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ioneering and design savvy sisters Samia & Azmay Shahzada bring their footwear to all Karachi ladies at an exclusive discount with the hosting of their much anticipated annual sale in Karachi. The exclusive one day sale will be hosted on the 20th of October 2012, 10 AM onwards till at the Kohinoor Hall, Pearl Continental. Expect casual and formal shoes from the brand with fantastic discounted rates. Speaking about their upcoming annual sale Samia & Azmay Shahzada said; “We have always sought to create fashionable and affordable designs with top notch quality, which appeal to a diversity of women and tastes within Pakistan. Our annual sale is always very popular, as our designs and superior quality are available to an even wider range of women through our reduced prices� Entrepreneurs within the Pakistani designer shoe industry, Samia & Azmay Shahzada are sisters with popular acclaim, renowned for providing unmatchable quality, exceptional detail and global trends to the local designer shoe industry. Samia & Azmay Shahzada offer major retail presence across Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad through six stand-alone stores. With both signature and seasonal lines, the Samia & Azmay Shahzada brand is currently available across four outlets in Karachi including their outlet in Zamzama, at the Forum Mall, at Park Towers and at Dolmen Mall Tariq Road; In Lahore with their store at the Kingston Mall and in Islamabad at the Beverly Centre.
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Interview
Passion for fashion By Sumeha Khalid
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Sofia Naveed Lari t hasn’t been long since Sofia Naveed Lari of SNL has been around. In a field where designers have been reigning supreme for years, it’s not easy to make your mark. However, Sofia has proved that if you have the talent and the spark, then there’s no stopping you. And she has both! Talent coupled with spark and a flair for making magic with sheer threads is what Sofia Naveed Lari is all about. Pakistan Today caught up with this latest sensation recently and chatted her up about what get’s her going as a designer. Following are excerpts of the interview.
Q: Tell us about your initiation in designing. A: I grew up in an artistically charged environment. My mother was a designer and I had always seen her work passionately at her boutique, perpetually dressing up women, and making them beautiful. I remember accompanying her to the bazaars and was awed at all the creative energy I saw ooze out of her. Once in college, I took up designing, as a hobby. I would often find myself designing something or the other for friends and family and before I knew it I had set up my SNL Studio at Zamzama, running my own label. Q: Did you pursue a degree in fashion designing? A: Not really. I did my Masters in Human Resource; fashion did not figure in the scheme of things. However, this is what I
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was destined to do. The love and passion I have for fashion cannot be described. Q: What’s keeping you busy these days? A: Just got back from a muchneeded vacation; and I am now working on a whole new Eid collection. I’m planning an exhibition soon at SNL Studio. Besides, I am also designing a few pieces especially for a shoot with Ayaz Anis in Thailand. Q: As a new designer, is it easy to get yourself noticed and established in this big fashion jungle? A: I would not say that it’s easy, but if you have a loyal clientele who appreciates your glamourous and fun sense of style then that itself motivates you to strive for more and come up with new patterns. Initially, however, it
takes time for every brand/label to establish itself. Q: How many years precisely since you’ve been around? A: I have been running my label SNL since more than five years now. But it was two years back that I opened up my Design Studio at Zamzama and launched my label SNL by Sofia Naveed Lari. A lot of people have asked me what SNL stands for. My label is an abbreviation of my name and not Saturday Night Live - a great TV Show - something quite a few people have been asking me about. Although my expertise lies in pret and luxury pret, however, I have been getting a gamut of requests to do bridal wear also ever since I did some outfits for a wedding. Q: Tell us about your upcoming collection. What will be different/ new in that line?
A: I am very excited about my upcoming collection. On my recent visit to Rome, I simply fell in love with the place and my latest collection is also inspired by the Roman culture. The colour palette for this collection will be beige, red, burnt oranges and golds; with minimal gold chains and gold sequences accentuated with long drapy Roman patterns. Q: What is the focal point of your new collection? A: The new collection will be entirely based on the Roman theme with capes and gowns chiffons and silks interwoven for flowy effect – ideal for the woman of today. Q: What is that extra that your brand SNL offers? A: SNL offers a variety of traditional, pretty embroidered colour coordinated saris for the fashion-conscious elegant ladies and sari lovers! Be it a heavily worked bridal sari, a lightly adorned drape or a pretty printed number for formal evenings, SNL has a striking sari for every occasion. I remember that at the time of my wedding, while planning my trousseau, I couldn’t find any designer who had the type of saris that I was looking for! That is where the idea for a sari for every occasion stemmed from and that is also that “something extra” that my brand SNL offers its clients. Q: You have been participating in the various Fashion Weeks. Please tell us about your experience. Have they helped you in any way? A: I feel such shows are very important for designers to get noticed not just locally but by international buyers as well. International buyers at such events are a great source for business and exposure.
around me can inspire me to translate the same into a creative pattern. I love colours - I personally dress up in bold floral prints in bright hues… or if my outfit is sedate then I add a splash of colour in the form of psychedelic footwear or hair accessories. I love to design for the young at heart who like to be dressed up in stylish and chic attire.
Q: Where do you get inspiration for your designs? A: I am a nature-loving person – I often seek inspiration from trees, flowers, birds - in fact anything
Q: How do you manage to strike a balance between professional and personal life? A: I’ve been married for almost five years now - my husband and my
in-laws are very supportive about my work. Since I don’t have kids I spend most of my time working at my studio. Weekends and evenings are strictly for my family and friends! Q: Your favourite model and why? A: My favourite model is Amina Ilyas. I feel she can carry any and every outfit elegantly. On the international scene, I feel Brett Novek is one of the hottest models. Q: Your favourite designers and why? A: My favourite local designers are
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Nomi Ansari and Bunto Kazmi – the fact that Nomi plays adroitly with vibrant shades, makes him my favourite locally; while I love Bunto’s ethinic bridals. Internationally, Poiret was a renowned pre-World War II fashion designer, who was the first to use draping in dressmaking and is credited with
My favourite local designers are Nomi Ansari and Bunto Kazmi – the fact that Nomi plays adroitly with vibrant shades, makes him my favourite locally; while I love Bunto’s ethinic bridals. 40 I October 14 - 20, 2012
launching the suspender belt, flesh-coloured stockings, the sack dress and culottes. Q: Who would you love to dress up? A: I would love to dress up Bushra Ansari. I feel a woman as elegant and graceful as her will carry an SNL ensemble with great elan. Q: Who do you wear the most? A: Other than my own pieces… I wear whatever catches my fancy and is my kind of a design! Q: What is your personal signature style? A: My style philosophy is contemporary allure for formals and playful, energetic designs for pret wear. I love incorporating colour blocking which was also the highlight of my Showcase 2012 collection. For my casuals I concentrate on structure and fabric with simple embroideries rather than fussy embellishments. As for formals, they are more striking with a smattering of add-ons on the border and neck line. My signature style is a colourful palette, based on floral embroideries employing different patterns. SNL’s signature pieces with floral embroidery in jute, leather and chiffon also happen to
be the hallmark of my brand! Q: One mistake our women make when dressing up? A: The biggest mistake our women make when dressing up is when they match all their accessories with the ensemble - from head to toe. To me, less is more! A pretty off-white jora can look great with a contrasting bold sandal and a clutch to give a neat simple look. Q: What do you envisage for your brand SNL in the future? A: SNL is growing by leaps and bounds. After launching my Design Studio at Zamzama Lane 2, we are now stocking at the most happening multi-label stores Ellemint Pret and Brands Just Pret, Dolmen Mall. We are also stocking at Labels Faisalabad, The Designers in Dubai and in Houston. Plans are rife for opening up my flagship store at a renowned location in Karachi, details of which we will be sharing soon with the media and our clients. I have also garnered a considerable, loyal international clientele which has prompted me to stock at stores abroad too. That is something in the pipeline that’s keeping me busy currently.
Imran Ahmed is a versatile artist and artcalligrapher. He has been working in the field of art calligraphy for the last 20 years. His work has been exhibited in national and international exhibitions several times and received admiration from art lovers. Imran was inspired by his father (late Sultan Ahmed) who was also a renowned art calligrapher. Imran gave new dimension to the existing trends in art calligraphy. His water colour art calligraphy on paper has unique transparent and print effect which is a result of a special developed technique by him. Imran has participated in several national and international exhibitions: The Holy Quran International exhibition, Tehran 2004, Two-Nation exhibition: Iran-Pakistan, Lahore 2003: England-Pakistan Lahore, 2005: Italy-Pakistan, Lahore and Faisalabad, 2006 to name a few. Imran conducted workshops in Kashgon, China 1987: Murree 2002: Delhi, India 1989: Kowloon, Hong Kong, 1997 and a Ceramics workshop at the Punjabi Sawal Industries Institute, Lahore. A notable event in his career was his participation in the International Calligraphy Workshop “Terra Rosa, Terra Nera� held in San Stefano Balboa, Italy (2008) where he was introduced to the concept of Rhythmic, one of the most important aspects of writing and calligraphy under the guidance of Massimo Polello. PHOTOGRAPHER: MURTAZA ALI
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Recipe
Mo’s World Famous Spaghetti Ingredients: 2 lbs Italian sausage, casings removed (mild or hot) 1 small onion, chopped (optional) 3 -4 garlic cloves, minced 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste 2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce 2 cups water (for a long period of simmering for flavors to meld. If you don’t want to simmer it as long, add less) 3 teaspoons basil 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper 1/4 cup red wine (a good Cabernet!) 1 lb thin spaghetti parmesan cheese Directions: 1) In large, heavy stockpot, brown Italian sausage, breaking up as you stir. 2 Add onions and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until onions are softened. 3) Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and water. 4) Add basil, parsley, brown sugar, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper. 5) Stir well and barely bring to a boil. 6) Stir in red wine. 7) Simmer on low, stirring frequently for at least an hour. A longer simmer makes for a better sauce, just be careful not to let it burn! 8) Cook spaghetti according to package directions. 9) Spoon sauce over drained spaghetti noodles and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
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Books
Moghul India Revisited By Syed Afsar Sajid
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Urdu Language and Culture at its Islamic Studies Institute. The present book comprises a ‘research on the history, historiography, art of governance, interplay of religion and politics and the role played by the intellectuals, Sufis and ‘ulama’ in the composite culture of Mughal India’. It is a collection of essays written by the author ‘at different times and for different audiences’. The book contains ten essays in all under three different headings viz., History and Historiography; Islam, Sufism, and Religious Renewal; and Religion, Politics, and Shi’ism. Carl. W. Ernst (b.1950), an eminent scholar and professor of Islamic Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, US, has in his foreword Perspectives on Moghul India to the book, By Sajida Sultana Alvi highlighted its Publisher: Oxford University Press, Karachi salient features. Under the Pages: 277; Price: Rs850/first category, fo c u s i n g
he author Sajida Sultan Alvi (b.1941), a famed scholar and feminist of Pakistani origin, is associated with the McGill University, Montreal, Canada as Professor Emerita of Indo-Islamic History. She also held the Chair of
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The present book comprises a ‘research on the history, historiography, art of governance, interplay of religion and politics and the role played by the intellectuals, Sufis and ‘ulama’ in the composite culture of Mughal India’ on Sindh and Awadh, and the history of Awrangzeb, the author examines historical sources on specialized topics. In the second part, she dwells on Sufism and reform especially as seen through the development of the MujaddidNaqshbandi Sufi order; and third, issues of religion politics, and Shiism, during the reign of the Moghul emperor Jahangir. Syed Nomanul Haq, an academic from the University of Pennsylvania (US), and LUMS too, has written an elaborate but apt ‘introduction’ to the book terming
it as ‘a wonderful collection of lucid writings on Moghul India’, of enduring value to a variety of readership including scholars, students, and even knowledgeable laymen. The opening essay in the first part of the book, carries the following self-explanatory sub-heads directly related to the core issues raised and tackled in it: Indo-Islamic History: Some Reflections; Sultans and Emperors; The Mughals (15261803); The Mughals, Safawids and Ottomans; The Issue of Conversion; Development of Education and Culture; Spiritual and Mystical Life; ‘Separatism’ and ‘Syncretism’ in Medieval India; A Century of Transition, and the Question of Identity; and, the Postscript. The second essay deals with Mazhar-i-Shahjahani, a discourse on political ethics written by a Sindhi historian and litterateur Yusaf Mirak. It is considered to be a Mirror for Princes because of its literary nature and not of ‘theoretical or juristical apparatus’. The writer is of the view that this literary genre serves to complement ‘historical and philosophical texts by illuminating political thinking of a given period.’ The essay is divided into some eight untitled sub-heads. The next piece deals elaborately with the historiography pertaining to Emperor Awarangzeb Alamgir visà-vis three of its primary sources viz., Alamgir Namah (by Muhammad Kazim), Ma’athir-I ‘Alamgiri (by Muhammad Saqi Musta’idd Khan), and Mir’at al-‘Alam (by Muhammad Bakhtawar Khan). The fourth essay discusses Tarikh-i Husayniyyah by Nawwab Husayn Ali Khan (a kinsman of Nawwab Asaf al-Dawlah), which is considered to be an unknown source for the history of Awadh incorporating ‘the hopes and frustrations of the members of his (the auhtor’s) class who claimed to be the elite, with intellectual interests ranging from poetry and music to religion’ – a welcome addition to the historiography of Awadh. The second part opens with a historical overview of the Mujaddid and Tajdid traditions in the Indian
subcontinent encompassing a detailed but erudite description of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (15631624), Shah Wali Allah (1703-62), Shah Muhammad Ismail Shahid (1779-1831), Syed Ahmad Shahid (1786-1831) – all mujaddids of the 11th, 12th and 13 centuries (AH) whose teachings centred on ‘(1) the importance of Muslims’ adherence to the injunctions of shari’ah in their private and public lives; (2) the Prophet’s (PBUH) personality as the ultimate role model, and his traditions and sunnah as the sources of inspiration and guidance; and (3) the primacy of the Qur’an as the fountain-head of ultimate knowledge and guidance’. The second essay in this part focuses on the discourses of the Naqshbandi Mujaddids descending from the founder of the Mujaddidi branch Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi whom his pre-eminent contemporary alim ‘Abd al-Hakim Sialkoti invested with the title of Mujaddid Alf-i Thani, the Renewer of the Second (Islamic) Millennium. The question as to who is a genuine shaykh, inter alia, has also been discussed and illustrated in detail here in the context of Khwajah Muhammad Ma’sum (1599-1668) and Mira Mazhar Jan-i-Janan (16991781). Next comes a concise but searching article on the Naqshbandi Mujaddidi Sufi Order’s ascendancy in Central Asia seen through the eyes of its master and their disciples (1600s–1800s) followed by an indepth study of the writings of Qadi Thana’ Allah Panipati (1727?-1810) – an 18th century Indian Sufi-‘Alim – in their socio-political context which aimed at providing direction to the community in religious and ethical matters, without assuming any religious title. The concluding part of the book comprises two essays that deal with religion and state during the reign (1605-27) of Emperor Jahangir in the backdrop of some nonjuridical perspectives impinging on his ‘administration and state policies, particularly those which had an impact on sectarian and communal relations’, and the Shi’is at Jahangir’s court with a study of
The book thus provides some valuable information on the social, cultural, political and religious aspects of the Moghul rule in India, useful to both the common reader of history and the researcher digging still deeper into its subliminal offshoots the profile of Muhammad Baqir Najm-i Thani (d.1637), a scholar and soldier and an Iranian Shi’i émigré noble at Jahangir’s court. From his profile, the author concludes that ‘the official policies of the state concerned with the individual, society or politics, were neither determined nor influenced by sectarian considerations’, political expediency and pragmatism being the guiding principles of statecraft. In the affairs of governance, even Emperor Awrangzeb was averse to bigotry. Nonetheless the writer concludes that inter-sectarian relations in Moghul India needed a more searching study. The book thus provides some valuable information on the social, cultural, political and religious aspects of the Moghul rule in India, useful to both the common reader of history and the researcher digging still deeper into its subliminal offshoots having a definite bearing on the socio-political ethos of the sub-continental polity.
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From formals to bridals Teena by Hina Butt rocks the ramp at PFDC Bridal Week By Kabir Khan
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eena by Hina Butt truly outdid herself with her first ever bridal and formal show at PFDC L’Oreal Bridal Week. The collection titled “Ode to Sophia” was fresh, innovative and exciting. The first ever fashion show of Teena by Hina Butt received accolades and applause from critics and Lahorites across the board, especially the latter who have been big fans of her work from the very start. Q: What inspired you to do your own fashion show? A: We were dealing in formals and semi-formals and getting quite a good response so it was high time we did our fashion show in bridals and take the brand one step ahead. Q: Tell us about your collection: Ode to Sophia? A: Our collection is based on Baroque period. Major inspiration is from two paintings of Baroque period which signify romance and royalty. Romance is depicted using flowing hemlines and royalty with luxurious fabrics and embellishment.
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Q: Your collection is based on the Baroque era: how did you come up with the idea of basing your clothes on that period? A: The royalty and grandeur of Baroque period has inspired me for quite a long time so I wanted to use the elements from that time period in my bridal collection. Q: The Baroque era was a time of grandeur and opulence: are you using luxurious fabrics in your designs to impart this feel? A: A variety of fabrics has been used in these collections ranging from pure silks to satin, chiffons and velvet trimmings. The overall look and feel of the collection is luxurious and opulent which is why we have opted for rich fabric edgings, laces and nets to add a whimsical, romantic element to the designs. Q: Describe the cuts you are using in the collection. A: The cuts are voluminous with flowing hemlines and lots of layering. Q: Is your collection based on
formals or bridals? A: Bridals Q: Do you plan to do more fashion shows in the future? A: Yes Q: Do you think it’s important for a brand to participate in fashion weeks? A: Fashion weeks are essential in helping a designer develop a strong footing for herself and to give the media, critics, buyers and customers a look at what is coming up for the next season. Apart from that fashion shows give a tremendous marketing boost to any brand. Q: Where do you see Teena by Hina Butt in the next five years? A: All fashion accessories under one roof – TEENA Q: You began as a pret brand but now you seem to be mainly doing formals. Has your focus shifted? A: That’s right. Our focus has shifted to formals due to increased customer demand as we were getting a very good response for it.
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Yellow, fellow is it really a dirty
Aisha Alam all! I personally really like the I don’t think yellow is a dirty color at color for bolder, brighter color tones base t grea a as color yellow because it acts e and h better alternative to white and beig such as orange, red or blue. It’s a muc really adds a lot to a outfit. Ayesha Khurram
I like the combination of a crisp white with a bright yellow! Yellow is a nice, summery color and I definitely don’t think it’s a dirty color.
Afsheen Mehboob
I am personally not a big fan of the color yellow! I prefer bolder and richer colors, such as orange, burgundy, plum and more. But yellow for trimmings and as an accent works well.
Saira Rizwan
To be honest, yellow isn’t my favorite color! Unless and until, it’s the other extreme of yellow which is gold! Gold is definitely one of my favorite colors and fabrics to play with.
Rizwan Beyg
do with a color that I am good with all colors! It’s what you really the color itself.
Nida Ali
matters, not
I am a big colors person! And I like working with all colors - be it orange, or yellow, or red! Colors make my world go round.
NSR
I use the color yellow in a lot of trimmings, and accents and linings! But I don’t think I would ever make an outfit that’s completely yellow - that would be a little much for me.
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