. Many of the products were sold out and media coverage was at its height. However, it was a little sad to observe that the turnout of people was a little less than expected, and the response of buyers was minimal. It did not come up to the expectations of many. Compared to the first fashion festival held last year, people seemed less enthusiastic to attend or display their work at this particular fashion forum. Perhaps better organization and marketing of the whole festival will encourage a higher attendance, more sales and better participation by designers next year.

The New Age

The New Age
Music & the Internet
Published in Images [DAWN]
Sunday, 19th March, 2006


With the sudden explosion of the internet in Pakistan, a fresh and innovative channel has opened its doors to the local music industry. It has managed to reel in a new age and new form of listening to music. The lack of any rules and regulations for internet usage means that people from all age groups find “cheap” and “comprehensive” entertainment through the World Wide Web. Furthermore, marketing through the net ends up being much cheaper than it is through other mediums and therefore, underground bands which are not financially strong find it a cost-effective way of advertising their music.

It is safe to say that an internet presence has become compulsory for any musician who wants to make his or her mark in the market. It also allows our local musicians easy access to the world market, since the World Wide Web has now become “a global business directory”, as Mr. Arshad Mahmud, Editor of World Music Magazine and Director Programs of NAPA very rightly points out. Much to their glee, the Pakistani communities abroad can also now listen to [and to some extent directly participate in] the local music scene. Their “jazba” for their country can be manifested through their active participation by way of the internet. It is avenues such as “blogs”, “discussion forums”, “communities on Orkut”, “webzines”, “ezines”, “music portals”, “and yahoo groups”, which are available to the global community for this very purpose. The much visited and talked about Orkut for example, is an online community site designed for friends. The main goal of their service is to make the visitor’s social life, and that of their friends, more active and stimulating. One can also create and join a wide variety of online communities which have been launched by the myriad music bands, artists, producers, and directors which make up the Pakistani Music Industry. Orkut to some of the upcoming music artists has become a marketing haven and self promotional platform. Every important TV Channel, radio station and music website has a community on Orkut and it provides the added advantage of having the presence of an international audience. Therefore, one can almost immediately gage the importance Orkut possesses in the bigger picture of things. Other than Orkut though, one of the most visited music oriented e-zines is called Bandbaj.org, and as their writer and PR Manager Huma Imtiaz explains “Bandbaja was one of the first e-zines that came up with comprehensive reviews and interviews that took a fresh look at the state of affairs in the music industry. Not only that but we have promoted a lot of artists that were being ignored elsewhere”. E-zines are online versions of music magazines that can be viewed by anyone in the world.

I feel that an apt description of the relationship between the internet and music is best described by Mr. Adeel, owner of the popular online entertainment e-zine DesiTwist: “It is plug-and-play, turn on your favorite music website, download and/or play the track”. The truth is that the internet is having a “label – breaking” effect on society. This is a medium which anyone, anywhere can use to voice their opinions, to listen to or watch what they want. With its advent, we are no longer an “isolated” society. Furthermore, limitations of time have also been countered by the internet. Music is available at your fingertips “when” you want it … unlike TV and radio channels where you have to wait for a specific program to be aired. Cellular technology has also supported this explosion of access to music; you can use your mobile phone to use the internet and listen to the latest music. However, there are some negatives to the whole scenario also. With the use of the internet comes a sense of responsibility on the part of the website administrators – to ensure that only those singles and albums are made available for download which the musician has given permission for. The wide availability of unreleased music leads to decreased album sales for the musicians. As says Mr. Arshad Mahmud of World Music Magazine: “The only download sites which are popular are the sites which offer free downloads. We some how never acquired and acknowledged the responsibility of spending money on entertainment”.

Another infamous creation of the internet is the internet radio station, which has become popular because of the wide variety of music it offers and the relative lack of commercials it airs. Listeners can also customize play lists to their own liking, thus giving them greater freedom than ever before. There is FM Mast 103.com, FM 100, City FM 89 and a few other internet radio sites for the Pakistani youth to listen to.

Although TV and radio are also important modes of communication for the music industry, the internet I feel is the medium of the future. It has no limitations and can be accessed from anywhere in the world at any time of the day. Furthermore the availability of constant updates and downloadable material online is unprecedented. One can be linked and have instant access to the ‘going-ons’ of the local music industry, sitting at literally any location on the globe. However, it is important to note that with all the freedom it enjoys, the electronic media also has a responsibility to promote and project our music industry and a more “liberal” way of thinking. This is the only means for our industry to evolve and make a name for itself internationally.


By: Fariha Rashed.

Round is a shape. I am in shape.

"Round is a shape. I am in shape"
Published in 'YOU' [The News]
21st February, 2006.
By Fariha Rashed

A curvaceous and fuller bodied woman has as much a right to wear elegant and fashionable clothes as a perfect size 12 woman

More than half the women in Pakistan fit into plus size outfits but you won't find a single local, ready-to-wear designer creating clothes for larger women, or even thinking on those lines for that matter. This is quite a shame because I believe as a designer you need to research your market not just in terms of what colour, style or fit people prefer but also with regard to what sizes they can wear and what the average woman's size really is! The Asian figure is fuller and the average size for a Pakistani woman in particular is in the range of 14 to 16. There is also a large and rapidly growing plus-size teen market on the horizon. I am sure if our local designers go with public requirements, they will receive an overwhelming demand for plus-sized clothing in the market.

The idea that the Pakistani designers cater to this largely overlooked chunk of the market is not only an appealing idea but also a smart business move. The trick is not to just make plus-sized garments, but also to design them in a way that is stylish, chic and trendy. Slightly plump or overweight people also want to feel and look good in what they wear and feel satisfied with their image. Finding the right fashionable plus-size clothes for themselves can help them do just that and avoid feeling like 'outsiders'. It becomes a kind of 'body-image therapy' for them. They would willingly spend large amounts of money to buy trendy alternatives than wearing baggy clothes that hide their bodies and do nothing for their self-esteem.

Abroad, outlets such as The Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy, J.C Penny, Sears, Nordstrom and many more, all offer extended sizes. Even the celebrities pitch in. Hip-hop star Nelly has launched her own label called 'Apple Bottoms' for larger, broader and fuller-bodied women. J.Lo started her fashion company 'Sweetface' in 2004, also catering to plus-size women and to everyone's astonishment, her company grossed over $130 million that year. All these companies and stars have shrewdly recognized that the women's plus-size market is currently the fastest growing segment of the apparel industry. They have tapped into it by making the necessary expansion in size variations.

Local designers offer no such options for larger Pakistani women. As a result, they are forced to buy imported garments. Pregnant women can't walk into any fashion outlet and pull out a smart and fashionable maternity dress for themselves. Due to this lack of choice, pregnant ladies continue wearing baggy and shapeless clothes that hang off of them like dough drooping off a wooden rod. They feel undeserving and fat who don't have the right to look good because they are suddenly shunned from 'fashion'.

I believe the wind of change and opportunity is blowing our way and our designers should make use of it. They need to stop depriving the plus-size market of the fresh and fashionable options afforded to their "average" sized counterparts.

Having an outlet in Y-Block, Defence or on Main Boulevard is no justification for the ridiculously high prices designers charge for the limited variety in sizes they offer. They should expand their target market and cater to all sizes, which will automatically increase demand and ultimately result in profit. I am positive the response to this strategy will be overwhelming for designers and they will become the 'advocates of change'. There is nothing like a happy and satisfied customer, even if that customer isn't a "perfect" and petite size 12.

Link: http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/feb2006-weekly/you-21-02-2006/index.html

The Mafia.

The Mafia
Published at Chowk.com
Link: http://www.chowk.com/show_article.cgi?aid=00006143&channel=chaathouse
10th February, 2006.

To understand the word mafia in the context in which I am referring to it in this article, one must first specify its dictionary meaning, which is “a close-knit or influential group of people who work together and protect one another’s interests or the interests of a particular person.”

In almost very field of entertainment in Pakistan, sly workings of a tight knit group of people appear to be at work, who end up benefiting from a large chunk of the gains from that industry. This group is called a mafia and they do their best to make sure that no bustling new talent trying to break into the industry makes it very far without their help or without going through them first. In the same way the music industry has also been plagued by a similar mafia that includes a cluster of people ranging from directors, choreographers, heads of record labels, event managers to even VJs from various music channels. They form an understanding among themselves to exclusively support and work with each other in order to capture the entire market and safeguard each others interests. They end up monopolizing the industry and all work is conveniently supplied to them alone. There is also a great deal of pathetic exploitation taking place by various parties in the music industry of unsuspecting new artists coming onto the scene.

This ‘hardcore mafia’ hangs out at all important events and parties taking place in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. They usually comprise of a group of people already very well known and established in the music industry. Since Pakistan does not yet have suitable organizations to promote and market artists the way they do in the west, this ‘mafia’ takes over that crucial role in a negative and rather oppressive way. Record labels, for example, are scarce in Pakistan, but the ones that exist are very well established and have been running their manufacturing factories of CDs, tapes and DVDs since a very long time now. They are equipped with all the relevant contacts to back them and an abundance of finances which allows them to perpetually stay at the top of the game. They are not worried about competition because they know the competition would have a tough time against their esteemed success and power built out of sheer monopoly rather than through the dissemination of quality products.

Tragically record companies do not offer the artists whose albums they plan to release a whole lot to chew on in terms of incentives and support. Artists get no royalty on the sale of their CDs and cassettes and the record label offers the minimum amount of marketing for them and for the promotion or launch of their album. Coming out with a video to support the release of the album is also the artist’s own headache. The sad part is that the record label knows it can get away with this half hearted and almost unfair offer that it unjustly ‘grants’ the artists, because it realizes that it has no particular competition in the market. This lack of available competition in turn, ensures that the artists will turn to no one else for the release of their music.

An artist has to have and has to continue building a good rapport with the owners of the record labels who often have absolutely no idea about music. They only view the album as a product from which they want to gain maximum profit for themselves. They are least bothered about the quality of work or genre of music they promote. I think that if there was good and healthy competition for these already well established record companies that offered much better incentives and quality to artists, this mafia like condition would be done away with and our artists would feel more encouraged, optimistic, secure and motivated. Our music industry would flourish too!

Furthermore music directors often ask for ridiculously exorbitant sums from new artists to direct relatively easy videos, knowing that the musicians could not possibly afford that kind of a budget at an early stage in their career. As if that isn’t enough, they also insist that they will only work with particular choreographers, designers and make up artists who all come together as a package and thus form that dreaded mafia [once again]. Taking it one step further, when companies agree to sponsor a video for an upcoming musician, they too stress on the use of the same mafia of directors, make up artists, choreographers and so on. Every step becomes interlinked and dependant on the other and the music artist finds himself/herself confined and compelled to work with the same people that everyone else has worked with. It’s almost like eating the same dish of food every single day of your life, even if it starts rotting or becoming stale.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS!
If you happen go to parties and ‘get-togethers’ anywhere in Pakistan, you will see the same faces over and over again almost like a serious case of ‘deja-vu’ happening right before your very eyes. You want to know why? Because if you want to be a success in any industry related to entertainment in Pakistan, you have to be seen at all these events and you must fit in and rub shoulders with important people. If you are a musician and the director of your next video invites you to a party, you have to go, or you take the risk of losing his interest in doing your work. If you’re an upcoming, budding music artist striving to be a huge success, more than making great music, you have to hang out with the ‘plastic mafia’ that helps shape and determine how painlessly or painfully you move forwards with your career as a musician, and with what speed. If you want your video aired relentlessly on the few music channels that there are in Pakistan, star one of the VJs in it and watch it magically enter into the charts and shoot to one of the top spots. You may even win an award for it! Better yet, just party with the VJs all night long and you’ll then be guaranteed an amazing airing on all shows on the channel that they work for. If you want your video or song to be nominated in the ‘prestigious’ Music Awards, make sure you get the ‘mafia’ behind you and don’t forget to thank them when you win and pit pat onto the stage to receive your award; and if you are a talented, new director trying to get a foothold in the music industry and create a name for yourself, you won’t be able to do it without the help, involvement or support of the ‘big fish’ already in control of the whole video making scene. It’s a jungle out there and every time I think of how our music industry has been overtaken by a few control freaks that can’t see anyone else succeed or rise to the top without their consent or direct involvement, I am reminded of the Italian mob (mafia)….and it scares me. I fear a bloodbath coming our way very soon.

By: Fariha Rashed
Chowk link: http://www.chowk.com/show_article.cgi?aid=00006143&channel=chaathouse

Step into Maria's World.

Step into Maria’s World
Published in Fashion Collection-Annual Issue 2006.
Issue No. 103

I can’t explain this as anything else but one of the most relaxed and casual interviews I have ever taken and that also of such a well known and respected designer as Maria. B. As I sat at her comfortable home in Lahore, sipping on deliciously hot, pink colored ‘kashmiri chai’, Maria and I broke into an easy conversation about her life, career and experiences in the fashion industry. The best part of the whole ambiance was the presence of her baby daughter Fatima, who kept the mood alive with her occasional little shrieks of excitement and naughty antics throughout
the stretch of the interview. Step into Maria. B’s world.

What is your qualification as a designer?

I graduated from PSFD. Before that I did my A Levels from Karachi Grammar School. After fashion school I went straight into work.
When did you decided to create the label MARIA.B and why?I decided in second year at PSFD. I didn’t want to start something from the home or do just bridal. I wanted to reach out to people and have fashion and street wear accessible to everybody. Before we started there was just Neepunhal and Generation and nothing else. I feel there is still nothing else. I wanted to reach out to as many people as I could and if I would have just stuck to bridal wear I would have been limited. At the end of the day I had a greater purpose where I wanted to sort of revolutionize fashion.
Which countries besides Pakistan does MARIA.B cater to?
We have an Asian clientele whether it’s in the UK, US, Netherlands, Pakistan or India for that matter. Not only that, but recently some people said that my clothes work very well for the Arab women because they want trendy stuff like bootleg pants and short shirts. That’s the market I especially want to expand into, the Muslim belt of countries.

What was it like to be the first Pakistani to win an international fashion competition?
It was surreal. I was a part of the first batch of PSFD students going to Belgium and I remember thinking to myself very casually “ok so we are just going to be one of the 50 countries there and probably won’t win anyway”. The experience was amazing though because I got selected to participate on the basis of my portfolio and the judges actually said that mine was the best portfolio they had seen so far.

How has winning that competition helped you since?
It made a difference in the beginning because it gave me a lot of confidence. I thought if I can win by going to Belgium and competing with students from fashion schools from all over the world and make my own impact in the process, then I can do anything. It gave me a high and encouraged me to start something of my own. If you look at the Pakistani fashion industry, unfortunately people just want to play down achievements. There are these older designers that are just hanging onto their ‘glory’ and when I first came in to the scene they wanted to literally rip me apart. Not only me, but even today they want to put all the younger designers like Nomi Ansari, Karma and Usman Dittu down also because they are insecure and can’t handle any competition in the market. However I am above all that now and it doesn’t upset me as I realize it’s all part of the game.

What range of garments does MARIA.B offer to women?
I do everything from casuals, semi-formal party wear, formals to bridals. The casuals and formals include the prêt a porter [ready to wear] line and then the couture [high fashion] bridal line and are totally separate. I did Western wear for a while but that’s not my particular clientele. My clientele would occasionally wear the sleeveless or short shirt but 85% of them wouldn’t. When one is catering to a large group of people, these restrictions do creep in and they should be taken as a challenge. When you’re retailing in the market as a designer you can’t afford to make choices for the client. You have to give your client what they want otherwise you fail. My casuals range from Rs. 900 to Rs. 3000. My semi-formal party-wear ranges from Rs. 3000 to Rs. 6000 and the formals start from Rs. 10, 000 onwards. Bridals start from 70, 000 onwards.

Why have you decided to only stick to women’s wear?
Since I have had a baby I really want to get into children’s wear and there is such a huge market for it. Sadly, I do not have time to go into that kind of production. Designing is not a problem for me but production is, as controlling the labor is a huge responsibility. However, I would love to go for it in the future as I know I have a feel for it and ridiculously there is no choice for children’s wear in Pakistan. Mothers have to shop abroad for their kids.

What is MARIA. B’s design philosophy?
My design philosophy is generally centered on my belief in fusion. I am a big believer in fusion and gelling together of Eastern and Western influences so that I can come up with something that is internationally viable. The designing however should not be overbearingly Western or overbearingly Eastern. There needs to be a perfect balance. Furthermore I want my clothes to be different and have a certain mark in the market. They should instantly be recognized as Maria .B outfits by customers and I try to follow the latest trends to achieve that uniqueness.

What do you believe the woman of today desires in a wardrobe and what kind of an image do your clothes help her to portray of herself?
I think above all else the woman of today desires functionality and also to have some sort of an edge in her style of dressing. She does not want to look like everyone else. My clothes follow the international trends and I feel that they help the woman of today portray herself as ‘one in a million’ wearing signature clothing.

You have a bridal couture line. How do you define ‘couture’?
Couture is made to measure and it is created on order. It has the element of exclusivity. In Pakistan bridal wear or formal wear is called couture, but true couture is something that a designer designs for the first time for somebody in their own measurement and it is the only garment of its kind. That is a rare phenomenon in Pakistan at the moment but it does happen.

Who does the make-up and grooming for your shoots?
The two or three make-up artists that I have worked with are all fabulous and I choose them according to the nature of the shoot. I have a good idea now about which make-up artist [or photographer for that matter] would do well with which theme.

How important do you think it is for a designer to have photo shoots appear in magazines/publications regularly? Why?
It is extremely important because as a designer I am selling an image. It is a form of marketing and because we always put so much stress on this aspect of marketing ourselves, the Maria.B label became a big name in just two years. We were actually building our brand through constant shoots in magazines and now a Maria.B shoot is recognized instantly by people.

How have you grown as a designer in the last 4 years?
I have learnt a lot. When I was in college I had these huge dreams and I told myself I would make all kinds of clothes and be very experimental but now I know it doesn’t work. You have to create what sells and I learnt that the hard way. At the end of the day market forces are what drive the designer. You have to make your mark and give your clothes that special edge within the confines of those forces.

How old is your baby and what is her name? Do you find it difficult to balance your personal life with your career?
My baby is called Fatima and she’s a year and a half. She’s completely changed my life and made me realize that nothing is as important as her.

Which is your most memorable fashion show and why?
It is the Paris collection because the scale was very big and I hardly get to show western clothes in Pakistan. My whole Paris collection was western wear. I enjoyed it for the freedom I had.

Do you think an education in fashion is absolutely necessary for a designer? Why?
Yes, pretty much. Aesthetically I don’t think anyone can teach you anything. Either you have it or you don’t. However, if as a designer I am not technically educated then the stitcher, cutter and other people that work for me will not respect me too much as a designer and I won’t be able to guide them properly. They would take me for a ride if I didn’t know anything about the technicality of making a garment. Therefore it makes a huge difference. Do you have an accessory line? What kind?I have started an accessory line and I have hired a girl for that. She has studied Accessory Design from FIT in the States. We have a completely separate accessory department with shoes and bags now.

What is the process you go through while designing a complete line for a season?
I first think of a theme for the next season and then I think of the print and get that made. Then the silhouette and the color palette are decided and finally I do the designing.

What kind of fabrics do you use?
I work with all kinds. For casuals I use ‘khadars’, cottons, lawns and ‘marina’. For semi-formals I use silks, georgettes, ‘jamawars’ and chiffons [as well as other transparent fabrics].

If you were not a designer, what would you have liked to be?
I would have been a nuclear scientist because I loved physics and I wanted to do nuclear physics. I applied at a University in Houston [America] but my cousin who was studying there told me that as a Muslim I wouldn’t be able to study it in the States.

Which local designers do you think are doing a good job?
Out of the older lot I love Imrana [Body Focus] from Karachi and Seher Saigal in Lahore. I think she is a true entrepreneur. I also like the eccentricity of Zubair Kuman. In the younger lot I like Karma and Nomi Ansari. Do you think having an online presence (website) is important for designers?Yes it is, and although we have one I have neglected it because I don’t have the time and I need people to manage it. A lot of our customers wanted us to have online sales but I have not gotten to that yet as far as an e-service is concerned where the customer can just click on the garment they want and choose the size.

How do you dress personally? What is your fashion statement?
I am very whimsical. I get sick of looking one way constantly and I need change. I dress according to my mood. I also mix and match a lot and I always design something that I myself would wear.

Link: http://www.fashioncollection.com.pk/html/interview3.htm

By: Fariha Rashed

The Last Poem

The Last Poem

It started out as a sad tale regarding a severe phobia of death, and ended up being about a poem that saved me.

Sometimes while I lie in bed at night gazing up to where I know there is a ceiling, but being able to see nothing but darkness with the lights turned off, I think about death. The very thought sends shudders up my spine and an overwhelming sensation of fear grips me. I lie there like a log wondering what happens to us when we die. All kinds of peculiar questions arise in my mind such as ‘do we undergo a transition from being living, breathing human beings to becoming mere souls floating about without purpose in space?’ or ‘do we become pure energy and unite with the Universe?’ I ponder over whether heaven and hell exist as we have stereotypically imagined tem to be and mind you, do we actually get to meet God after hearing about him for so long? What in God’s name [excuse the pun] will I say to the big ‘G’? Will I tell him I’m sorry for being a naughty child or will I ask for forgiveness for stealing my friend’s rather nice looking pen when I was in eighth grade? I think I should just shut up and let him do all the talking.

You must be wondering by now where this article is leading and why I feel its ‘My Story’. Well, let me take you back to December 7th, 1998 when my father passed away suddenly, and things might get a little clearer. It was the saddest, most horrific day of my life as my father meant the world to me, my mother and my sister. He was the pillar of strength on which we all rested and relied. Unfortunately, he had been admitted in the hospital in Uzbekistan the night before, after undergoing his second heart attack in eight months. The doctors managed to stabilize him but decided to keep him overnight, under observation in the hospital. My sister, mother and I therefore made our way home for the night, expecting to see him the next morning. However something just wasn’t right, as I had a sudden feeling of depression as I walked out of the hospital door. I lay in bed and drifted off to sleep with an uncomfortable feeling deep inside. I suddenly found myself snapped out of sleep by a dreadful feeling and I sprung off the bed unable to understand what was happening. I instinctively turned my head towards the window sill where I found myself gazing straight at my father’s smiling picture and right next to it I vaguely remember seeing the clock strike 5 a.m. Rather confused and shook up, I made my way back to the bed and fell asleep eventually. The next morning we found out that my father had died at 5 a.m. from a third heart attack and I believe my waking up at that precise moment was not a coincidence.

My father’s demise managed to develop in me a phobia about death which became unshakable. I lay in bed day in and day out the way I have described above, driving myself to the point of insanity. Death and its mystery became my obsession. They say time heals all wounds and although it did to some extent decrease my pain, it could not convince my mind to stop its fixation on our ultimate end as human beings. However, the most extraordinary thing happened a few years after my father’s death which eased my mind a great deal. We unexpectedly found a poem that he had written in the hospital right before he died. In it he described the angels in white that were coming to take him away to a wonderful place of peace. The poem had not been titled and I named it ‘The Last Poem’.

After uncovering that poem, all I know now is that this thing called death is inevitable and I have got to face up to it. I know for sure that even though my father has physically left this world, he lives spiritually, continuing to discipline me. The part that had really gotten to me the most when my father died, was the actual time of death; the slipping away from reality, entering an unknown, unseen realm, in a totally new form of oneself. I had envisioned it to be scary, but I now believe it will be a completely comfortable and pleasant sensation. It could end up being the best feeling in the world as my father described it to be in his last poem.

I do believe in God and I have faith in my religion, but it is a very natural feeling for us humans to be afraid of the unknown. To me life is just a temporary phase of a bigger scenario. It is a precious gift given to us which we must cherish, for it will never be given to us again. I don’t know if time ever stops or just goes on forever, but I do believe that after death, the place where we all go to, will have no concept of time. So “forever” is what we’ll be in our new state of being. My father had meant for me to find his last poem and I look forward to seeing him again, on the other side.

By: Fariha Rashed

The Ajoka Awakening

The Ajoka awakening
COVER STORY
Published in 'Images' [DAWN]
October 16th, 2005

By FARIHA RASHED
lt seems like a crime that an institution of the calibre of Ajoka Theatre has its main office in Lahore hidden away at the very end of an almost invisible gali in the main Cantt area. However, upon entering the cozy and inviting setup, the very air carries with it the determination and resolve to bring about change.Seated with the driving force behind Ajoka, Madeeha Gauhar, she spends hours talking about her life as a political activist, a TV celebrity, the founder of Ajoka Theatre and then becoming its artistic director.Born in Karachi in 1956 and still carrying wonderful memories of the city, Madeeha has spent most of her life in Lahore. Her father, Ali Gauhar, a Peshawar-born, Persian-speaking army officer died when Madeeha was only 14 years old. Her mother, Khadijah, born to a Gujrati speaking family from Bharauch, India, was, in her words, “a dedicated socialist, fearless writer, committed human rights activist and an untiring social worker.”She was of great inspiration to Madeeha who now feels that her political consciousness stems from observing her mother’s interaction with journalists and political activists, “My mother always encouraged me to form Ajoka when Gen Ziaul Haq’s rule was at its oppressive peak.” Her mother faced disapproval for Madeeha’s career choice from relatives who were shocked and upset, but even in the face of such opposition she pushed her daughter forward. Together with her sister, Faryal Gauhar, also an actress, Madeeha formed a small group of women who had the courage to take up acting in a society where music and dance were and are still prohibited in certain regions.In 2002, Madeeha received recognition and was awarded the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz by the Pakistan government. Furthermore, Ajoka was invited to perform the play Aik Thi Nani at the London Theatre Festival along with the other participating countries. The play was also well-received in India and is one of Ajoka’s few Urdu plays, most of them being in Punjabi. Aik Thi Nani, according to one of Ajoka’s flyers, is ‘inspired by the true life story of two extraordinary sisters, Zohra Segal and Uzra Butt. After Partition, Uzra migrated to Pakistan and Zohra stayed back. This play, especially written for the sisters by playwright Shahid Nadeem, brought them together on one stage after four decades. The play was first performed in 1993 and has since toured India twice and the UK’.Madeeha studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary Lahore, and then acquired her B.A from Kinnaird College where she was also the president of the Najmuddin Dramatic Society. It was here that her skill and expertise as an insightful actress was honed. Later, as the secretary of the Government College Dramatic Society, she took part in an anti-establishment play which ruffled quite a few feathers. At 17, she acted in her first TV serial, Zanjeer (Chain), by Anwar Sajjad. After doing her Masters in English Literature from Government College Lahore, Madeeha taught at a government women’s college and then joined the Women’s Action Forum (WAF) where she got a chance to practice her activism with great fervor.
‘Stand up for your rights as a daughter, sister, mother, wife and in any other role you play.I am a firm believer in gender equality,’ says Madeeha Gauhar
At a time when there were no means for expressing outrage concerning the so-called ‘amended’ laws made by Gen Zia, WAF organized rallies and protests. Madeeha, Faryal Gauhar, Rubina Saigol and Asma Jahangir and Hina Jilani were all at the receiving end of a brutal baton-charge. Madeeha was arrested and subsequently jailed twice at Kot Lakhpat. She also lost her job as lecturer. “Banning or arresting people is not a solution. Let all things flourish and give viewers the right to reject,” she says while remembering those days.“Ajoka Theatre emerged out of extreme diversity, anger and a fiery zeal to bring about change in 1984,” she says. The first play performed under its banner was Juloos (Procession), written by Badal Sircar. Due to the absence of the NoC (no objection certificate) from the government, which scrupulously examined every script through and through, the play, could not be performed in any public hall or auditorium. Therefore, it was performed in Begum Khadija Gauhar’s lawn in the Cantonment area of Lahore. Madeeha adds, “Our activities went undiscovered until the last portrayal of the week-long performances. They then banned the second play we were to perform at the venue. We then approached the ‘Max Mueller’ institute and the German institute accommodated us by lending us space to perform. In the meantime, I went abroad to get a Masters degree in theatre from the University of London.”Madeeha acquired a British Council scholarship for the degree in drama. It was a one-year course that amalgamated both the practical and academic sides of the subject. Madeeha feels that her experience was very useful as she had the chance to view a lot of theater there. She also met her future husband, writer Shahid Nadeem, for the very first time in London. He was working with Amnesty International after being pardoned from a jail term in Pakistan during Gen Zia’s era due to his trade union activities. He was a documentary producer at PTV Lahore centre at the time of his arrest.In London, Madeeha asked Shahid to do the script of a play, Mara Hua Kutta (The Dead Dog), directed by his late friend Shahryar Rashed. “I had seen the play at a Kinnaird College festival while still at school and it had left a lasting impression on my mind. At the time, Ajoka needed original scripts for stage plays, which I felt no one was delivering at that time, with the exception of Sarmad Sehbai. I did not want to rely on mere translations.” Shahid Nadeem ended up giving Madeeha scripts for two stage plays, Mara Hua Kutta and Barri. “Barri was one of the first plays on the issue of the Islamic laws and a patriarchal system. The play also raises questions about the class basis of the woman’s movement in Pakistan and its direction,” she says. It was initially performed on International Women’s Day in 1987.Madeeha and Shahid had both been married before. Savera Nadeem is Shahid Nadeem’s daughter from his previous marriage, who is now a successful stage and television actress. Nirvaan, now completing his A levels, is Madeeha’s son from her first marriage. From their marriage to each other, Shahid and Madeeha have a son, Sarang.According to one of the annual newsletters, Ajoka set the wheels turning with their ‘cultural marathon’ which also marked the ‘beginning of the theatre for social change movement in Pakistan’. Most of their plays have been on daring social issues such as dowry, honour killing and discriminatory laws. “My vision has always been to help promote a secular, just, humane and egalitarian society,” says Madeeha.“Some of the other prominent street and stage plays by Ajoka include Kala Qanoon which revolves around the Hudood Ordinance; Kala Meda Bhes which deals with a real-life incident in Sindh where a woman was exchanged for an ox and Dukhini which portrays the practice of women trafficking by deceiving Bangladeshi women living in rural areas to come to Pakistan,” she says. Shahid Nadeem has also done a Punjabi adaptation of Brecht’s Arturo UI in the play, Bala King.Madeeha has had to deal with the reality of women’s issues in her own backyard, so to speak. “Some of the girls that act in my plays have had to face a lot of hurdles and obstacles created by their families. In a few cases, I have had to watch some of the girls with great acting talent leave Ajoka as they could no longer bear the stress of family pressure and opposition.” Her message to women: “Stand up for your rights as a daughter, sister, mother, wife and in any other role you play. I am a firm believer in gender equality.”Ajoka has also contributed to Indo-Pak peace by collaborating with Indian theater groups. They managed to collectively put up an indo-Pak theater festival, Zonani, also held in Lahore in March 2004. Ajoka Children’s Theatre has done plays such as Gali Kay Bacchay (Children of the dead-end street), Kaali Ghata (Grey clouds), and Bhola.Madeeha is saddened by the fact that besides Ajoka there are not many other theatre groups emerging in Pakistan, especially since the possibilities for artistic expression is much greater now. “The environment is very encouraging. Motivation and freedom is a prerogative of an artist. Our collaboration with the government has been very successful. We have done two plays, Bullah and Bala King with the Arts Council. We can change the trend if the government pays the expenses of productions, provides facilities and pays actors.”For the future, Madeeha hopes to have many more performances in Pakistan and wants to attract all kinds of people to her plays. She feels she has done countless street plays already and would like to concentrate more on stage plays held in various auditoriums across Pakistan, theatre festivals and conferences. She is also looking to expand the management team for Ajoka, with the aim of projecting it further and on a wider scale, in print and electronic media.Madeeha confesses that Ajoka is her whole life and everything she does is related to it. “At times I feel I cannot even give my children enough time because of it.” She commends Shahid Nadeem for supporting her throughout her career. As our chat comes to a close, she tells me that she would be leaving for India soon as a few of Ajoka’s plays were being performed there. Ajoka is most certainly her entire life and would continue being so.

Music In Vogue

Music in Vogue
COVER STORY
Published in 'Nation On Campus' [The Nation]
January 4th, 2006

There has been a phenomenal growth in the electronic media industry in Pakistan and as a result this has had vast repercussions on the music industry and the society as a whole as well as on the youth in specific. Electronic media is defined as those communication mediums which are based on electronic or electromechanical means of production and most often distinguished from print media. The primary electronic media sources familiar to the general public worldwide include radio, sound recordings, television, video recording, and streaming internet content. Over the past few years, the industry in Pakistan has displayed an unprecedented boom in media outlets. This uprising has brought with it many challenges, but it has also created new opportunities for the evolving local music industry. This is a particularly ripe time to evaluate the relationship between electronic media and music promotion and their combined affect on society and the youth in particular.

Internationally, and especially in the developed countries, growth in the media industry has been going on for ages and remains one of the most vibrant sectors. What has caused the revolution in Pakistan’s media industry is the recent liberalization of media policy afforded by the government. As a result, television, radio and the internet have further seeped into our society with effects of paramount importance, whether positive or negative. Media and society now come together in a new way.

Music in Vogue
Music is in vogue in Pakistan and electronic media is its primary medium of communication. If one reviews the change that has taken place in the content of music in Pakistan, in the early days “Pop revolved around kurta-shalwar clad, flag hoisting singers with songs of love and patriotism”. This was perhaps a result of the socio-political turmoil that Pakistan was experiencing at the time. Next came the “Western” influence which translated in to some original and some copied tunes and beats. Today, however “we either sing about national lies or 'ishq'”. The time has come to take a good hard look at the “quality” of music being produced and move to more important “subjects” which are relevant for our youth today. Music videos and lyrics should be used to educate the youth on matters such as “drugs”, “depression”, “survival” rather than just “love”.

Music has always been a culturally strong influence in the sub-continent. Pakistan has moved from an inherently traditional form of music to a diversification of sounds, tunes, beats and melodies which has lead to an amalgamation of “new” music. This “new” music is now looking for fresh and innovative avenues through which it can reach the Pakistani Youth – its intended target market. The growth in the number of music TV and radio channels combined with the relaxation of government censorship rules is trying to do exactly this.

It’s Impact
TV is found to be the better medium for communication and promotion of music both in Pakistan and globally. The reason identified for this is the simultaneous audio and visual stimulation provided by TV to the youth. TV is a medium which people of all ages can watch; there is no way of preventing a certain group from watching. Thus, children, adolescents, and adults are equally exposed to the positive and negative aspects of this medium. Some of the benefits which are available to the youth today are:

• An opportunity to identify with a specific genre of music
• An opportunity to follow the music careers of one’s favorite musicians/ singers
• Availability of a large amount of information pertaining to the local and global music scenes
• An opportunity to have an impact on music in Pakistan by requesting/ voting for a particular number
• An urge to take up music as a career

Stereotypes & Violence
Everything good usually also has a negative side to it. In this case, TV (music videos and lyrics) can represent an exaggerated version of an idea, concept or emotion (primarily love) which can play havoc with many young impressionable minds. Throughout the history of music in Pakistan, one can see how music has influenced the youth in terms of their dressing and behavior patterns. Music videos also have a tendency of supporting and representing conventional gender roles which can be emulated by the youth to their detriment. This is a form of “stereotyping” through music. Another cause of concern is the “violence” which is associated with the “hard rock” genre of music. Both the lyrics and beats of certain music videos/ songs can induce trance like states where one can become delusional and perhaps behave in a manner other than usual. “Head banging” is a phenomena which has begun at concerts in Pakistan and which sometimes gets out of hand and leads to the crowd becoming rowdy.

Portrayal of Gender Inequality
The misrepresentation of the male and female and their respective roles in society, shown in music videos and portrayed through lyrics is something almost everyone has noticed. Isn’t it uncanny how almost each and every music video shows the girl having certain, very so called “feminine” physical and emotional attributes? Why is the guy always chasing the girl? Or for that matter why does every music video have to tell a story of ‘Love’? Is this what media is trying to teach us? Is it trying to sensationalize the concept of love and portray it as the only kind of relationship possible between the two genders? The trend even today has been to show women as the weaker sex and an object of desire and beauty in music videos. Through out time it is the love songs that have been the most popular and it is about this one human emotion in particular that every artist has chosen to sing at one time or another. However inequality of the sexes always manages to seep through in the final message being sent to the viewer or listener.

What the youth thinks
The youth is very gung ho about the whole electronic media revolution which is taking place in Pakistan. They feel that all mediums have opened up new avenues for them to listen to and identify with various genres of music in Pakistan. They like the “interactive” aspect of modern day electronic media portrayal of music. Youth in Pakistan is becoming more confident of their likes and dislikes and they are glad that they have the forums for voicing their opinions. They feel as if they are making a difference.

However, it is essential for the media to be responsible in its dissemination of images and messages through music and to ensure that the youth is not confused about their identities as a result. Misrepresentations, stereotypes and other such negative portrayals should be avoided. The young minds that media targets are fragile and susceptible.


By Fariha Rashed.

Who Am I?

WHO AM I?
Published in 'Eyecandy [The Post]
September 25th, 2005
&
Published in 'Nation On Campus' [The Nation]
January 4th, 2006


I was just thinking the other day as I sat all alone watching the rain pouring down……who am I? Since that day I have not been able to get this question out of my head and it inspired me to write this piece. I realize that the question I have put forward to myself serves to be a rather queer one, but on several occasions, when I have really sat down to think, this question has automatically popped into my head as if it were waiting to be thought about. What I am striving to find out really, is why am I the personality that I am? Why do I walk, talk, laugh (and just about do anything) in a certain way? Could it have been ordained for me to be this way or did I make myself this way? I am sure many of you, especially the youngsters out there, have pondered over the same issue many a times when you were alone and had time to think. I am equally certain that after thinking about it for 5 minutes at the most, you quickly shoved it out of your mind and got busy with your daily chores, sensing that such ‘ridiculous’ thoughts are a waste of time and emotional energy. However, I believe we should let ourselves explore these unique thoughts a little further at times, so as to gage where they come from and why they make us so uncomfortable.

Sometimes in the middle of doing something, I stop dead in my tracks and unexpectedly get an overwhelming feeling of being trapped within myself. If you take away my body and brain from me, what would I be left with? Where would I go? Where would my personality go? I guess the real question is, does the brain make us who we are or do we have a soul that is floating around inside our exterior frame that moulds us a certain way? If you are a religiously inclined person then while reading this article, your first reaction will probably be something to the effect of: ‘Well God made me who I am and I should not question it so much’. Unfortunately it is not that simple for me. You see, I have always wanted to know why I think the way I do. What makes me react to something in a certain way? Yes of course…everybody would say ‘that is your personality’ but what boggles my mind is……where does THAT come from?

Even as a new born baby that had no understanding or experience of living in the world, I must have had my own set of traits. Every baby is different from the other. But how is that possible? I do not know or even remember what I was like when I was a child. Now isn’t that funny considering the fact that THAT child was also me? How can I not know what I used to do or say at a certain time period of my life? Why can’t I remember being born, taking my first step, saying my first word or tumbling down a flight of dangerous stairs at the age of five? When my mother recounts these stories of my childhood to me, it is like she is talking about another person I have no recollection of…a stranger.

Now as I sit here in a black leather chair comfortably writing this article, I wonder why I am writing the things that I am typing out with such speed and clarity of feeling. Where are these wondrous ideas emanating from? However, it is of no use for me to drive myself to the point of insanity with these thoughts, because there are no clear cut answers. I have been blessed with a body, a mind and two eyes through which to see the vastness of the world. I have been given ‘myself’ (whoever I am), so I should make full use of all these priceless gifts and live, simply because I have no choice.

However, as I bring my article to an end I want to send an important message to everyone who may or may have not experienced the ‘who am I’ syndrome. Never stop questioning things. It is your basic human right to probe into each and every situation or idea that you do not fully understand. Do not stop asking questions till you are satisfied with the answers. If you ever doubt something about your own personality or thought process, sit down and talk it out with yourself. This is the best way to clear your mind and know yourself better in the process. Don’t be ashamed of your confusion or uncertainties…..trust yourself completely and once you are able to do that, I guarantee that nothing in this world will ever be a puzzle to you anymore.


By: Fariha Rashed

Revolutionizing Fashion

Revolutionizing Fashion
Printed in 'Nation On Campus' [The Nation]
4th January, 2006

The Maria.B website states that “MARIA.B DESIGNS (PVT) LTD is the largest manufacturer and retailer of women's fashion garments in Pakistan” [http://www.mariab.com]. Following is an intimate interview with Maria in which we discuss her impressive and successful career over a cup of hot steaming ‘kashmiri chai’ at her house in Lahore.

1. What is your qualification as a designer?

I graduated from Pakistan School of Fashion Design [PSFD]. Before that I did my A Levels from Karachi Grammar School. After fashion school I went straight into work.

2. When did you decide to create the label MARIA.B and why?

I decided in second year at PSFD. I didn’t want to start something from the home or do just bridal wear. I wanted to reach out to people and have fashion and street wear accessible to everybody.

3. Which countries besides Pakistan does MARIA.B cater to?

We have an Asian clientele whether it’s in the UK, US, Netherlands, Pakistan or India for that matter. Not only that, but recently some people said that my clothes work very well for the Arab women because they want trendy stuff like bootleg pants and short shirts. That’s the market I especially want to expand into, the Muslim belt of countries.

4. What was it like to be the first Pakistani to win an international fashion competition?

It was surreal. I was a part of the first batch of PSFD students going to Belgium and I remember thinking to myself very casually “ok so we are just going to be one of the 50 countries there and probably won’t win anyway”. The experience was amazing though because I got selected to participate on the basis of my portfolio and the judges actually said that mine was the best portfolio they had seen so far.

5. How has winning that competition helped you since?

It made a difference in the beginning because it gave me a lot of confidence. I thought if I can win by going to Belgium and competing with students from fashion schools from all over the world and make my own impact in the process, then I can do anything. It gave me a high and encouraged me to start something of my own. If you look at the Pakistani fashion industry, unfortunately people just want to play achievement down and they want to discourage anyone who is successful. There are these older designers that are just hanging onto their ‘glory’ and when I first came in to the scene they wanted to literally rip me apart.

6. What wide range of garments does MARIA.B offer to women?

I do everything from casuals, semi-formal party wear, formals to bridals. The casuals and formals include the prêt a porter [ready to wear] line and then the couture [high fashion] bridal line is totally separate. I did Western wear for a while but that’s not my particular clientele. My clientele would occasionally wear the sleeveless or short shirt but 85% of them wouldn’t. When one is catering to a large group of people, these restrictions do creep in and they should be taken as a challenge. When you’re retailing in the market as a designer you can’t afford to make choices for the client. You have to give your client what they want otherwise you fail.

7. What is MARIA.B’s design philosophy?

My design philosophy is generally centered on my belief in fusion. I am a big believer in the fusion and gelling together of Eastern and Western influences so that I can come up with something that is internationally viable. The designing however should not be overbearingly Western or overbearingly Eastern. There needs to be a perfect balance..

8. Who does the make-up and grooming for most of your shoots?

The two or three make-up artists that I have worked with are all fabulous and I choose them according to the nature of the shoot. I have a good idea now about which make-up artist [or photographer for that matter] would do well with which theme.

9. How important do you think it is for a designer to have photo shoots appear in magazines/publications regularly? Why?

It is extremely important because as a designer I am selling an image. It is a form of marketing and because we have always put so much stress on this aspect of marketing ourselves, the Maria.B label has become a big name in just two years. We actually built our brand through the shoots and now a Maria.B shoot is recognized instantly by people.

10. How have you grown as a designer in the last four years?

I have learnt a lot. When I was in college I had these huge dreams and I told myself I would make all kinds of clothes and be very experimental but now I know it doesn’t work. You have to create what sells and I learnt that the hard way. At the end of the day market forces are what drive the designer. You have to make your mark and give your clothes that special edge within the confines of those forces.

11. Which is your most memorable fashion show and why?

It is the Paris collection because the scale was very big and I hardly get to show Western clothes in Pakistan. My whole Paris collection was made up of Western wear. I enjoyed it for the freedom I had.

12. Do you think an education in fashion is absolutely necessary for a designer?

Yes, pretty much. Aesthetically I don’t think anyone can teach you anything. Either you have it or you don’t. However, if as a designer I am not technically educated then the stitcher, cutter and other people that work for me will not respect me as a designer and I won’t be able to guide them properly. They would take me for a ride if I didn’t know anything about the technicality of making a garment.

13. Do you have an accessory line?

I have started an accessory line and I have hired a girl for that. She has studied Accessory Design from FIT in the States. We have a completely separate accessory department with shoes and bags now.

14. Do you think having an online presence is important for designers?

Yes it is and although we have a website I have neglected it. I don’t have the time and I need people to manage it. A lot of our customers wanted us to have online sales but I have not gotten to that yet as far as an e-service is concerned where the customer can just click on the garment they want and choose the size.

By: Fariha Rashed

'Heel' Me!

‘HEEL’ ME!

Printed in "The Post"---Eyecandy Magazine
21st August, 2005-Station Chaos Column.


“If high heels were so wonderful, men would be wearing them”. ---- Sue Grafton (quotationsbywomen.com).

There is a great significance in our daily lives, of shoes in general. Shoes protect our feet and we as humans have become accustomed to them. They are in a way a part of us, and as some comment, they help in hiding our peculiar feet, especially if they are deformed in any way. Shoes come in all varieties whether they are in the form of boots, mules, slippers, sandals, platform shoes or high heels.

High heels are types of shoe that are often used make a fashion statement when worn. They are also a psychological crutch for women with a lack of confidence, they are sexy, and in some cases they can even be used as a deadly weapon in self-defense. As a utility, high heel shoes are height enhancers as they once were for a royal bride in 1533.

High heel shoes have a history just like any other item of clothing. The ancient Egyptians have to be credited for having the earliest recordings of leather shoes on their murals in tombs and places of worship (approximately 4000 B.C). In England, King Henry II made popular shoes with narrow and pointed toes, so as to hide his ugly feet (1154-1189). By approximately the 1500’s shoes became two-pieced: an upper part attached to a sole. The high heel was born to help riders stick their feet in the stirrups. Boots with heels became popular among men. The five inch heel was invented and worn by Louis XIV. By 1660, the ‘Louis’ heels were also worn by women. In 1794 the first retail shoe store opened in Boston and shoes were now made by machines. The famous ‘stiletto’ heel was invented by the Italians, and thus the pointed toe fad became apparent for both sexes by approximately 1955. In 1980 platforms and sneakers came into vogue, although high heels stayed popular as well.

In today’s world the high heel is fast barring discomfort and is becoming a symbol of attractiveness, sophistication and evening wear. The saying ‘beauty is only skin deep’ does not apply when it comes to high heels and all the glamour they exude. Women who wear them all the time, claim that they feel beautiful, confident and on top of the world at every occasion. They are even willing to bare the discomfort of a five inch heel to simply look good. Women also endure pain and bruises on their feet for fashion and an outward appearance of being ‘in control’.

High heels have been portrayed as glamorous by the media. Celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez lead teenagers and fans that idolize them, to imitation. This turns out to be a good way for shoe companies to market themselves. The celebrities are made to look vivacious and attractive in their heels, and this image becomes ingrained in the minds of so much of the youth. It is the image that sells in the end. I also feel that women feel superior and dominating towards men when they tower over them in heels.

Believe it or not there is a medical standpoint to the wearing of heels too. When wearing heels, women put all the weight of their body forward. Therefore it takes an extra effort by the muscles to stop the body from falling forward. It is in the lower back area that most of this effort by the muscles is concentrated, thus leading to back pain. Moreover, it is difficult for our feet to carry out their sensing and balancing jobs, when tight heels are worn and suffocating them. Women are therefore more prone to falling and stumbling with high heels on. Furthermore the Lancet, Massachusetts researchers claim in the British medical journal that knee arthritis is more common in women than men due to the fact that women wear high heels that affect the knee and hip while the body tries to maintain a balance. This can lead to a very apparent degeneration of joints and bones.

A good comparison to make would be between the practice of East Chinese foot binding and the wearing of high heels. There was a practice of foot binding of young girls between the ages of 3 and 8 years, in China from 950-1912 A.D. High heels were invented in 1533 in France, as mentioned before, and both the Chinese foot binding practice and the French high heels were thought to make the feet appear alluring and produce a sexy walk. However there are some vital differences in the two practices also. Bound feet result in permanent damage to feet, and heels can cause damage in rare cases, to the body and feet. In China it was the parents who were responsible for the decision to bind girl’s feet whereas wearing high heels is a personal decision. Bound feet signified acceptance and inferiority, while heels portray either independence or submitting to projecting an image of dominance. Height was not affected by foot binding as it is by heels.

Emotionally, when wearing heels, some women feel happy, charmed and high spirited. Their self-moral is boosted. Other women recoil in disgust by the thought of wearing heels and see it as degradation to women, especially when worn for the sole purpose of attracting men.

I personally feel that women should wear heels if it makes them feel better about themselves and gives them a sense of being powerful and feminine at the same time. Even as a fashion accessory, the heel enhances and sophisticates any garment. It is a shoe that almost certainly ‘heels’ the wearer’s spirit and lifts it up to new heights. However, just like anything in excess is not good, one must take care to not let wearing heels constantly damage our feet or body in any way.


By: Fariha Rashed

Better To Light One Small Candle than To Curse the Darkness.

“Better To Light One Small Candle than To Curse the Darkness”

Every morning one picks up the newspaper to see a fresh yet distressing headline, screaming out at us from the crispy off-white pages. One such daunting headline that has suddenly grabbed the attention of the Western media in the recent days is that of poverty and starvation in the continent of Africa. This turn of events came about due to the labors of a few people who had the courage to shine a spark of change in the pitch, black cloud of helplessness that engulfs the everyday lives of Africans even today.

The ‘Live 8’ concert, held this year, was ridiculed by many as doing little in bringing attention to the cause of alleviating poverty and famine in Africa. It was thought of as being too small an effort in regard to the enormity in scale of the problem. However, I believe it was one man’s vision and strength of resolve that made the ‘Live 8’ concert not just one of the greatest concerts in the history of music, but also acted as one of the most important catalysts in speeding up the process of healing Africa. Bob Geldof is this exceptional man.

This gentleman lit a small candle of hope in the face of complete darkness. By this tiny act, he managed to divert the eyes of the world and its leaders to the frightful plight of starving Africans, which allowed them to receive relief almost immediately.

The moral of this essay is that it is always better to get up and do something (no matter how miniscule) to find a solution, rather than to let the sheer size of the problem overwhelm you into not acting at all. Do not be defeated even before trying.

BY: FARIHA RASHED

Pakistani 'Couture'?

Pakistani ‘Couture’?

Printed in "The Post"---Eyecandy Magazine
14th August, 2005----Station Chaos Column
&
Printed in "Instep" ---- The News
15th January, 2006.


Have any of you ever stopped and wondered what Pakistani designers mean when they say ‘we also have a couture line’? What goes through your mind when you go to liberty and read the word ‘couture’ written on a garment shop? You would be flabbergasted to learn the precise meaning and implication of not just the word ‘couture’, but also of the art itself. You would be equally stunned to find out how this fine form of fashion is being exploited and its meaning tainted. Have Pakistani designers really reached the position and level of expertise in fashion, where they can claim that they have mastered the art of couture? If not, I believe we must address the perversion of this term that is definitely taking place on many levels.

Haute Couture is a French phrase for high fashion. Couture means dressmaking, sewing or needlework and haute means elegant or high. The two words when combined represent excellent skill with the fashioning of garments. It is a prestigious face for French creative fashion and original design.

It is imperative for any designer to understand that there is a huge difference between a high-priced ready-to-wear garment, that they often incorrectly call ‘couture ready-to-wear’, and an actual 'couture' outfit. The term ‘couture-ready-to-wear’ is of course a contradiction in itself since couture implies clothes made to measure for individual customers, and ready-to-wear means garments produced in standard sizes not keeping in mind the individual measurements of the people who will eventually buy them. In Pakistan, our vision and understanding of haute couture is totally wrong.

The exclusive made to order, couture clothes are virtually made completely by hand, with the use of luxurious fabrics and superb needlework. They command exorbitant prices and are sold to the wealthy and sociably mobile. In addition the clients get a perfection of fit only achieved by meticulous methods of cutting and fitting to the client's body. Designers create their initial designs using muslin (for flowing designs), calico or linen canvas (for tailored garments). These samples are called ‘toiles’ and save the designer from using very expensive fabrics. The toile can be manipulated, marked and accustomed to fit a live model’s measurements till the designer is satisfied. The final toile of a design is an exact interpretation of the line and cut right down to the button placement or hemline that the designer desires. An exclusive haute couture garment means that there is only one of its kind. No two people would have the same couture garment in their wardrobe and this is why people are willing to pay vast sums for it. I personally feel that nothing produced in Pakistan yet bears the slightest semblance to European Couture and there are very few trained designers in Pakistan who even manage to follow half of the rules of couture making. However, I am fully aware that there are a few who would beg to disagree with me.

Nowadays in the West, wearing couture is affordable for those who are happy to pay for exclusivity, high quality, superb craftsmanship and a fresh idea, but is no longer appropriate for many, as prices are too excessive. For Western designers, making couture is actually unprofitable now. It is only a means by which to publicize their ready-to-wear divisions through which they make the most money locally and globally. They sell their potential customers a dream through their couture creations, a dream of something elusive and indescribable; the fashion shows attract huge media attention and bring great publicity to couture houses. In Pakistan it is the complete opposite. Over here designers start out with ready-to-wear lines and ultimately venture into so called ‘couture lines’, from which they end up extracting the most income. If they were producing genuine couture, this would be an impossible phenomenon.

Some Pakistani designers claim not just to have a couture line but also to have a couture house. Now let me explain, that in the West a trade association determines qualifications for a couture house. Membership with this trade association is limited to couturiers that meet specified qualifications and abide by a set of rules. I believe that in Pakistan because the concept of tailors was already widespread, it was easier for designers to lean towards the made to measure style of designing rather than the ready to wear. However these tailors are not trained sufficiently or adequately yet and do not posses the finesse required in making couture.

As a student of the Pakistan School of Fashion Design (affiliated with the most prestigious French trade association—La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne), and having been trained in the art of haute couture for 4 years, I strongly believe that Pakistan can at some point actually produce authentic ‘couturiers’, but there is still a long way to go before that happens. This is why I stress that the word ‘couture’ should be respected for what it is and not flung about carelessly. I know that with this article I will end up ruffling a few feathers as it may, but I think if as Pakistani designers we want to attain international acclaim at some point, that we should go through the steps of evolution (as man did), rather then jump from one stage to the next.

In the end I encourage all readers to ponder over this matter of the alleged Pakistani ‘Couture’ trend. The terminology is definitely impressive, but do we have the vital ingredients to complete the recipe? They include training, experience, facilities, knowledge, quality and caliber. I’ll let you be the judge of that.

FARIHA RASHED.

UNFATHOMABLE.

UNFATHOMABLE.
DIVA Magazine.
Issue No. 40, August/September2005


The ‘Cindy Crawford of Lahore’…..this is what instantly comes to my mind when I think of super model Iffat Rahim. This rather unique title has been, gallantly bestowed upon her by the local media. Iffat understandably feels quite flattered by the comparison made between her and one of the top most successful and popular supermodels of the world. The comparison in our minds might be a rather far fetched one, in terms of the difference in scale in popularity and success between the two; however, I believe it is a fair one in terms of the confidence, caliber and professionalism inherent in both the ladies.

Iffat impressively holds a Masters in Graphic Designing and was born in Lahore on 12th February, which makes her an Aquarian. She believes that fate played its skillful hand in wooing her towards becoming a model. Her parent’s complete support made it a much easier and smoother path to success and stardom. Iffat has noticed a huge difference in nature, between the modeling world when she started out and was at her peak, and the modeling field now. Her opinion was clearly put across when she said to me, “honestly it has now deteriorated, as the element of nudity really bothers me”.

Iffat does however have some favorites among the local fashion designers with Umar Saeed at the top of her list. Iffat whole heartedly feels that “he is the best”. Internationally she likes D&G, Gucci, Hermes and LV as she is totally into bags and shoes. Having worked with many photographers in her time, Iffat insists that Ather Shahzad are the most professional in Pakistan and when I probed her further as to why she feels that way, she very matter-of-factly announced “You know why! They are the best in their field”. Iffat recalled that out of all the fashion shows she has witnessed in Pakistan, Neelofer Shahid’s first show was the most amazing one. She told me that “in those times it was an absolutely new concept to have fashion shows, and Neelofer being the classy lady that she is, really brought a bout of fresh air into the fashion scene”. Iffat personally hated doing live shows and preferred photo shoots to the catwalk. She has immense personal style from what she wears and how she wears it to her entire outward demeanor. Iffat’s fashion statement in her own words is “it’s not what you wear; it’s how you carry it”. She perceives and hopes her own image to be quite dignified in the media circle.

Iffat has made vital contributions to the entertainment industry and when she looks back she is most proud of her first production called ‘Iffat’s Fashion Magazine’. She explains that “I think my life is an example of how to maintain dignity in the field of fashion/modeling and bring with it respectability which has been a source of encouragement to lots of new people entering the arena”. This is what Iffat believes to be her biggest contribution to this field. She shrewdly advises girls that want to enter into modeling as a career, to “never compromise on values”.

Iffat met her husband through a mutual friend and theirs was a 100% love marriage. She proudly told me that the craziest thing she has ever done is “falling in love with the craziest man I have ever known”. When I hinted at her marriage maybe having something to do with the halt in her modeling career she quickly corrected me and said “no it was long before that”.

Besides modeling, this multi talented woman has acted, directed, compeered, produced and done set designing. She feels that the most fulfilling out of all the things she has tried her hand at, is acting. At present Iffat categorizes herself as a director and producer and her future plans include directing and producing a serial. She strongly believes that everything happens as a result of one’s destiny and one of the influences that mould her personality and creativity is the “continuous drive to do better”. Her inspirations include first and foremost her husband and then, “every successful woman out there”. She also very confidently and boldly claims to have no regrets in life so far.

While performing the difficult task of self analyzing herself, Iffat told me that she perceives having a strong character and honesty to be two of the major qualities in her personality. In criticism of herself she complained that the weakness in her character is her temper. However when she looks in the mirror she sees “a satisfied mother, a successful professional, a loving wife and an obedient daughter”. About her role as a mother she modestly says, “I am an ok mother because nothing is good enough for my little princess…I want to raise her so intelligently that she can ascertain right from wrong”. When I cautiously probed Iffat about whether she would support her daughter (Noor-e-Jehan) in the future, if she were to want to become a model, I was very pleased by her sensitive and loving answer “I would stay neutral. She will be making her own decisions in life. She is the apple of my eye….my strength….and my greatest weakness”. This showed me that Iffat is not only a competent professional but also an understanding, committed and reliable mother. She agrees that she has gained tremendous personal growth through life, “especially after becoming a mommy”.

You won’t see Iffat Rahim attending or mingling at ever party or get together that takes place courtesy of the big names in media. Socializing is of some significance to her, but only with her friends, those that are very important to her. As the topic of noble causes was touched upon, Iffat confides to me that she has not been able to do anything charitable on a big level, but on a personal level she tries to do her best. When I asked her about what the nature of her relationship with God is, she very persuasively answered “very good…..can’t you see that?”

Iffat is a petite woman who has always stayed slim, yet healthy. Surprisingly she does nothing to maintain her slender figure---“I don’t exercise regularly but because of my metabolism I stay thin. My diet principally comprises of vegetables but there is no specific diet I follow”. Yes, some people are just born lucky! She considers her best feature to be her face.

In an attempt to know Iffat better, for who she is from the inside, I asked her about some of her favorite things and boy does this lady have taste!
Her favorite:

Color: White
Cuisine: Thai
City: London
Car: VW Beetle
Music: All Kinds
Pet: Gypsy (my bitch)
Sport: Polo
Perfume: Gucci Rush
Book: One Hundred Years Of Solitude by Garcia.

Recently, Iffat has starred in Strings’ latest video, for their song ‘Kahani Mohabbat Kee’. Her performance was well done and well choreographed. I feel that she expressed, with great conviction, the pain inherent in her character’s life. The video has become a hit and was directed by well known and accomplished director Umar Anwar. I asked Iffat what made her want to do the video and how she got the part. This is what she had to say: “I did it because Strings are my favorite local band. I was offered the part and I was told that they had me in mind for the part so I decided to do it pro bono. Yes, I enjoyed it, although later I missed the New Year party back home and got hell from my hubby”.

It was my pleasure to interview a dynamic woman who had the courage to enter a field that was at one time looked down upon in Pakistan, and who made her place and mark as one of the top models of this country. She helped transform the image of modeling into that of a dignified career for girls to follow. She paved the way for them. Iffat’s way of thinking comes across to me as a very balanced blend of ‘daring’ and ‘conservative’ at the same time. She continues to strive to do more and I wish her the best of luck. I will end my article on Iffat Rahim with her favorite quote “what will be, will be”.

By: Fariha Rashed.

Frieha Altaf-Unvelied!

FRIEHA ALTAF-UNVEILED!
COVER STORY----INFLUENCE LIFESTYLES (ILS)
SPRING/SUMMER 2005, ISSUE 2

By: Fariha Rashed

I had been eagerly anticipating taking this interview for days now! I mean here was a woman that took the world in the palm of her hands and everything she touched or tried her hand at turned into gold and ultimately became a blazing success. I wanted to meet this most empowering yet enigmatic woman face to face in hope of absorbing some of her energy, passion, creativity and strength. I was a little nervous, not knowing what kind of a welcome or reaction I would get from her. I wanted to come across as professional a free lance writer, as I could to her, because whoever had the revelation that ‘your first impression is your last impression’ must have tested this theory to the letter! So here I was, making my way through the long almost endless looking corridor of the Pearl Continental Hotel at Lahore. As I reached the escalator I made a quick check to see if I had everything…recorder, questionnaire, pen, my nerves…YUP…all there! I made my way to the Crystal Hall where we were to meet and as I approached it I could see her through the open door, sitting on a rather odd looking couch, chatting away on her mobile, dressed in beige jeans and a top, her long streaked hair cascading dramatically over her shoulders. She looked like an angel. I moved towards her with I dare say too wide a grin on my face and she waved at me with a warm smile on her face and made a gesture implying that I should take a seat while she wrapped up her conversation on the phone. As I sat down I watched her closely and was astonished that a woman with such a petite frame had such an overpowering character and demeanor. Lost in thought, suddenly I realized that she was staring at me and her lips were moving. I zapped myself out of my daze as I realized she was addressing me. We introduced ourselves to each other and she suddenly said ‘I need to go to the washroom, so we can finish our introduction there’. My god, I was going to the loo with Frieha Altaf! For people reading this who don’t understand my excitement I must tell you that for women going to the washroom together is a sign of ultimate bonding! Anyway, once we returned to the hall the interview began with the sound of the ‘click’ on my recorder.

Following is the unedited interview with Frieha Altaf. I have not rearranged any of her answers or tried to organize them in any way as I believe in putting forward an authentic piece of writing so that justice can be done to the interviewee’s story. I have also added in brackets the kind of facial expressions and body language she was expressing whilst answering, so as to give the reader a better idea of her reactions and a more intimate understanding of her personality. Everything is at it was and as she said it. I like to call this interview my unveiling of Frieha Altaf.


How do you perceive your own image to be, in the media world?
(a little confused) I don’t know. Read what people say about me. I think people have a great perception of me though. I have been called everything from a fashion icon to the godmother.

What do you feel has been your biggest contribution to the entertainment industry?
(sits back and sinks into the couch to relax) I think I still have miles to go. I’ve been in the field of fashion and TV for the past 19 years. The hardest time was when I started out because of the negative image of models. All my friends said ‘what are you doing, standing with your legs open?’ and ‘your pictures are plastered all over the pan shops’. One was dealing with an elite, educated class who were your friends who thought this was not a done thing. It’s very hard to come into something when you have that kind of opposition from everywhere and u do it just because you believe in something and have that conviction. That is the hardest part and I think that is my biggest contribution---doing something I believe in against all odds. Now it’s very easy to do whatever you please. Now you’re an icon and people want to be you. Young girls look at the magazines and say I want to be Vinny or Irage, and I get that too now. Girls come and tell me we used to look at the magazines and want to be you. The rest of the people used to think ‘she’s easy because she’s a model’. They don’t care. I have an education. I went to study in America for four years.

What made you want to get into modeling? What attracted you to this field?
(looks at the ceiling, as if reminiscing) I wasn’t attracted to this field at all actually. I wanted to be a painter and my education was in art. I was at an art gallery and Saira Shah the Editor of Newsline came up to me and said ‘do you want to model?’ I said ‘sure’ because my sister was doing it (whose married), and my brother in law was doing it and my brother was modeling too. So I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. Every woman likes to have nice pictures of herself, so that was the first attraction. Plus (with a shrug) you get to wear pretty clothes and feel happy about yourself.

What difference do you see in the modeling world now from when you started out?
When we used to model, first of all we didn’t do it for money. We did it for fun. We also did it because what we were doing at that time was so new and fresh. It was very unique and there was an excitement about it. I used to do my own make up for most of my shoots. Sometimes they would send me to Tariq or Nabeela who were starting out. It was completely breaking grounds at that time and the biggest difference between then and now is that people had passion and vision back then. People acted as professionals. I mean you were on time, you tried to never work for trashy magazines or do trashy work (at least that’s true for me). There weren’t that many magazines. I did the first Fashion Collection cover. I only did three covers because I was just very picky about my work---which designer I wanted to work with, which make up artist, which photographer etc. I wasn’t just going to get up and do anything. I did commercials and a Haseena Moin play. I wanted to do a Gul Ahmed add because it was a big dream at that time. I only did products like Sunsilk and 7 or 8 commercials. This I did for the money because I wanted to make sure that whatever I did had some kind of value to it. Now things have totally changed. There are ‘pan masala’ ads which I would never be seen in. First of all I don’t eat ‘pan masal’ (giggling) and its just degrading. I would also never wear something that is badly cut, badly stitched or badly designed and end up looking like a Christmas Tree. I wouldn’t do it because it’s not me and I don’t have to do it. Besides its bad fashion and trust me there’s a lot of bad fashion, bad magazines, bad make up artists and bad models out there now. There were models that did bad shoots and ads back then as well but one just did not associate with them or do what they did because it was important to keep one’s reputation intact.

What is your ‘fashion statement’?
I actually don’t give a shit what anyone thinks. I also don’t like to stick to one thing. I’m wearing beige and brown today which isn’t very common because I like color. I have worn the brightest pink lipstick, and my friends Tariq and Deepak say ‘this lipstick should be named after you because its completely you’. So I don’t follow a particular fashion per say. I have a lot of vintage clothes, I buy second hand things from Sunday Bazaar. I love that kind of stuff and I have like a very old car and very old furniture. I like very old buildings too. I am basically very vintage-oriented and I think that’s very unique. New things you can just go buy off the rack and you end up looking like everyone else. I also think we live in that culture…we live in a clone culture where we see something in a magazine and everybody has to have it.

Who colored your hair?
(carefully runs her fingers through hair as if feeling them for the first time) I have colored my hair at least twelve times since last year. Humayun was actually the one who started it and no one else touches my hair but him.

Which are your favorite local and international designers and why?
(pensive) That’s very difficult to say because I like so many and will not stick to one designer and go to him to just pick out one thing. I’ll buy things from different people and I certainly don’t have time to stitch clothes myself. If I come across something in a show or a shoot or if I’m going to a party and have nothing to wear then I just head out to the people I know who I can just call up and say ‘give me something to wear’. I have everything from designers like (begins counting on her fingers) Sana Safinaz to Rizwan beig and Maheen to Body Focus, Nomi Ansari, Deepak Parvani, Omer Syed, Faiza Sami…everyone. I used to wear a lot of Generation when I was growing up and was in one of their ads. I used to wear Neepunhal too. I am now wearing less Pakistani clothes and more Western attire. I have to move around a lot now between countries as well and so it’s easier to wear western clothes. Furthermore I was abroad for a long time and was in a retail merchandising business in Canada and had free access to clothes from there. I had a great wardrobe because of that experience. I also do a lot of my shopping from Sunday Bazaar. I have a Paco Roban dress from there which I got for a hundred rupees. I also got a lot of vintage bags and jewellery there. I think it’s really boring to limit yourself even when it comes to liking international designers but I like Tom Ford, Hussein Chalayan, and I love Galliano.
Out of all the fashion shows that you have witnessed in Pakistan, which one was your favorite and why? I only remember my own. I make it a point not to go and see other’s fashion shows (does not elaborate).

What made you come up with CatWalk Productions?
I had to go back to America and I had no money. I was working in an advertising agency and I was a model making Rs.5000. I was 25 years old. I had been in advertising for three years and was doing television plays, theatre and just about everything. I wanted to try everything. I had a situation where I had to get a Canadian passport and it was costing 2 lac rupees which I did not have. I spoke to a few of my friends and a friend Sheherzad Hashwani said ‘why don’t you do a show? Get it sponsored and sell the thickets’. It was 1989 and there were no good shows so Maheen said to me ‘let’s do a proper show with really nice invitations and event management…the works’ so I agreed. The first thing I did was come up with a concept and went looking for technical people and there weren’t any unfortunately. There were the Veerzada brothers in Karachi at that time so I got them to do the lights and sound. Tapu who wasn’t even a photographer at that time and just a good friend from school had a ‘khazana’ of good music so I got the music from him and found an architect friend of mine who I got to design the set. I did things very professionally and differently so that it wasn’t an everyday show. I think we sold 500 copies of just the cassettes with the music of our show. I got Tariq to do the hair and make up. This event was the stepping stone for me as it had event management, choreography and modeling in it. It was during the Zia-ul-Haq regime so one had to be really careful and we couldn’t even call it a fashion show. We called it a cultural show. After this I started getting offers from companies and Unilever was one of my sponsors. They loved the show and said they wanted me to do more stuff for them. I then started doing conferences, tableaus, theatre, dance etc. There was no creativity at that time and agencies used to handle their client’s events. Unfortunately they never had any creative ideas and worked with bad sets and backdrops. This is when I started working on CatWalk Productions. Modelling was nice but it was not to make money. Suddenly I discovered a way of making money with this project and I said to myself….hmmmmmmm…I can even buy a car and have an AC in that car if I keep going this way! I didn’t ever have any of that. I had an education as a painter and how much money can u make off that? I was telling Nasreen (my manager for Cat Walk) I used to do very selective shows. I have done/organised Sana Safinaz’s first show, Maheen’s first show, Faiza Sami’s first show, Nomi Ansari’s first show, Karma’s first show, Shumail’s first show, Shayan’s first show…a lot of first shows! I used to paint and sculpt for three weeks and then I would do one show. I wanted to be an artist but now I don’t do it anymore because I don’t get time. I was a top student when I graduated and I wanted to do my masters in art and become a professor and teach. For three years after I graduated I kept trying to get scholarships to go abroad and do my masters in art.

Has there been any personal growth?
(crosses one leg over the other) I had a lot of personal growth. I was a little ‘chit’ of a girl at 25 who could have made a lot of money modeling but I wanted to do something more. It was very exciting because there were all these people around you that were just starting out and growing---like Nabeela’s, Tapu Javeri, Arif Mehmood, Ather Shahzad, Nilofer Shahid etc. You were seeing all these young people with energy and passion who wanted to do so much. I also did the first Junoon video of ‘Heer’. We used to wake up at 3 in the morning to go to some farm for the shoot and I did everything for free because they were friends. I also did the first concert for Vital Signs in Karachi and sold 150 tickets for them at the Marriott. Kuchi Muneera’s husband is a real music fan and he’s a friend of mine from school so I took him to the concert. I went shopping with them to Zainab Market and bought them these long coats. It was so exciting because it was just all happening! Its fun now too but back then the beauty was that everything was new. If I wanted to do a show at a train station no one had ever done it. Nobody had done a venue show. I picked up Hindu Gymkhana which was lying covered with ‘jharis’ and nobody even knew it existed. I used to pass by and think to myself--it’s a beautiful building. I went to the gymkhana and got the permission, got an architect…the same architect that did Maheen’s show and he got really excited because no one looks after heritage here. We got the ‘jharis’ cut, got it painted, and got it going again! When people came they were astonished! The press took pictures of it and wrote about it the next day and said it is a beautiful building that must be taken care of. No one had ever seen a building lit up that way. My next project is a film. If anyone comes up to me for something it’s very hard for me to say no to them. Ali Zafar came to me two days before the ‘Rungeen’ video and said ‘I don’t have the models, the money or the clothes and this is the concept so what should I do?’ Literally within three hours we had casted for the video, I got the clothes from the shop that opened at 11 the next morning…I got the uniform that Sadaf Pervaiz had to wear, took out my old glasses which I gave her and we got all the stuff from here and there and put it together! Then people appreciate your work and that makes it worth it! ‘Khamaj’ the video for example was something I never got paid for, but Sakib Malik was a really good friend of mine and it was just so exciting to do something like that. I convinced Shaan first of all to do the part, at 3 in the morning at Yousaf’s ‘Haveli’. He had not even heard of Fuzon or there their music so we put there songs on and made him listen to them. I also had to convince Sakib Malik to do the video because he had never done one before this (‘Khamaj’ was my favorite song on the CD). We chose the clothes, location and everything together and worked on it.

What do you at present categorize yourself as doing?
I can’t categorize myself as doing a particular thing. Imran Aslam my friend, calls me ‘Impresario’—someone who just picks up on anything creative and does it. Half the time I’m doing stuff (for example commercials) and you don’t even know I’m doing those things. I cast, pick the location, get the permission, etc. I have done television production too.

When you look back, what are you most proud of?
Everything I have done and accomplished to date…and my kids!

‘Instep’ was a major tool for bringing fashion and fashion shoots to the forefront. It was well planned and visually appealing. What was your objective when you initiated this?
I like getting involved in something that anyone is doing that is worth while. I appreciate it and then I myself feel worth while. I combined Lux Style Kee Duniya (first magazine program on TV) and Instep. I did a lot of out door shoots and I don’t like doing very common shoots. II also do a lot of shoots when I go abroad like I have just come back from Jordan and did a shoot there. You need change of scenery, and models. You take their clothes or your own and just work with it. I did Lux Style Awards when I came back from Canada. Unilever was pushing me to do it because there was a need for it. Then I got married (second time—first time was in 1988) and took off in 1995. Left for five years, had my kids and went back to school and got my Fashion Designing Diploma. I started working at ‘Barbizon’ which is a model training school and I was an instructor there. I also joined ‘Dynamite’ which is merchandising company and a big chain. My father died and my husband and I got separated. I was living there on my own and the eventually I moved back to Pakistan.

Are there any regrets in life?
None. You can’t have regrets because you end up becoming bitter and hateful. I love life and it’s very special.

Favorite:

Color: Pink
Cuisine: Nihari, Sheermal, Payi, Salan…anything desi because I love it, especially eating with my hands. I like sushi.
City: I love the water..I skie, scuba dive, so a lot of my holidays are in beach places. I love history too so wherever history and the beach are in one place…that’s paradise. I love Mexico. Love going to places where I can go to temples. I love Venice, Paris and New York. I don’t like London. I love Pakistan, like India and a lot of the developing countries. Don’t like America, especially North America. I like Europe better because it has got more culture, buildings, and museums etc.
Cars: Antique cars.
Music: All kinds of good music.
Pet: I have a cat, two dogs called Brownie and Oreo. I have birds and had a rabbit but gave it away.
Sport: I’m a cricket fanatic and write on the sport for publications. I also love tennis, soccer and when I was in Canada I really got into basketball and the whole Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan scene.

Are you involved in any charitable work? What kind?
(laughs) Everything in the beginning was charitable work and nothing else. I needed charity myself because of it. But seriously I have done a lot. So many shows used to happen just for charity. Some of my best shows were for Kidney Centre, for example the train station show which was one of my favorite shows. The models came on a steam engine which we got from Sakkhar. It was actually done at a train station and people loved it. Shumail was the fabulous designer who is one of a kind. I have also done a show at a Casino, and I just did a show last Friday where I had four cars coming on stage which models were driving and getting on and off from. The models enjoy it too.
What influences mould your personality and creativity? I would be dead tired after working all day but still I would go and hang out with friends. My friends influence and mould my personality a lot as does my work. It’s all about creative juices flowing all the time.
Do you socialize a lot and how important is that to you? I love partying and have never said that I don’t like it. There’s nothing wrong with it and I have always loved dancing, and meeting people, going out, seeing different places, and a lot of the time when I come to Lahore I stay at the ‘Haveli’. I don’t like hotels.

Tell us about your children.
(with pride) My kids go to school. My son Turhan is very sporty and he’s 8 and my daughter Pareeshey is like me, very creative. She has done seven shows already (modeling) and is completely into dressing up. She’s been doing ‘Baharat Nateeyam’ for the last three years as well as classical singing. My son is doing Karate and cricket. They are both very different from each other. I love kids. One of the reasons I got married was to have kids.
When did you get married and was it a love marriage? I have been married twice and both times it did not work out. Both times it was a love marriage.

Do you believe it is better to have a love marriage or an arranged marriage? Why? I think whatever works. My sister had an arranged marriage and is really happily married. My love marriage didn’t work.

What qualities do you see in yourself?
I think I’m hard working, passionate, organized, creative, and honest and I try to be a good human being. I think I’m a good mother and a good, loyal friend.

What weaknesses do you see in yourself?
(with a sly smirk) My short temper.
What kind of a relationship do you have with God? (after a long, pensive pause) I am not a fanatic. I am spiritual and have my own relationship with god.

Do you believe everything that happens to people has to do with luck or destiny?
I think it has to do with both and it has to do with hard work too. I have been very lucky with everything I have done.

What do you do to keep fit? What kind of a diet do you follow?
I work out and go to gym when I have the time. I watch my diet.

If you could spend one whole day being someone other than Frieha Altaf, who would you be and what would you do?
(with utmost certainty and conviction) I would want to be Michael Angelo. That’s what I always wanted to be…an artist. That’s what my education was. When I used to sculpt I used to forget everything. I would be at it for three days, no food, no sleep no rest. Being an artist is the most amazing thing. It’s completely opposite to this line of work. There is no stress. I would put on Mehdi Hassan and listen to him for hours and my parents would get sick of me. I would just totally get lost in my art. It was graduation day and I had a life size sculpture to finish…everyone was partying and I was in a studio working. Awards were being given out and I ran to that place with plaster all over my hands and face in my shalwar kameez and shawl, got my award and headed straight back to my studio to work. That’s how obsessed I was.
You have accomplished a lot career wise. What do you want to do next? What is the next endeavor? I want to do a movie, go back to school, learn film making and dance choreography. I want to raise good children and give them more time. I feel that as a single parent I’m very busy although I’m very lucky that my mother is there to help me.

If your daughter would want to become a model, would you encourage her?
(with a shocked expression) My daughter IS a model honey! She has done 7 shows. She has already done commercials like SafeGuard and she is only 7! My son has modeled too. My daughter sings and dances as well and tells me she’s JLo (Jennifer Lopez). She hates the ‘Sa Re Ga Ma’ because she does not understand it yet. I really wanted to learn ‘Katthak’ but my parents did not allow me to when I was younger. So I said to myself, when I have a daughter I will make sure she learns it and she absolutely loves it.

What is the craziest thing you have ever done?
(with a naughty laugh and one eyebrow in the air) Hehehe…can’t tell you that! I have done so many crazy things and am doing them all the time!!

What do you consider to be your best feature (physically)?
(Turns to her Manager) What is my best feature? My dimples…because they are my identity…. and my hair! I like my skin color too. I like to tan myself and I like my cheek bones.

Finally…..your favorite quote?
(with a huge grin and her hand extended outward) “Ham Jalain….Duniya Jalai”.

As the interview came to a close I almost felt sad that she would not speak further about herself, her life and her amazing accomplishments, as I had been listening intently and in complete awe. I felt that I had managed to know Frieha Altaf in a much better capacity not just as an icon or a celebrity, but for the person she is from inside. She is truly ‘all woman’ and an inspiration to all those young girls that want to come into this field. She is proof that with hard work, dedication, and most of all belief in oneself and one’s goals the world is a ray of unending opportunities. Through this one meeting she has already managed to teach me to seize the moment, stay focused and be as creative as possible in my every endeavor. I couldn’t help thinking to myself as Frieha and I said our goodbyes, that this woman had not wasted a second of her life. She is like an engine that just keeps going and never runs out of fuel. I can safely claim that she is truly one of the most captivating and inspiring people I have ever met, and a gem of a person with a charming personality. We can only imagine how many more things Frieha will have done by next year and I would gladly meet her again at that time to hear about her expeditious life!

Date of Birth: 20th April.
Star: Virgo