KARACHI: Designer Asim Jofa, famous for his uncanny advertising campaigns, opened the doors to his first couture and bridal wear studio next to Ocean Mall in upscale Clifton, last week. The studio reflects Jofa’s philosophy that women should be indulgent, in that the collection offers bridal and formal wear starting at a few hundred thousand rupees each.

The detailed work done on the dresses mirrors Jofa’s love for jewellery designing, which he does as he strikes a balance between doing bridal and lawn suits. General Manager for Asim Jofa Design Studio, Uzma Jehangir, said, “Asim Jofa takes inspiration from jewellery designs and his aesthetics shines through them. It is, after all, his first love.”

The studio space has a vintage feel to it, with shades of grey and bronze accents. The racks are placed underneath spotlights.  Overall, the studio is dimly lit. “This is our very first ready-to-wear bridal studio in the city,” added Jehangir. The bridals displayed on the racks start from Rs300,000. “Lawn is for the masses, hence we stock it at retail stores,” says Jehangir. “Over the years that Asim Jofa has been designing, we did not highlight his bridals and couture before; mostly people do not even know about it. But now, we will be operating our bridals and prêt wear from this store.”

The work done on the dresses mirrors Jofa’s love for jewellery designing. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

Encouraging women to drop by at the store, Jehangir said, “It’s exclusive, feminine and classy. The clothes displayed are suitable for every woman in town.”

The embroidery is centered on kora and dabka work, which is done on a range of fabrics – from charmeuse silk to chiffon. The pieces are heavily embellished with Jofa’s signature diamond-cut work, done with gold wire. His prêt wear features dark colours, including grey, blue, maroon, yellow, red and orange. The store’s plus point is that it retails three-piece suits only – with some pieces paired with digital print dupattas. The store also features his jewellery collection.

Speaking about the price range, social media and communications specialist for Asim Jofa Sarah Manzar, said, “People are very happy about the studio. Some walked in thinking that we are stocking our lawn collection here, but we are catering to the high-end market through this place. While some people have placed orders, others have just picked prêt wear off the racks.”

Manzar added that the brand stocks its clothes in various countries across the world including UK, USA, Canada, Dubai, Bahrain, Bangladesh and India. “We have a strong presence on Facebook and have garnered 800,000 fans worldwide,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2013.

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As heartbreaking as it might sound, Maroon 5’s uber-sexy front man and a judge on the reality show The Voice, Adam Levine, is off the market. A rep confirmed that Adam Levine and Victoria’s Secret angel Behati Prinsloo are engaged. “Adam Levine and his girlfriend Behati Prinsloo are excited to announce that they are engaged to be married,” his rep told People magazine. “The couple recently reunited and Adam proposed this weekend in Los Angeles.”

The 34-year-old singer and the 24-year-old Namibian model were spotted together at numerous instances since July, last year. However, the couple faced some differences in between and split up. In the meanwhile, there were rumours of a fling between Levine and another model Nina Adgal, who joined Levine on a trip to Cabo San Lucas last month

Prior to his relationship with Prinsloo, Levine was dating model and longtime girlfriend Anne Vyalitsyna and had quite a public break-up with her. “Adam’s heartbroken,” told Levine’s pal to Us Magazine, insisting that Levine was “blindsided” in LA when Anna dumped him from New York City.

However, Levine was soon seen back in the game with Prinsloo and the two were seen holding hands and smooching publicly in Hawaii. After a rather short-lived break-up, the couple reunited recently. Levine told Oprah in May that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to his wandering eye, reported the Huffington Post.

“I’m a fan of marriage,” he confessed. “People think that I keep pooh-poohing marriage, but I love it … I want to probably be married at some point.” It seems that the time has finally come and the hunk has found ‘the one’ for him. Sigh!

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2013.

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The revelations that roll out in media reports are even more complex and longer-lasting if the death is accompanied by three conditions: 1. The celebrity dies under mysterious or unusual circumstances, invoking an element of shock, 2. The celebrity enjoyed considerable popularity for a good or bad reason, creating a sense of “knowing” the person, and 3. The celebrity was part of a world-famous entertainment project, adding a global appeal to their portfolio.

Recently, we saw two young deaths in Hollywood and Bollywood. Indian actor Jiyah Khan’s death was complemented by the first and third condition. She died mysteriously and was part of a megahit project Ghajini starring Aamir Khan. But consider this, many of us didn’t even know her name before she died. Arguably, she gained more popularity after her death compared to her limited recognition during her lifetime.

This week, US TV show Glee star Cory Monteith was found dead in a Vancouver hotel room. Monteith’s death comes with all three elements that can increase the shelf life of the news. The incident has left his name trending on Twitter, with tweets mourning his untimely death. Like any other death under unusual circumstances, Monteith’s death, too, has caught the attention of those who hardly watched Glee or ever remained a fan of him.

Now, we see the re-emergence of a mediated ritual of grief — something similar to what we witnessed at the deaths of Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson and Brittany Murphy. Remember, for instance, Princess Diana’s death which left a global impression, holding people to their television screens showing her funeral processions — the number of books featuring her pictures suddenly became popular, as more and more young people joined her fan club.

Theoretically, such a mediated ritual of grief can be backed up with the discussion in “No Sense of Time” by a contemporary media scholar Joshua Meyrowitz. He re-offers the concept of ‘para-social interaction’ — a term originally proposed by Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, for a phenomenon in which the otherwise distant audience members build an association with a celebrity as if they existed in their physical reality.  Ironically, sometimes we see such an ‘intimacy at a distance’ burgeoning after the death of a celebrity — a phenomenon that can be described as a “posthumous para-social relationship”.

By triggering a global outpouring of grief, the deaths of celebrities often have a bizarre appeal, inviting the viewers’ curiosity to find out more and feel close enough to join the mediated ritual of grief. Ostensibly, what drives this phenomenon is the uniqueness of a death that in normal circumstances would not have happened — a young death, a sudden death, an accidental death or a mysterious death.

Consider, for example, the obsession of many young people with celebrities who died before these fans were even born. John Lennon and Marilyn Monroe died long before the birth of many of their young fans today. Once again, it’s about the unusual circumstances and the mystery around their death, along with the popularity they enjoyed during their lifetime. These fans, then, can be rightly termed as ‘posthumous fans’.

Monteith’s death, too, is likely to earn him many new fans, building up a posthumous para-social relationship. Regardless of which celebrity we are talking about, what’s truly ironic about this phenomenon is the fact that these celebrities are indeed not even dead for their posthumous fans. In fact, their fan-celebrity relationship started only after the death. Unlike an in-person interaction with the celebrity, the basis of this posthumous relationship had only been the media-generated content (in the recent case, Monteith’s performances and media reports about him) that these fans experienced. And this content will remain to keep the bond established.

Lastly, even more bizarre is the fact that if the celebrity had not died, the relationship for many would not have ever been created. As a fan of Beatles’ John Lennon, how would I have even listened to his music had I not been curious to find out more about the celebrity shot dead by his own alleged fan?

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2013.

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KARACHI: While some in Pakistan have been critical of Malala’s speech (including chief minister Shahbaz Sharif!), millions have been bowled over at home and abroad. The teenage activist, who was shot in the head by the Taliban last year for speaking up for women’s right to education, has become something of a role model who inspires people. Not only has the band Laal written a song about the 16-year-old, Oscar-winning film-maker Davis Guggenheim — who won an Oscar for the 2006 environmental documentary An Inconvenient Truth, starring former US Vice President Al Gore – will direct a yet-to-be-titled documentary that is scheduled to release in late 2014.

Documentary

The film will follow Malala’s campaign for children’s right to education, said producers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald, who also produced the 2007 Afghan drama, The Kite Runner.

“There are a few stories Laurie and I have ever come across that are as compelling, urgent or important as the real-life struggle of Malala and her father Ziauddin on behalf of universal education for children,” Parkes said in a statement.

The film will be funded by Image Nation Abu Dhabi, a subsidiary of government-owned Abu Dhabi Media, which is based in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Laal’s tribute

With its new track You Give Me Hope Malala, the band Laal pays tribute to her. The lyrics “maybe Malala will make them all see, How everybody could live as one…She gives me hope” were penned earlier this year.

“We wrote the lyrics a couple of months ago,,” says the band’s vocalist Mehwish Waqar, adding that it was recorded but not released because the track required amendments. “But when we saw the United Nations [UN] speech she gave, we decided the time was right.” Laal features lead guitarist and vocalist Taimur Rahman and Haider Rahman on flute.

“The response has been very good so far,” she continues. You Give Me Hope Malala was released on Tuesday on various websites including Vimeo and Facebook and the band is looking forward to sending it to radio stations and channels soon.

Waqar admits that the upbeat single’s music has been copied from Eddie Grant’s Give Me Hope Joanna. “It was very popular back in the day and we loved it growing up – so we basically copied the music,” she confesses.Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2013.

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“Good things come to those who wait for the right time and opportunity,” says the model. “I accept a project when it seems right to me. I did have an idea that this might happen at some point, but I was not hunting for a role in a big film.”

Rabia says the director is convinced she will mesmerise the audience. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

Hijrat, which marks Mengal’s directorial debut in Lollywood, is said to be a romantic drama that is placed in the backdrop of the Afghan War, where millions were rendered homeless. Rabia plays an Indian doctor named Jia, who works for rehabilitation centres set up for IDPs. She is happy that she’s debuting in the industry with a lead role. “The passion is fiery and we [the team of Hijrat] are determined to captivate the audience. No stones are being left unturned; now the success of the film depends on fate,” says the model-turned-actor. “Things solidified once I was ready to switch from the fashion industry to the mesmerising silver screen and the director was convinced that I would dazzle the audience,” she adds.

Rabia admits that Hijrat is one of the most demanding projects she has been a part of. “All this hard work is a demand of my role, but I am sure it will pay off. I am really excited about all the upcoming projects in the industry and foresee a sparkling revival of Lollywood.”

She is optimistic about the Pakistani film industry’s future. “You know Lollywood is no more. I don’t know what I should call this rebirth [of cinema] yet, but it seems good things are in the making,” she says.

Mengal, a well-known name in the Pakistani television industry, has gone all out to make his film debut with a perfect mix of fresh faces and seasoned actors. Apart from Rabia, the film stars model Asad Zaman and actors Noman Ejaz, Ayub Khoso and Wiam Dahmani.

“The first spell has been shot — what an enlightening experience it has been!” exclaims Rabia. “The silver screen is hungry for blood and sweat — it demands serious hard work, which means there was no slacking at all on our part.”

Still a novice in acting, Rabia says she will not make hasty decisions in her acting career and will focus more on improving her craft. She adds that she’s being offered projects for acting and modelling, but tries to refrain from being easily impressed.

When asked if she will take up offers from India, she says, “I will not bend over backwards to earn a role in Bollywood. I am staying true to my ideology and my craft. If things are meant to be in my favour, I will be handed whatever I deserve on a silver platter.”

When asked why he chose Rabia, Mengal says that the unusual love story will show her in a different light. “I felt Rabia was perfect for the role and after auditioning her, it was clear in my mind that she suits the character well,” he adds.

The director also expressed that he was committed to promoting new talent and that Zaman, who plays the lead role opposite Butt, was also making his debut. “We [film-makers] have to promote new talent in the industry. I think the two [Rabia and Zaman] will have strong on-screen chemistry and give powerful performances in the film.”

The film, which is touted as a big-budget project, is expected to release between October and November, adding to the array of Pakistani films slated for this year. The teaser will be out this Eid.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2013.

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Take out a few minutes exclusively for yourself and break up your boring routine with these choice recommendations from Ms. T

READ

Love in a Headscarf by Shelina Zahra Janmohamed

Who knew that arranged marriages would become such a hot topic in chick lit? Shelina Janmohamed’s biography is all about her search for Mr. Right, and her determination to find love in an arranged marriage. With the very first chapter titled “Good Scarf Day”, the irreverent style and spot on humour promise to provide hours of light and girly entertainment to chick lit lovers, whether they identify with Shelina’s cultural background or not.

DO

Rethink your nighttime beauty routine

We all make an effort to look great in the morning but what you’ve done the night before makes a crucial difference. If you just plop into bed with all your make up still on, you’re hardly getting the most out of your beauty sleep. Breakouts and dull skin are sure to follow. An evening beauty regimen will take about 5 minutes but have huge payoffs. A few simple steps is all it takes. Take off all traces of make up using a cleanser, then lightly spritz an alcohol-free toner. Follow up with a night-time moisturiser that addresses your skin concerns (lines or acne) and eye cream. Slick on lip balm to hydrate lips. A few nights each week, slather your feet with lotion to soften your heels or put on some heavy duty hand cream and once a week, treat yourself to a face mask. Wake up looking gorgeous!

BROWSE

Apartment Therapy

Apartment Therapy is the perfect website to indulge the voyeur in you. From coastal style bedrooms to country style kitchens, and sleek Scandinavian architecture, it offers a plethora of breathtaking designs and inspirational ideas. Take tours of houses and apartments, draw inspiration for your next renovation project, make small and significant changes around the house or simply sigh over the pretty nooks and corners, vistas and views, in other people’s homes. Whether you’re a homemaker or design enthusiast, Apartment Therapy is sure to have you hooked for hours. 

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, July 14^th, 2013.

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Who is he?

This angel-faced young man is barely a newcomer to the world of glitz and glamour! As the son of Hamid Zaman, founder of the retail brand Bareeze and Creative Director of Kayseria, Waleed is a regular at every major fashion event and is well on his way to conquering the world of Pakistani prêt wear. With an immaculate sense of fashion and a uniquely refined and intellectual persona, Waleed reminds us of a Disney prince and we can’t help but want to be whisked off into ‘happily ever after’ by him. But unfortunately, Waleed is happily married to his college sweetheart Fatima and a doting father to a baby son but hey… a girl can dream, right?

Why we love him

Coming from a family of artists (his mother is a trained classical vocalist!)  with a double degree in Traditional Architecture and Manuscript Illumination from London, Waleed has the blood of an artisan with a deep love and understanding of aesthetics and beauty. But mind you, his expertises are not restricted to just fashion though; he is equally as knowledgeable when it comes to politics, history, Islam and pretty much any other topic. His well-read and cultured upbringing is evident in the eloquent manner in which he speaks. Add that to his boyish charm and you have the ideal chocolate boy!

What you didn’t know about him

Waleed is extremely indecisive when it comes to making small decisions in daily life, such as what to eat for breakfast.

Waleed is an idealist and feels that the human race could change the universe if all the hate could be removed from the world. Can’t say we don’t agree.

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, July 14^th, 2013.

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PESHAWAR: After releasing famous Pashto numbers including Lambay and Meena, Peshawar-based singer Rahim Khan released the video of his third song Khwab, his first number in Urdu. The lyrics of the romantic song have been written by Urdu poetess Shaheena Kazmi.

The song begins with a violin solo by Ziyad Khan, followed by a mixture of  the tabla, keyboard and guitar. “I have given this song [Khwab] a true Pakistani feel. It is in accordance with our traditions,” Rahim said. He added that after producing “Western-influenced” rock and rap songs, he felt the need to come up with something which could be called Pakistani.

An unplugged version of the song was produced in 2007 but was not released. Rahim, then, came up with Pashto rock songs Meena and Lambay, which gave him recognition at a national level. He has released this track after receiving two years of training in classic singing. Rahim hypes the song as “the revival of classical Urdu music and poetry.”

The song features Khan singing in a studio and in the meadows of Swab and Swat. The video, which took two weeks to film and edit, is directed by Shoaib Anwar.

Rahim believes that singers in Peshawar should not limit themselves to Pashto songs, but also produce Urdu music, since it is the national language. “Although a number of young singers have emerged in Peshawar, the lyrics and composition are losing their quality,” Rahim told The Express Tribune. He added that the industry lacks good singers, who can produce good quality music.

In its second week of release, the song has been viewed 865 times on Vimeo and has received a good response. “It is only good work that impresses people,” remarked Rahim. “I have selected quality lyrics, penned down by seasoned Urdu poetess Shaheena Kazmi. The lyrics are the backbone of any song, and until composed by a quality and professional writer, they cannot be as impactful.”

The singer, who has composed the song said, “If the lyrics were not written so beautifully, I would have not even tried to compose it.” Rahim feels that one of the reasons why classical music does not appeal to the audience is the low quality of lyrics.

The lyrics are:

Khwaab ban ker jo haqeeqat mein nazar aaya hai,

Ek samundar hai ke aankhon mein utaar aaya hai.

Jaane kis kis ke naseebon mein likhe thay saahil,

Apne hissay mein bus ek bhanwar aaya hai.

Rahim, who hails from Peshawar, feels that there is a lot of untapped singing talent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that the province is rife with singers, composers, instrumentalists and lyricists, who never get recognition.

Rahim is now planning to release a song in English, in which he will convey the “sufferings of Pakhtuns” to the international community.

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Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2013.

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Bollywood actors Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, who have been playing ‘good friends’ for the longest time ever, seem to be inseparable! After coming back from a holiday in Spain, the two have been spotted together frequently, reported the Hindustan Times.

On Kat’s birthday, Ranbir picked her up from her place and the two drove to a five star hotel, where they dined together.

After that, Ranbir took Katrina to a jewellery store and bought her a pair of diamond earrings.

How smart of Ranbir to know a diamond is the best way to win a girl over!

The next day, the two were spotted at the screening of Ship of Theseus at Aamir Khan’s house, where he and his film-maker wife Kiran Rao threw a birthday party for Katrina.

Later that night, the couple went off for dinner at a Chinese eatery before heading to Ranbir’s house.

The two were photographed while exiting the restaurant together. Seems like Kat is not just ruling Bollywood but the heart of the heart-throb Kapoor as well!

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2013.

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Sister of controversial Vj Mathira, Rose Mohamed was spotted at the LSA 2013 Magnum lounge looking like a mismatched disaster. We can’t seem to figure out what look is Rose trying to go for on the red carpet with the ill-fitting monochrome frock and what seem like a pair of Justin Bieber’s boots! We wonder what on earth she was thinking while hitting the biggest event in Pakistan’s entertainment industry.

The charge sheet 

Hair

While the slicked-back bun is high on trend, Rose could have easily gone the extra mile by adding a bit of volume to the crown or simply letting her hair loose to complement her round-cut face. 

Make-up

With an outfit as dark as this one, we really wish Rose had avoided that overdose of silver eye shadow.

While the rest of her make-up is subtle and is definitely giving her the perfect glow for a red carpet event, the eyes need to be toned down just a tad bit. 

Outfit

This ill-fitting, black and white jersey mini dress is probably best suited to be worn while sleeping.

And God are we baffled over Rose’s choice to match her greyish outfit with a pair of shimmery gold stockings! An utter eyesore at its best.

A knee-length flared dress paired with black stockings would have undoubtedly been a better option and would have complemented her figure well. 

Accessories and Shoes

Her choice of accessories wasn’t that bad so we’ll give her points for that. Though, the oversized white ring on her thumb is downright tacky.

A nice black box-clutch would have surely been a good addition though, we doubt it would have saved the overall look from being the mess that it is.

As far as her shoes are concerned, we doubt it was snowing in Lahore! Those worn-out leather snow boots have left us speechless.

Bail Out

Selena Gomez 

The Who Says singer, too, looks stunning in this edgy red and black ensemble.

Her shiny straight hairdo, shimmery black shots and the eye-popping red wrap-around scarf add just the right amount of oomph to her glitter-meet-Goth look.

Paris Hilton

The reality TV star and infamous socialite, Paris Hilton, looks stunning in this damask-printed red and black dress.

With her wavy locks, matching super-cool shades and louboutins, the multi-billionaire heiress looks flawless.

Pippa Middleton 

The sister of the Duchess of Cambridge has a rocking sense of style just like her super-elegant sis.

Her black lace shift dress is to die for and kudos for her skills on matching a black outfit with camel-coloured accessories.

Rose really needs to learn a tip or two here.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2013.

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It’s time to sit back and watch your favourite stars take home the trophies. Below is the list of nominees for the 65th Emmy Awards, according to USA Today:

Lead actor in a drama series:

Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey

Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad

Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom

Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Damian Lewis, Homeland

Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Lead actress in a drama series:

Connie Britton, Nashville

Claire Danes, Homeland

Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey

Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel

Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

Kerry Washington, Scandal

Robin Wright, House of Cards

Comedy series:

The Big Bang Theory

Girls

Louie

Modern Family

30 Rock

Veep

Drama series:

Breaking Bad

Downton Abbey

Homeland

Game of Thrones

House of Cards

Mad Men

Lead actor in a miniseries or movie:

Michael Douglas, Behind The Candelabra

Matt Damon, Behind The Candelabra

Toby Jones, The Girl

Benedict Cumberbatch, Parade’s End

Al Pacino, Phil Spector

Lead actress in a miniseries or movie:

Jessica Lange, American Horror Story

Laura Linney, The Big C: Hereafter

Helen Mirren, Phil Spector

Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals

Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake

Miniseries or movie:

American Horror Story: Asylum

Behind the Candelabra

Phil Spector

Political Animals

The Bible

Top of the Lake

Directing for a drama series:

Boardwalk Empire

Breaking Bad

Downton Abbey

Homeland

House of Cards

Directing for comedy series:

Girls

Glee

Louie

Modern Family

30 Rock

The awards ceremony will take place on September 22 in Los Angeles.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2013.

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One of the joys of going on vacation is stepping into a new reality style zone and observing what people are actually wearing on the streets as well as the trends that are selling in stores on the other side of the world. After a refreshing holiday, over the next couple of weeks we will bring you a wrap up of the current wave of trends from the high streets of London, and the runway shows they trickled down from, starting with denims and trousers.

Die Hard Denim:

Denim pantsuit at Altuzarra, Denim at Balmain Resort 2014

Remember when you swore you’d never wear sky blue denim again? Well it’s time to rummage through that forgotten pile of clothes at the back of your closet because they are back in style.

It seems that with the raging coloured jeans trend that is still strong as ever, fashionistas were missing the good ol’ original denim fades of the ‘90s. After all, how long has it been since you put on a classic pair of blue jeans?

The style may also have been adapted from Alexander McQueen, Altuzarra, and Balmain Resort 2014 collection that worked profusely with patchwork blue denims in a myriad of different fades.

Whatever the reason, the return to washed out denim is back and here to stay. We saw them at ZARA and Top Shop among other high street stores along with the Denim Studio at Selfridges.

Print Puzzler:

Printed skinny denim jeans

It was next to impossible to find jeans that hadn’t been ripped up or scuffed at the knees and thighs.

The return to grunge is setting in once again but this time it sits next to chic, supple, silk printed pyjama trousers.

There is a fashion schizophrenia of sorts in the stores, where several decades of fashion genres are cosying up together, to form a new era of liberal minded style ethos.

Digital-printed trousers at ZARA

Remarkable digitally-printed trousers, inspired from the works of Mary Katrantzou, made up the ‘New Collection’ section at ZARA. Meanwhile, racks of contrast stripes, animal prints, floral bouquets, self-printed denim, and bohemian ethnic printed silk cropped loose pants filled the stores.

The shift makes a bold fashion statement but more so, is a genius business sales pumping move, as it elevates the status of bottoms from basic garments, that go with everything, to a separate apparel entity whereby it is no longer enough to just own neutral coloured solids.

You need to pay as much attention to the colour and print of your pants, as you do your tops!

Sanam Chaudhri spotted in classic blue jeans and a ZARA top, Spotted wearing boho printed pyjama pants, Saba Ansari wearing mango floral printed pants from ZARA

We spotted many stylistas already sporting some of these trends at recent local fashion events.

Take a look and we’ll be back with more fun summer trends in next week’s piece.

Coloured Norm:

Coloured jeans have become the norm next to edgier prints but the palette has evolved with the seasons.

Most popular shades for SS13 are coral and lime yellow among burgundy, turquoise, and cobalt blue.

Hues in white are trending high as is a bit of embroidery down the vertical sides.

Coral coloured jeans

For the first time, we noticed more style cuts in pants than in tops with leather, silk harem, billowing baggy silhouettes , and high-waisted cropped trousers being the most obvious of the lot, again stemming from the runway collections of Chloe, Rochas, Cavalli and Alexander Wang among others. Of course, these were slightly riskier choices — if worn with the wrong shoes or attitude could end up in disaster.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2013.

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“His variations made the banjo follow the rules of sur and taal and it eventually became the most eminent sound of Balochi folk as we know it today,” Ustad Sabzal tells The Express Tribune.

The Ustad is a master of the art of playing banjo and was recently acknowledged by the Tehzeeb Foundation at a classical music festival, which he appreciates wholeheartedly. Humble about his ancestry that thrived purely on musical innovation, Sabzal is a Baloch at heart and passionate about the region’s folk music. “Balochi folk is way above and beyond Dane Pe Dana and Laila O Laila,” scuffs Sabzal. “It’s just that the lack of attention given to music by the later generations has narrowed it down to only a few known names.”

Even though Balochi folk melodies can get anybody to tap their feet, only a few songs like Dane Pe Dana have made it to the mainstream. So, why is it that Balochi folk music failed to penetrate the commercial industry compared to its ethnic counterparts?

“Frankly, it’s not because Balochistan has always been sidelined as a province,” elaborates Sabzal. “It’s rather because the generations after my grandfather never took the cause of propagating regional folk seriously,” he asserts.

Revealing a philosophical side, Sabzal offers a rather interesting explanation on the struggle of Balochi musicians and how there desperation makes them resort to other means — a personal theory that can be applied, more or less, to all dying art forms in the country. “Music is only meant either for the king or a beggar as one has everything at his disposal and the other has nothing to lose,” he says. According to him, all musicians lie somewhere within this spectrum and try hard to make ends meet through a lot of other options. “I am neither a beggar nor a king and that’s why I couldn’t do justice to my craft.”

Love from Lyari

Like many members of his family, Sabzal, too, has represented Pakistan all over the world and his admirers range from former President Pervez Musharraf to many other senior dignitaries. Though Balochistan and its music is Ustad Sabzal’s passion, Lyari is where his heart and soul lie because it is the very soil of Mewa Shah Graveyard in Lyari, where the father of his great grandfather is buried. Sabzal becomes a little uncomfortable and sensitive when asked about his hometown and rightly so, because a recent incident made him question his own place of living which was once populated by his ancestors.

This unfortunate incident was actually a recent raid on his house by the Rangers, who suspected some criminal activity. Undoubtedly, Sabzal was baffled over this unprecedented visit. “Why would you suspect that an artist would give refuge to or will know about these mischievous gangsters? Ask me about sur and taal and I’ll tell you everything,” he exclaims, feeling ridiculed. “They should have gone to the local police station before raiding my house. We are creative people and such incidents only handicap us emotionally and in extreme cases, physically,” he says.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2013.

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All eyes are on Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, whose pregnancy is being documented week-by-week by the paparazzi tailing her as she makes public appearances. Social media is buzzing with pictures of her pregnancy looks and speculations are flying around about the baby’s gender and name.

Amidst the hullabaloo, Kate is as stylish as ever, not letting the pregnancy weight and baby bump get in the way of her fashionable self. Here are some looks she pulled off that we absolutely love:

On February 19, Kate chose to wear a flattering V-neck MaxMara grey dress (£298). She wore her hair in the usual way — loose curls and a slight blow dry.

On March 19, after enjoying a shopping spree at Topshop, the Duchess visited a children’s charity in Topshop’s Peter Pan collar dress (£46). On top of it, she wore a Goat ‘Redgrave’ coat (£560) and Annoushka pearl and diamond earrings (£1,090).

On April 21, at the Scouts Parade at Windsor Castle, Kate’s bump looked very prominent in this mint green Mulberry dress coat (£1,750). She paired her outfit with nude pumps and a grayish brown hat.

On April 29, the Duchess shined on her second wedding anniversary in a pretty Tara Jarmon peach coat (£340) and a frock her dressmaker made. She teamed the outfit with LK Bennett Sledge courts (£195) and Avona clutch (£19).

On May 22, Kate wore a sunshine yellow Emilia Wickstead Marella coat (£1,285) at a garden party at Buckingham Palace, paired with Russell & Bromley’s 5th Ave clutch (£185) and a Jane Corbett hat (£450).

On April 23, while launching a counselling programme in Manchester, Kate disguised her expanding bump with this printed Erdem dress (£1,065). She accessorised her outfit with a Russell & Bromley clutch (£245) and Prada pumps (£450).

On April 24, the Duchess visited the Art Room at the National Portrait Gallery wearing an Emilia Wickstead frock (£1,450) with Rupert Sanderson grey suede pumps (£450) and Kiki McDonough diamond and green amethyst earrings (£1,900).

On April 26, Kate wowed people at Warner Bros Studios with a Topshop polka-dot dress (£38), which she paired with a black Ralph Lauren jacket (£350).

On June 4, at the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation, Kate wore an almost identical look to which she sported at Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. She chose a Jenny Packham lace dress (£1,900) and coat (£3,000). She coordinated the outfit with a Jane Taylor hat (£910).

On June 13, at the Royal Princess Cruise Ship naming ceremony, Kate wore a Dalmatian print statement coat from Hobbs (£169). She paired it with black heels and a fascinator hat.

Moment in world history

Britain is officially on baby watch with Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton awaiting the arrival of their first child who will be third in line to the throne. With the due date looming, the duchess stopped official duties last month while Prince William is on standby at an air force base in north Wales to rush back to London.

The couple have remained vague about the exact date the baby is due other than to say mid-July and the arrival will be announced in a combination of the traditional and modern — via Twitter and others websites along with a notice outside Buckingham Palace.

The baby is due to be delivered by Marcus Setchell, the Queen’s former gynaecologist, in the private wing where a normal delivery costs £4,965 and each extra night around £1,000. Mark Stewart, a photographer specialising in royals, was one of the first to set up in the press pen to get a front row spot for when the royal couple and baby emerge from the hospital.

Whether a boy or a girl, the baby will be third in line to the throne, pushing Prince Harry into fourth place in the royal list, as the government has changed the rules of succession. Previously male heirs took precedence over females.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2013.

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For the world, Miranda Kerr is the sexy yet innocent-looking Victoria’s Secret Angel and Orlando Bloom’s better half, but to us, Miranda is the superhot poster girl for Mango, repeatedly seen on the 70% off billboards splashed across all major cities.

Undoubtedly, she is the only model that makes you want to spend thousands of rupees at the brand’s outlet. The Australian supermodel is one of the most talked-about women in tinsel town for her impeccable fashion choices and oh-so-sleek figure despite being a mom to an adorable baby boy.

Be it her appearance at the red carpet with Orlando or just a day out, Miranda always manages to look effortlessly chic.

The model recently made headlines looking utterly gorgeous in a bright orange dress with a plunging neckline while promoting Lipton tea in Japan.

So what’s this modern style icon’s formula for success? “For me it’s all about keeping things simple and feeling comfortable in what I am wearing.

I prefer investing in classic well tailored pieces,” she tells Harper’s Bazaar.

We believe this edgy, chic stunner, with her flawless off-duty looks, will continue to inspire style-struck ladies for life!

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2013.

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While sitting in her newly-opened studio in the Rahat Commercial area of Defence, she spoke to The Express Tribune about her business expansion. “I have very recently rented out this place. The collection that I showcased at the PSFW was made from here. This place is, what I would call, ‘a sample factory’, where I approve designs and make bridal wear.”

Feeha’s association with bridals dates back to her teens. “I started designing bridals when I was 18 years old. Bridals have always been a challenge for me.” The designer says she can say she is good at colours, but not ‘great’ at it. “Unlike Bunto Kazmi, who is a revivalist of bridal art, and Umar Sayeed, who has introduced modern cuts in bridal wear, I still believe designing bridal wear is a challenge for me. I am learning a lot from my kaarigars. I tell them to experiment and make the ugliest flower motifs from sequins. I want to push them and see their limits!” she adds.

Her studio houses her apprentices, who are fresh graduates from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, and a team of kaarigars, some of which have worked with Feeha’s father for Teejays. Her work branches out in Feeha Mass, Feeha Prêt, couture and bridals. Feeha says her work will pace up after Ramazan is over. “People often confuse my couture with bridal; couture is not bridal. Couture is a customised outfit that you are never going to see in our store; it will always be made-to-order.”

Apart from her studio, Feeha has also set up a workshop on Bukhari Commerical, where printing, dyeing and stitching of her clothes is done in-house. “There was a time when I would get solid stuff from Aashiana. However, now with the in-house dyeing and printing, it’s been four months that I have not gotten printed fabric from there. She added that except for solid whites, she does not buy material from markets.

Feeha is planning on opening two retail outlets in Karachi — one at Dolmen City Mall and another nearby. “You might not like everything at the shop. Most definitely you would only buy one dress and go, but in any case, this will be a win-win situation for me.”

And if things go as planned, she plans to launch her collection of handbags three months after opening her stores.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2013.

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In 2005, Kapoor facilitated Bhansali in the direction of the box office hit, Black.

“Yes, my first dream was to be a director. I love reading, I love movies, and stories. It’s because of that I always wanted to direct,” Kapoor told reporters during a group interview.

The actor lately has attained immense success after the release of her movies, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Anand L Rai’s, Raanjhanaa which portray Kapoor’s excellent acting skills.

Kapoor plans to go behind the camera in upcoming years and make a mark in the direction scene as well.

“You get attached to the fame and glamour and I am attached to it. I won’t lie about it. That was my first love, but then acting came as a mistress,” added the actor, who has been in the Indian film industry for the past six years.

“Yes, I will direct films in future, but right now I want to focus on acting. It’s too early to talk about direction right now,” she said.

Daughter of actor and producer Anil Kapoor and grand-daughter of Surinder Kapoor, Kapoor draws her roots from a prominent film household.

In a short span of time, she has been part of films such as I Hate Luv Storys and Aisha which brought a lot of fame to the growing artist.

Maybe in the days to come, Kapoor might make Rhea, her sister, produce movies for her. “And if nothing else, at the risk of sounding extremely spoilt, I have my sister [Rhea who produced Aisha] make movies for me.” According to ibnlive.in, Rhea is producing Khoobsurat which is a re-make starring Kapoor.

The elegant scarlet has a won a number of awards including the “Stardust Superstar of Tomorrow”. Not only that, she has been nominated in various award categories over the years also. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2013.

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In a series of tweets, Nair made the following statement:

“I was just invited to Israel as a guest of honour at the Haifa International Film Festival with The Reluctant Fundamentalist. I will not be going to Israel at this time. I will go to Israel when the walls come down. I will go to Israel when occupation is gone. I will go to Israel when the state does not privilege one religion over another. I will go to Israel when apartheid is over. I will go to Israel, soon. I stand with the [Palestinian campaign] for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel

[PACBI] and the larger Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions [BDS] Movement.”

I will not be going to Israel at this time. I will go to Israel when the walls come down. I will go to Israel when occupation is gone. (2/5)

— Mira Nair (@MiraPagliNair) July 19, 2013

Nair, who is the internationally-acclaimed director of Salaam Bombay! and Monsoon Wedding was called for her 9/11-based thriller The Reluctant Fundamentalist (TRF), based on Pakistani novelist Mohsin Hamid’s novel of the same name. The movie was released in Pakistan with Urdu subtitles, titled Changez. She has also been awarded the German Film Award for Peace, The Bridge 2013, for TRF.

The film tells the story of two conflicting ideologies – the “fundamentalism” of the capitalists and that of the terrorists – through a young Pakistani man chasing his American Dream.

Nair will be working along Nobel literature laureate Mario Vargas Llosa and British musician Peter Gabriel in a new film by Mexican director and screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2013.

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Pakistan’s talented designers continue to garner global attention. Having showcased at Milan and London, our renowned fashion gurus have landed in the historic city of Amsterdam, popularly known for experimental fashion. They participated in Amsterdam Fashion Week (AFW), a 10-day event which took place from July 6 to July 16.

It was the first time Pakistan was represented at AFW. Designers Faiza Samee, Adnan Pardesy, Sonya Battla, Honey Waqar and Lolita lit up the Dutch runway with their collections on July 14. Leisure Club, also participated as the only retail brand from Pakistan. The event was organised by Kevin Eric of the Spirits Trust Foundation.

Omar Zaman, brand manager for Leisure Club, shared his experience with The Express Tribune. “It a great, refreshing experience. It was an official Dutch fashion week which was organised well and had a ticket-based entry,” he said. The Western wear collection that Leisure Club showcased called ‘Made of Pakistan’ will hit the local markets within the next 15 days, he says.

Known for his structured pieces, Adnan Pardesy showcased his patchwork collection at the event. “The reaction from the people and the press was very good. I was surprised when they reacted this way!” he said, adding that he will definitely go again if invited as it’s a great addition to one’s portfolio. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2013.

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Mukhtar’s first film Aasia, a story of child abuse, was released in 2006, followed by a short comedy Water Scale in 2008, Black Coffee in 2010 and I Dream a Day last year.

For this production, the film-maker has roped in international actors and admits that the experience has broadened his horizon as a director.

Shot in Dubai, the short film was produced in less than three days and stars UAE-based actors Nitin Mirani, Nadia Williams and Nidhi Jha.

“No doubt that there is talent in this country [Pakistan], but there are no proper institutions of support,” he said, adding that Pakistan has a long way to go in order to be at par with international standards. Mukhtar, a horror movie fanatic, has used professional prosthetic, make-up artist Nouf Al Jhadhami’s expertise to make the characters look “wonderfully scary.”

Waking Dead is PR and talent management agency Muse Dubai’s first zomcom production.

“A zomcom in particular, hasn’t been shot on this scale locally, making it a great collaboration between South Asia and the Middle East, based on talent,” says Roha Daud, co-founder Muse Dubai.

“And this ultimately is Muse’s forte and vision to bring together talent from across the countries to work on such projects.”

“Although the film industry in UAE is steadily growing, I haven’t heard of any [movies] being made in this genre,” says Rehaab Daud, CEO Muse Dubai.

He added that when Mukhtar came up with the concept of a short zomcom, it sounded like a fun movie to be involved in and turned out to be exactly that.

“It turned out to be a great learning experience and a step towards Muse Dubai’s goal of representing and working with talent from different countries,” he said.

The dialogues have been penned by Shahana Khan and the movie is in its post-production stage at the moment. It is scheduled to release in the next two months in Dubai — the exact date of release is still not final — and then Pakistan. Mukhtar also hopes to showcase Waking Dead at the upcoming Dubai Film Festival this year.

He is also working on a feature film whose script has been written by Pakistan’s versatile urdu legend, Anwar Maqsood.

Cast speaks up

The film’s lead actor Mirani said that he was ecstatic when he was first approached for the project. “The movie kept me up for a few days. But it is a zombie movie so the character came naturally to me,” he joked over a telephonic interview. “Mukhtar is a supreme talent and Pakistan has definitely made a mark when it comes to quality short films, globally.”

Nadia feels that there just aren’t enough short movies being produced in Dubai. “They should become more popular as they are fun to watch and even more fun to participate in,” she exclaimed. Jha, who has made her debut with this film, hopes that such projects are taken up more often in UAE as they are a source of inspiration and people get to showcase their talent and ideas. “We all need to come out of hiding and create more [movies],” she says.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2013.

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