Daily Times

Twenty-five years of HSY; talk to us about your journey. What has it been like?

It has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. Since my early teens, I was attracted to fashion, whether it was modelling, choreography or design. In my 25 years, I’ve worked with some of the finest in the industry whether it is models, makeup artists, photographers, brands, corporate leaders, philanthropists or even other fashion designers. During our journey, we also won numerous awards, worked with the biggest fashion councils in the country and tried our best in playing our role in mentoring aspiring talent in the country. I can proudly say that in these 25 years, me and my team have defined and redefined trends, we laughed, we cried and then we laughed some more. We’re proud of our journey and today when I look back, there’s absolutely nothing that I wish could have happened contrarily. As they say, “Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty.”

Right at the time of the inception of the brand, did you expect the tremendous response you have gotten over the years?

Twenty-four years ago, a young teenager whose spirits had been shattered and bruised, had recently gained his eyesight after a horrible and excruciatingly painful car accident which left him blind for some time and his face scarred and angry with over 400 stitches from end to end. This young man this week found the courage to step into the world of beauty and emerge out of all things to fight this feeling that all was lost and challenge himself to rise again. So he asked senior designer Nilofer Shahid to let him direct her show in 1994. She being the kind woman she is said “yes”. This boy of course was me and that was the start of my journey in the world of fashion. I have never looked back since.

‘Putting Pakistani fashion on the global map by more international collaborations is one of my focuses going forward’

What was your vision 25 years ago for HSY. How has it evolved over time?

Absolutely, my vision for the brand has continuously evolved over the years. When I started, my focus was only on fashion and shows direction, my two passions. As we grew with the industry, my thought process as a founder of my brand also changed. I believe while having a vision is a great thing, you should always think of more possibilities. This progressiveness in our thoughts has been our strength from the start. I have learned to think global for myself and my brand.

We hear you latest collection commemorating the brand’s silver jubilee is dedicated to your mother. Why?

Over the past 25 years, I have had the privilege to work with so many wonderful people and brands. Collaborations, launches, show direction, modelling, CSR; there’s so much to celebrate. But when I look back, the one person who has always been a pillar of strength and support has been my mother. She has been a guiding light as a strong icon of an empowered and empowering woman. In celebration of this bond, my PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2019 collection is titled Rani, my mother’s nickname and ‘queen’.

Tell us about the collection itself. What sets it apart from the rest of the collections we have seen from HSY.

The collection is a manifestation of the brands’ pure design essence and is based in fabrics such as georgette woven out of silk yarn, hand assembled patterns and draping. What sets it apart is that it’s predominately based in a monochromatic colour palette red, which holds a special significant in my life as it was the first dominant colour I saw when I got my sight back, 25 years ago and represents the fiery spirit of an independent, elegant woman this collection pays tribute to.

What can we expect to see from HSY in the next 25 years?

We’ve been in the industry for 25 years but I still feel there’s a lot that I and team can achieve. Without revealing too much, our focus going forward will be two folds; 1) Putting Pakistani fashion on the global map by more international collaborations, retail expansion and fusing international trends with local craft as we have done so successfully all these years. 2) Strive to become a complete lifestyle brand so in addition to fashion and entertainment, we want explore more avenues, one venture that is very close to my heart is the HSY Signature Hotels!

The writer is a freelance journalist and can be reached at foha.raza@gmail.com