:: RENDEZVOUS with REZZ ::

The writer is a renowned fashion choreographer & event planner

Faisal Farooqui is one of the top photographers of Pakistan.

Covering the best of the best events, red carpets, shows, fashion and personal photography is his forte. He has power and vision, which one can see through his lens.

Rezz Aly Shah had a small chat with him at the backstage of one of his shows recently!

Q1. What is the last fashion thing you bought?

A Diesel belt.

Q2. How would you describe your personal dress style?

Smart, casual.

Q3. What's your favourite fashion purchase?

Shoes & T-shirts.

Q4. Which item from your wardrobe do you love the most?

Zara’s semi-formal black shoes

Q5. What's the most expensive item in your wardrobe?

A suit by Ammar Belal.

Q6. How does your work dictate your lifestyle?

I didn't get much chance for a lifestyle due to heavy work load.

Q7. Which fashion icon would you relate closely to your style?

Never thought about it.

Q8. The proudest professional moment in your career?

Lakme India Fashion Week's coverage.

Q9. What is your greatest personal achievement?

Freezing movements with my camera!



Q10. What is your professional aim in life?

To be remembered.



Q11. What is your style mantra, hot brands, current looks or style regrets?

I go according the times!



Q12.What is your diet fad?

I avoid soft drinks.

:: Fashion, a glamorous game ::

Sheikh-Amer Hassan is a fashion graduate from the prestigious London College of Fashion and Bournville College of Art in England. Now living between Karachi, Lahore and London, he is one of the pioneers of fashion in Pakistan and famous as a designer, socialite and a social worker

I remember the time, nearly twenty years ago, when there were no models in Lahore and perhaps not more than half-a-dozen in Karachi. Massarat Misbah of then-Sante Beauty Parlor that is now Depilex asked me to give training to some girls as models. I was a teenage fashion student visiting Pakistan in those days. She brought around 20-25 girls out of which lot only 2-3 pursued their careers in media and the others disappeared with time. We repeated this exercise of training new girls every now and then, out of which came the bunch that today rules the roost. The year was 1990, and the same batch that I trained also had a girl named Munazza, who is now Gia Ali. She was a hit the first time she glided down the runway at our Carnergie fashion show of Wrangler that I had produced and directed along with Massarat Misbah and Lubna Tanveer. This show set a trend and gave the first taste of fresh fashion to the Lahoris.  Soon after, it was again with the help of Massarat, who would gather new girls and persuade them to model and hand them over to me to train and the next batch she brought to me had new girls Vaneeza Ahmed, her sister Ayesha Ahmed, Zainab Qayyum and many others. But I do remember there have always been a superiority complex amongst models from better backgrounds and the ones from not such affluent backgrounds. But then I suppose differences like this exist not just in fashion but also in almost all professions. But because modeling wasn’t really a profession that was considered acceptable or noble the girls were even more careful who not to be seen with. Girls such as Zainab Qayyum, Vaneeza Ahmed and Aaminah Haq from Lahore added some credibility to this profession for others to step into this field. Karachi had a better breed right from the start with girls such as Frieha Altaf, Neshmia, Aliya Zaidi, Bibi, Nadia Husain and so on. All the girls, no matter what background they came from have added sparkle to modeling in our country. No one looks at their background, but only how they struggle to re-shape their destiny. This is admirable. Our society is full of taboos and it is not an easy task to break the mold too easily. We are a highly judgmental nation and take great pride in finding differences amongst one another. It is not a good thing but it is what there actually is. While we keep criticizing and gossiping about others we tend to forget where we come from. It is easy to point fingers at others but difficult to criticize our own character. No one is perfect and we all make the same mistakes over and over again. Such is human nature. If we are secure about our own character and honest in the way we live, all other factors become rather irrelevant.  

Years ago, designer Yahsir Waheed and beautician Shehzad Hafiz brought Aaminah Haq to me during my rehearsals for a big show in Lahore. They kept insisting I accept her as a model. After some days, when one of the girls from the rehearsals could not show up, I asked Aaminah to fill for her. Her performance and zest for modeling was clearly visible to all present there. Finally, she modeled in my show Lahore Fashion Premiere 1994 held at the Al-Hamra Cultural Complex featuring upcoming designers Nilofar Shahid of Meeras, Wasim Khan of Wasim’s Collection, Yahsir Waheed with his label Ai No Corrida and modeled by many others who are now big names in the industry. It is the combined efforts of all, good-and-bad or big-and-small, that have actually gone out to help shape this movement now recognized as the fashion industry. Aaminah helped changed the perception of many to step into this profession.

 Unfortunately, modeling is as glamorous and attractive as it is a tainted profession. Girls who are more conscious of their reputation are always suffering from the fear of being associated with girls that are bold and careless about the society gossip. People talk anyway, no one is spared at any level of any background and such is the bitter truth of our society.. Our society also includes you, me and practically every body reading this column right now. Having said all this, hats off to all the beautiful girls who have, mainly through their own sheer hard work, made a name for themselves and inspired millions to want to step into this complex and enchanting world of modeling.