Hajra Hayat isn’t out there to create a bang or hoopla. She isn’t one of those to stick out a feather, expose a leg or come up with crazy colour combinations just to attract attention and establish herself as a fashion ”visionary” simply because she’s also not a fortune teller - she is a designer who designs for the ‘now’.

Hajra Hayat is known to design outfits that are ”wearable” as her outfits are always aesthetically pragmatic. Despite several innovations, in a show this Lahore-based designer held in Karachi recently, it was evident that she hasn’t deviated much from her design philosophy.

Interview: Moazzam Abbasi
Hair and Makeup: KR Crew
Photography: Khawar Riaz

You are not only the queen of the local music industry, but happen to be the only big female pop star. Why aren’t there more female singers from good families out there? How have you managed to retain this monopoly?

Charged with verve and ambition, Quratulain Khan, better known as Annie, has all the ingredients needed to take her to high places. Soft spoken and lady like she commands respect as a producer at HUM TV, and glamorous and confident, she is a woman to be noticed on the catwalk or on the mini-screen when comparing a show. Fashion Collection speaks to her about her past achievements and future plans.

Did you start your career with modeling or production or as a host of TV shows?

I started with modeling but prior to that I had been approached by Telebiz for their BBC programme ‘Face to Face’. I didn’t get the programme but I ended up doing lot of different news anchor jobs for them, such as for Business Round-up, Business-Links and Business Breakfast, as well as helping out with overall production and generally learning the ropes. So it was a simultaneous entry into two fields, more-or-less.

Shehzad Roy was in Norway recently where he performed in cities of Oslo and Stavanger. It was great Eid treat for Pakistani community in Norway. The response in Oslo was good but in Stavanger hardly 100 people went to attend the concert. Shehzad Roy is one of Pakistan’s talented singers who is admired by people of every age group because of his great vocals and compositions. These days you can watch few of his new videos on television. We wish him good luck for Zindagi project through which he is educating poor children across Pakistan.

It’s a union for a noble quest. The ARY Digital network and Stardreamz entertainment USA, today announced the Music Mela 2004 - The India / Pakistan Peace Tour.

With Indian bhangra sensation Sukhbir and Pakistan’s pop idol Shehzad Roy roped in as the star performers, this nine cities the United State tour concert will begin on 7 May in New Jersey and will conclude on 30 May. The concerts to be held in Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Dallas, Connecticut and New York, will be televised for ARY Digital.

Indus Music (IM) will hold the first pop music awards ceremony in Pakistan at the Alhamra Arts Centre on July 24.

The channel has also signed an agreement with MTV whereby IM will broadcast old English songs in a show called ‘MTV Classics’, presented and produced in Pakistan.daily Times reported.

The IM music awards focus exclusively on the popular music scene in Pakistan. The awards target two specific areas of Pakistani music: the history of pop music in Pakistan and the new groups and singers that have performed on IM and new albums that have been released.

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.

Mahnoor Baloch is like this beautiful fragile desert flower who could play a mysterious Arab princess, delicate enough to bruise by the stem of a flower. The every next instant, she is a fire-breathing feminist who hates the idea of a woman being perceived as a brainless twit, fit for nothing more than sniveling on screen. Mahnoor has a visage that you can imagine starring out of reflective water when Oriental goddesses look into them. Chiseled cheekbones that can cut ice, large doe-eyes and a natural glow add to a face that could launch thousand ships. In an identical Joan-of-Arcish manner, she is pretty firm about her dos and don’ts. Check out the many facets of Mahnoor Baloch.