It’s been 25 years since the fashion industry was first introduced to the phenomenon known as Imran Qureshi. To mark this turning point, we decided to give a bit of a twist to the obligatory interview: we had Imran interviewed by his own choice of journalist. That might not be how most people know famous fashion designer Rizwan Beyg as, but he was in actuality the perfect choice. Not only has he been a much-admired columnist of an English weekly, but he also happens to be great friends with our anniversary boy, and that is how an otherwise straightforward interview turned into a friendly chitchat session.

He sits at the table with his soft brown eyes and floppy hair and I look carefully for gray but there is none. He claims to be 47 but the face and slight build belie his claim. 25 years later Imran Qureshi is still very much a force to contend with and as the founding father of choreography in Pakistan is very much a part of the who’s who in fashion.

In terms of initiation, the eighties rules. Despite the garish technicolour, the empire sleeves, the culottes and the pantaloons, the decade had a regal bearing, one that crashed in with force and would leave its mark for years to come. With this tsunamic wave swept in the making of an industry in Pakistan and when the tide retreated, it left behind the ultimate diva: ATIYA KHAN. As a model Atiya allowed a free imaginative interaction with the clothes she wore. She was versatile, unorthodox and unpredictable, retiring at an unforgivably young age of 21 to explore more stimulating pastures. As an ad-film maker, Atiya was a disciple, learning on the job, allowing her creative prowess to unleash a freedom, which had been stifled in the world of modeling. But it wasn’t long before film-making too reached a point of saturation and she abandoned the career without a second thought, substituting it with the more challenging role of motherhood. Atiya’s recent comeback as a model, member of the fashion fraternity and as a research analyst on Sufism proves that time has lent her a diversity without diminishing her panache.

Nabila talks in headlines. Most of her talk revolves around Nabila the person, Nabila the professional and Nabila the phenomenon. If at all she ever talks about anything other than Nabila, then it is almost always how Nabila views the world around her. No wonder the media loves her to death. Every time she opens her mouth, there is a rippling effect in the fashion pond. There is no denying the fact that she is no small fish in the pond.

For those who do not know her well enough, these statements sound like cryptic mutterings of a megalomaniac; those who do have learned to decipher her statements. And they all vouch for her sensibility. Surely, all the encoded mutterings of a megalomaniac have some truth in them. Nabila has achieved a status where she manages to get away with verbal blue murders. But it did not happen overnight. It has taken 20 years of hard work, an ever-evolving vision and a very, very sharp and strong focus. She does not have a last name. She does not even need one. She has gone way beyond a name, becoming a brand.

What is power? Who has it? How can you tell? These are questions that have no easy answers. Ask an assertive journalist, and you’ll hear a vehement dismissal of all glamour types and the list of powerful people whittling down to a stodgy industry bigwigs. Ask a starry-eyed showbiz fanatic and you’ll hear a bubbly eulogy for all the hot starlets who in reality would not even have the clout to wangle a solo project. So the dilemma remains.

Hair and Makeup: Saima’s
Kurtis: Umer Butt
Photography: Zahid Ghauri

Profile:
Name: Sunita Marshal
Age: 23 Years
Height: 5.8
Claim to fame: Super model
Five year Plan: Sustain the supermodel persona and a Post-Graduate degree, possibly in advertising.
Ten Year Plan: A certain marriage to be followed by motherhood.