In a press release issued on Tuesday, organisers said they would be hosting 43 shows with over 50 established fashion labels participating alongside independent designers, contemporary and high-street labels, manufacturing and retail-ready brands and emerging talent.

The first show in the four-day series, LFW Presents: Starry Night, will bring together 21 designers, with each “presenting one look inspired by the night sky at its most alluring”.

Another show, presented in collaboration with the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design, will bring 10 young designers onto the runway with capsule collections.

High street fashion labels will display their work as part of LFW Edit, with several marking their fashion week debut with Laam. Participating labels include: Almirah, Aramis Haijaan, Beygum Bano, Collected XX, Dhundli Zameen, Dreams of Arthur, Edenrobe Ceremonial, Hathghar, KIBO, Project 1959, Sadhbarg and U&I - Umer Imrana.

Some of the highlights of LFW this year will be individual showcases from some of Pakistan’s most prominent fashion designers. Participating designers include:

• Ali Xeeshan
• Deepak Perwani
• Duno by Hassan & Yahsir Waheed
• Emraan Rajput
• Erum Khan
• Fahad Hussayn
• HSY
• Jugnu Studios by Hussain Rehar
• MIHHA
• Mo by Mohsin Tawasuli
• Mohtaram
• Parishae Adnan
• Rici Melion
• Saira Rizwan
• Sania Maskatiya
• Souchaj by Mehak Junaid

Longtime fashion designer Nilofer Shahid will be the star of this edition’s LFW By Invite Only show, where her label Meeras will present the collection Tapestries in the Looms of Time. This follows Rizwan Beyg, who led the segment in the first edition.

LFW will also showcase participating retail-ready and manufacturing labels from the second run of its Ramp Readiness Programme. Twelve of these labels will display their wares in a special showcase, LFW Retail Runway.

The fashion week will take place in Lahore from October 23 to 26 and is directed by designer Hassan Sheheryar Yasin. Following its runway-to-e-tail model from last year, shows will be livestreamed on the Laam app, where patrons from around the world will be able to purchase the clothes on display. Shows will also be streamed on ARY Plus.

As per the press release issued on Tuesday, Laam’s CEO Arif Iqbal said, “Laam’s mission is to showcase the best of Pakistani fashion to the world. Our platform does that by letting people anywhere shop Pakistani fashion.”

His co-founder Amir Iqbal said the runway was just one part of the journey and the second, equally important part was “what happens after the show: how brands connect with customers, how collections translate into commercial opportunities and how designers gain access to wider markets”.

The meeting was held at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi. The major discussion was on the motion by Senator Bushra Anjum Butt against PIFD Vice Chancellor Hina Tayyaba Khalil for failure to attend a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training.

Senator Bushra alleged that the VC’s contractual tenure had expired in Dec 2025 but she continued to hold office. She also pointed out a conflict of interest as the VC’s sister was among candidates for the new VC, for which a search committee had been constituted, and alleged the federal education minister had supported the incumbent for years.

The PIFD representatives gave their version.

The chairman directed Deepak Perwani and Sehyr Saigol, members of the Senate of the PIFD, to appear in person in the next meeting instead of attending it through video link. He expressed serious reservations over PIFD affairs, saying appointments and promotions based on nepotism and personal preferences were affecting performance. He said the committee would examine all matters strictly on merit and would soon apprise the president of Pakistan, with a formal letter to the secretary to the president. He sought clarification on the legal status of any extension to the VC and directed the ministry to produce all documents relating to the appointment and extension.

The committee also directed that 13 individuals who signed the response submitted to the privileges committee be summoned.The chairman noted correspondence between the committee and the PIFD had been shared by the institute on other platforms, terming it highly inappropriate and unprofessional.

Senators Saadia Abbasi, Jan Muhammad, Hafiz Abdul Karim, Dost Ali Jaisar, Asad Qasim and Palwasha Muhammad Zai Khan attended the meeting. The next meeting will be attended by the minister for parliamentary affairs, the minister for federal education, relevant ministry officials and Higher Education Commission representatives.

Originally published in Dawn, October 6th, 2026

Photo: PIFD/Instagram

Each hand-woven keffiyeh often takes over a month to complete, and its design also incorporates the Lao UNESCO heritage symbol of the naga (serpent) interlocking into a fishnet pattern — representing protection, strength, and resilience.

“According to traditional mythology, the Naga wrapped itself around Lao people to protect them from brutal Siamese conquests in the past, and exchanged weaving knowledge with the Lao people.”

“Meanwhile, the Palestinian fishnet symbolises their connection to the sea,” explained Souvixada Somsacksy, founder of The Silk Keffiyeh project.

The project, which began in December 2024, aims to become an independent, worker-led alternative for Lao textile weavers wanting to ease out of factory work — while also raising funds for Palestine.

Souvixada jointly launched the project with her godmother, Bouakham Phengmixay (also known as Mae), who had previously worked in a textile factory for over 30 years, and is keen to pass on her craftsmanship in a slowly fading tradition to younger generation Laotians.

They now run a full-time residency for people to learn how to weave traditional Lao textile — while also incorporating weekly activities such as tatreez embroidery circles — combining traditional motifs from both Lao and Palestinian textiles.

In May 2026, Saadi Salama, Palestinian ambassador to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, had also visited the residency, spending a few days with the weavers after finding out about the Silk Keffiyeh project through word of mouth.

“The ambassador was extremely emotional and very, very moved”.

Originally published in Dawn, October 5th, 2026

This story was originally published in ANN

That’s because at 10 years old, he’s already gathered four Guinness World Records for his work in couture, including two for his show on September 14.

The child prodigy released his first original fabrics collection in collaboration with Mood Fabrics, making him the youngest designer to ever do so.

As per a press release, the collection had 15 different sustainable materials such as BCI Cotton, European Flax linen, EcoVero viscose, and recycled polyester faux fur.

“At the core of this collection is the idea that one small choice can make a big difference,” the young designer said in a statement. “Sustainability doesn’t have to mean being perfect. It can be about the tiny choices we make every day and changing little habits that add up to something much bigger.”

But Max wasn’t done. At the New York show, he stood with a sewing machine and proceeded to thread it in a record-shattering 10.16 seconds. This record was confirmed by an adjudicator from Guinness present at the event who gave the designer a certificate amid applause and cheers from the crowd.

Earlier, the designer became the youngest in history to display at the prestigious Paris Fashion Week in March.

The showcased collection carried similar themes of sustainability, “90 per cent [of the pieces were] made from sustainable materials and inspired by flowers! I used deadstock, surplus, recycled bags and biodegradable fabrics,” Max said at the time, adding that the collection took “about half a year to complete”.

His first record came in November 2023, when at seven years of age he became the youngest person to design a runway show. But that wasn’t too much of a shock as he’d been sewing and designing clothes since he was four years old.

By the time he got his first acknowledgement from Guinness, Max had already made over a hundred designs, staged his own shows and sold pieces internationally.

During an interview that year, he jokingly told People he believed he might have been Guccio Gucci — the founder of Gucci — in a past life. “I actually was,” he said at the time.

The star has since been honoured on the TIME100 creators list in 2026 and has made clients out of celebrities like Sharon Stone and Debra Messing.

The designer’s new fabric line is available online at Mood Fabrics’ website and will be made available at the brand’s US locations soon.

Fellow designer Faraz Manan was included in 2024.

Rastah, the Lahore-based fashion house, has been dressing stars around the world. From Timothée Chalamet, Barry Keoghan, and Justin Bieber to Zayn Malik, Riz Ahmed and Anil Kapoor, Rastah has amassed a fan following both in Pakistan and internationally.

According to BoF, the brand, which was started in 2018, reached seven figures in revenue in 2025 with no outside investment.

“Rastah’s success has helped spark a broader movement across Pakistan and South Asia, with other founders now building labels around the same principle of centring artisanship in contemporary clothing for a global audience,” the publication noted.

In 2022, Ahmad made it to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for his work with Rastah and the following year, Rastah became the first Pakistani brand to showcase at London Fashion Week. It also recently held a popup in New York City.

His fusion of traditional techniques with edgy styles has made him one of the most recognised people in Pakistan’s streetwear scene. This is a major achievement, but we’re pretty sure it’s not the last we’ve seen of Ahmad and Rastah’s achievements.

Cover via anooshqainan/Instagram

The exhibition displaying over four decades of fashion photography by celebrated photographer Tapu Javeri evoked a strong sense of déjà vu for Gen-X-ers, many of whom could vividly recall the striking high-fashion imagery by top fashion models and celebrities on the covers of fashion glossies and centrespreads within the numerous fashion and lifestyle magazines throughout the ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s, and beyond.

Many of these names and faces that had started out then went on to become legends on the fashion landscape, and continue to trailblaze paths in fashion even today.

Kaleidoscopic Karachi not only brought together the fashion fraternity after what seemed like eons, but also supporters, patrons as well as philanthropists who proudly occupied the front rows flanking either side of the ramp.

Kaleidoscopic Karachi evokes fond memories and fashion’s futuristic perspective

Some very well-known names and faces who hadn’t been seen for a while sat shoulder to shoulder, greeting each other and catching up while cheering for their favourite designers. Both the night and atmosphere were charged with camaraderie and excitement, not knowing what to expect as fashion finally returned to Karachi.

The fashion certainly rose to the challenge with a line-up of Karachi-based fashion powerhouses such as Sana Safinaz, Deepak Perwani, Khaadi, The Pink Tree Company and Wardha Saleem — all of whom created exquisite art-pieces with signature styles.

Show opener Perwani showed a monochrome collection with tell-tale cuts and silhouettes with embellished detailing. He brought firebrands former fashion models Seemi Pasha, Frieha Altaf and Atiya Khan on to the ramp with him in an inspiringly true fashion moment.

Khaadi’s experimentation and play with prints and embellished tunics was everything that could be expected from the likes of a true fashion visionary such as Shamoon Sultan. Bold, provocative, groundbreaking and futuristic, Khaadi took fashion beyond its limits by paving the ground for the future of fashion in the metropolis.

Where Khaadi was all about future, Saleem’s time travel style escapade took us into the past where the intricate old city architecture and history etched in concrete weaved its way into garment form. Helping the collection along its way was the Bandar Road Se Keamari anthem that prepped things up for all and sundry.

The Pink Tree Company’s gota galore and gold blockprint work has all the makings of a fashion rage come this wedding season, perfected with styling by Nabila’s team of hair and make-up wizards working under her ever watchful glare and Tabesh Khoja’s guidelines. The show choreography was by Nubain Ali.

Sana Safinaz stole the show as always with their sophisticated approach to old-school style and grandeur.

The smart money is always on Sana Safinaz for a reason come festive couture or wedding-wear for a very distinct reason, and at Kaleidoscopic Karachi the audience got a sneak-peek at the regality of a world where endless style meets infinite charm.

Originally published in Dawn, September 29th, 2026

The move highlights the challenge facing Gucci designer Demna, who must create innovative products while keeping costs under control to attract so-called aspirational shoppers, the bulk of luxury consumers who are more price-sensitive than the super-rich.

Demna will present his latest collection at a Milan runway show on Friday. His success is crucial for parent Kering and CEO Luca de Meo, who took over last year to lead a turnaround but has seen an early share price bounce fall flat this year.

Gucci, Kering’s flagship brand, has seen sales halve over the past three years, squeezing margins and forcing the group to close dozens of stores.

In a move reminiscent of his tenure at Balenciaga, Demna has created a futuristic sneaker model called Drip. The shoe is labelled as ‘Made in China’, according to Gucci’s website. Reuters also observed Drip models displayed in a Gucci store in Paris carrying the same label.

In a statement, Gucci said that Italy would “always be at the heart of Gucci’s manufacturing model and identity” but that it had decided to work with the Chinese manufacturer just as it had worked with Swiss and Japanese suppliers for products like watches and eyewear in the past.

“The partner selected offered the technological know-how and capabilities most appropriate for achieving the performance and quality standards we were seeking,” it added.

There were no broader plans to move Gucci production outside Italy, a Gucci spokesperson said.

Demna’s first sneaker for Gucci

The Drip sneaker, described on Gucci’s website as “Demna’s first sneaker for Gucci”, went on sale last month as part of the designer’s ‘Primavera’ collection.

Retailing at around €800 in Europe and $1,000 in the United States, it is cheaper than many other Gucci shoes, though still firmly in the luxury category. The laceless design is made from nylon, canvas or suede.

The Drip is a break from Gucci’s more traditional white leather laced Ace sneakers, and its sock-like shape is reminiscent of Demna’s chunky sneaker designs at Balenciaga which were a streetwear hit in the late 2010s.

A second slip-on sneaker model, made of leather, from the same ‘Primavera’ collection is also labelled as ‘Made in China’, the Gucci website shows. The brand spokesperson said that model was produced in China for similar technical reasons linked to the shoe’s design.

All other Gucci shoes carrying a country-of-origin label on the website are made in Italy.

China is a global hub for sneaker production and its manufacturers have earned strong reputations among mass-market and premium brands. Some analysts say that in Gucci’s case, however, breaking with ‘Made in Italy’ could spark a backlash.

“We think this creates a potential tension between provenance and the luxury positioning Gucci is seeking to reclaim,” Berenberg analysts said in a note.

Simon Whitehouse, a Milan-based luxury business consultant, was more blunt. “‘Made in China’ is not a good look,” he said.

Two Kering sources told Reuters the brand has also begun cutting prices on a select number of products, including in China, as part of efforts to regain market share.

Barclays analyst Carole Madjo said the price cuts surprised some investors, who are now paying increased attention to any further moves that could affect Gucci’s image with shoppers.

“Some people are wondering: should we keep buying Gucci if the price is coming down?” she said. “Having Chinese-made products could fuel the debate around the brand’s price value equation.”

Adnan had been invited on the show co-hosted by Zohaib Hassan in recognition of a remarkable achievement: she closed Flying Solo’s show during New York Fashion Week (NYFW) this month with her collection, Second Skin.

For those unaware, Flying Solo is one of the largest independent designer platforms held during NYFW, and her eponymous label Parishae was chosen to close it. It’s a major achievement, especially for a young Pakistani woman. There was so much the audience could have learned from Parishae’s experience.

But instead, Khan steered the conversation towards videos Parishae makes at the gym and the clothes she wears in those videos, creating a rather uncomfortable situation. With a straight face, Khan asked this accomplished woman how her parents ‘allowed’ her to dress that way — as though a woman who is the CEO of a major designer brand is supposed to require parental permission to wear activewear.

“Tell me, being in this society, the videos you make in the gym and the clothes you are wearing there, there must be a great deal of criticism. Didn’t your parents get upset at what you were doing?” Khan asked.

Despite the glaring absurdity of the question, Parishae answered calmly: “I think safety is a concern. But other than that, I’ll tell you the reason that wakes me up and takes me to the gym, the reason why I wake up in the morning and go to the gym, is that when I get messages in my inbox from all those girls, women, even men, who see something and get inspired and start their strength and self-training journey, for me, that’s a big thing.”

Here’s the thing: Parishae isn’t just a designer with a famous surname (she is the daughter of Amir Adnan and Huma Adnan, arguably some of the biggest names in Pakistan’s fashion industry). She doesn’t just run an established luxury designer brand, she has helped reinvent it. She has built her own reputation on sustainability, crafting Second Skin entirely from scratch.

So, while interviewing Parishae, Khan could’ve asked a variety of important questions. It was an amazing opportunity to help Pakistani audiences learn how difficult sustainable fashion is, what it takes to bring South Asian craftsmanship to NYFW and how Parishae was able to do all that on her own.

Shortly after the interview aired, she posted an Instagram video containing clips of her reactions to Khan’s line of questioning with a laughing emoji.

Her mother, Huma, replied to the video, saying the questions were ‘uncalled for’.

Actor Anika Zulfiqar called out Khan as well: “Maybe do some research on your guests before the show?”

She noted there was so much inspiration and insight Adnan could have shared, but instead the host went with “basic judgy aunty questions”.

That phrase lands hard because it’s accurate. This wasn’t an interview — it came across as a tribunal and the charge was a woman’s appearance.

Zulfiqar added: “The world has moved on and you’re still stuck where you were. Sad.”

She’s right. In 2026, a morning show built for women, co-hosted by a woman, looked at a woman who had just conquered a global runway and decided her gym clothes were the story. Not the collection. Not the craft. Not the moment.

Parishae’s composure won, though. She didn’t give the hosts the reaction they were fishing for and afterwards, she thanked those who spoke up for her. We love the video she shared of her reactions though, because at the end of the day, sometimes you’ve got to give people a few weirded out looks and go on with your day.

The real shame isn’t the question. It’s that a remarkable achievement became background noise to a tired, predictable obsession with what a woman was wearing while she achieved it. We’re not surprised this came from Nadia Khan, we’re just tired of it.

At the PIA New Uniform Design Showcase 2026 earlier this month, 10 of Pakistan’s leading designers presented their visions for the national carrier’s future uniforms. PIA shared the video of the event across its social media accounts on Thursday.

The line-up read like a who’s who of Pakistani fashion — Maheen Khan, Deepak and Fahad, Generation, Ismail Farid, Munib Nawaz, Deepak Perwani, Faraz Manan, Amir Adnan, HSY and Nomi Ansari.

The collections were judged by a distinguished panel: Shamoon Sultan, the founder and CEO of Khaadi, Nilofer Shahid, the pioneering Pakistani haute couturier behind House of Meeras, Nabila, the beauty and style maven who has shaped Pakistan’s fashion industry for over four decades, Hina Tayyaba Khalil, vice-chancellor of the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD), and Naseem Tehrani, a 33-year PIA aviation veteran.

The showcase was produced and delivered by Catwalk Productions under the guidance of industry pioneer Frieha Altaf.

Speaking of the core idea behind the initiative, Altaf explained that the airline’s uniform has long served as a symbol of national identity whenever PIA aircraft cross international airspace. The 2026 showcase was “conceived as a bridge to align that historic legacy with the technical precision and modern aesthetic demanded by today’s global aviation standards”.

Journalist and television presenter Sidra Iqbal compered the event.

The moment had been a decade in the making. The airline’s current uniform was introduced in 2016, designed by Nomi Ansari and Sania Maskatiya, with a palette of green, navy and maroon. It has served the carrier for 10 years. The last redesign, which debuted on the PIA Premier service to London, was itself the product of a designer showcase.

That cycle began again this month.

Adnan’s vision presented a sophisticated range of uniforms in two distinct colourways: deep forest green and soft grey-blue. The men’s attire featured tailored jackets paired with crisp trousers and patterned ties, while the women wore fitted waistcoats over matching trousers, accessorised with elegant scarves and matching caps.

Perwani’s collection showcased uniforms in a refined, classic style. The men wore sharp two-piece suits — one in forest green and the other in navy — both featuring subtle red piping on the pockets and lapels. The outfit for women complemented this look with a forest green jacket and trousers with a patterned silk scarf and a burgundy beret.

Mannan’s vision mainly comprised shades of deep forest green. Though, one design stood out; a light grey flight suit, featuring white chest pockets.

For women’s uniforms, Generation went for deep forest green, paired with soft turquoise accents.

HSY went for a refined palette of deep navy, forest green and light grey. The standout was a navy double-breasted pilot’s suit with a peaked cap.

Farid’s collection revolved around men’s uniforms. It featured a professional palette dominated by crisp white and light blue shirts, paired with khaki, olive green and beige trousers. Each look was complete with dark sunglasses and leather shoes.

Farid also shared a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his work for the event.

“It was a privilege to be present, bringing my signature tailoring and contemporary design language to the future of PIA uniforms,” he wrote on Instagram.

Khan collaborated with Deepak and Fahad. This collection featured modern uniform designs in a sophisticated palette of forest green and beige and teal.

Later, in an Instagram post, Khan shared the vision behind her designs, adding it was “an absolute honour to have submitted our thoughts on the way forward for the PIA crew”.

Nawaz’s shades were in darker shades of green. Men wore tailored jackets and long coats with mandarin collars and gold buttons, while women sported fitted blazers with a hint of brown.

“It was an honour to present my vision across, contributing to the future look of our national airline,” Nawaz later wrote on Instagram.

For his showcase, Ansari opted for forest green, beige and white. Women wore tailored blazers, coats and trouser suits paired with patterned turquoise scarves and matching caps. Turquoise piping and golden buttons add a refined touch. The designs for men included forest green and beige suits, a mandarin-collar tunic and a white pilot’s shirt with a striped tie.

After the runway shows and jury discussions, Pakistani businessman Arif Habib took the stage at the closing ceremony to gift miniature PIA aircraft models to the participating designers and jury members.

The final scores will determine the winning design, which will then be produced and rolled out across the fleet.

When the verdict does come, it will settle more than a competition; it will decide what PIA’s crew wear for years to come, and how Pakistan presents itself to the world in the air.

“After 20 years leading the CFDA, I have made the difficult decision to step down as CEO and President,” Kolb said in a post on his Substack.

The CFDA, the leading US fashion-industry trade group and organiser of New York Fashion Week, said on Tuesday that Kolb was on leave pending a full review by the council’s board, after he said he was taking a voluntary leave.

On Sunday, Kolb grabbed at least two activists protesting H&M-owned COS’s use of wool during a runway show. He pinned one protester to the ground and covered her mouth with his hand, according to videos viewed by Reuters that circulated widely online.

Kolb apologised on Monday, saying he planned to meet with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), which had organised the protest.

“There is no justification for physically restraining another person,” he said at the time. “Security should have handled the situation, and I should have stepped back.”

Kolb’s physical confrontation with the activists led to widespread backlash, with Peta on Sunday saying his actions “show how top people in fashion use violence to silence people” advocating for animal rights.

The CFDA board, led by Thom Browne and including designers such as Vera Wang, Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors, said in an Instagram post that it respected Kolb’s decision to step down and thanked him for his years of service.

The CFDA did not name a successor.

Steven Kolb, CEO of the leading US fashion industry trade group, grabbed at ​least two activists at H&M-owned COS’ runway show while they were protesting ​the brand’s use of sheep’s wool. He restrained one activist on ⁠the ground and covered her mouth with his hand, according to videos viewed ​by Reuters that circulated widely online.

Kolb apologised for the incident in a statement ​on Monday. He said he was taking a voluntary leave from work and that he plans to meet with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or Peta, the group behind ​the protest.

“There is no justification for physically restraining another person. Security should have ​handled the situation, and I should have stepped back,” Kolb said in a statement on his Instagram ⁠account.

CFDA, the organiser of New York Fashion Week, said in a statement on Tuesday that the trade group “takes this matter very seriously” and confirmed that Kolb is on leave pending a “full review.”

Peta is urging H&M and COS to ban wool ​from their collections, adding ​in a statement ⁠on Sunday that Kolb’s actions “show how top people in fashion use violence to silence people” advocating for animal rights.

In a ​statement, H&M said it only sources animal-derived fibres from certified ​farms and, ⁠where possible, from recycled sources.

“We are deeply sorry about the incident that occurred in connection with our AW26 show on 13 September,” a spokesperson for H&M said in ⁠a ​statement. “We respect everyone’s right to express their views, ​and we believe everyone should be treated with care and respect.”

The incident comes after the CFDA marked a milestone in animal rights protection, holding the first ever New York Fashion Week without the use of fur. The New York Times reported some members of the organisation’s board were aggrieved by the protesters for staging a demonstration so soon after a major win.

This scandal also comes on the heels of another major fashion controversy involving the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute’s yearly exhibition and charity benefit — the Met Gala.

The theme chosen for the 2027 exhibition was the work of British designer John Galliano. It was subsequently dropped a month later amid outcry over the designer’s chequered past involving a conviction for anti-Asian and antisemitism abuse which lost him his job at Dior.

Presented by Laam Fashion Week (LFW), co-founded by Laam and Design 651, Kaleidoscopic Karachi is a one-day fashion show that will be taking place this September 26 at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVSAA). The lineup includes an exhibition by photographer Tapu Javeri and fashion shows by Deepak Perwani, The Pink Tree Company, Khaadi, Wardha Saleem and Sana Safinaz, with Nubain Ali as event director. 

It’s an exciting list of names — not just because these are brands that are an intrinsic part of Pakistan’s fashion landscape but also because each of them views design from very distinctive creative lenses. Their fashion interpretations in a conceptualised show paying tribute to Karachi are bound to be markedly different, which could be very interesting.

Javeri’s exhibit, celebrating fashion over the decades, promises to initiate the evening on an exciting note. The catwalk may be interpreting Karachi with the aid of fabric, colour, craft and silhouette but Javeri has been doing the same through his camera lens throughout his career.

His relationship with Pakistani fashion is veritably as long-standing as the industry itself and his archive of images is immense, representing a visual history spanning more than four decades. A selection of photographs will be on display; you might see images of Frieha Altaf and Atiya Zaidi and realise that these are from the fashion shoots of the 80s. Bibi, Lulu and Sarah Akhtar reigned the fashion scene in the early 90s, with Aamina Haq joining the fray later in the decade. 

“These are memories, portraits, photographs of fashion over the years, glimpses of how Pakistani fashion evolved over the years,” says Javeri.

Adding to the narrative of the show is the location itself; the historic Nusserwanjee Building at Indus. Maheen Kardar, executive director designer experience and curation at LFW, says, “From the minute I walked into IVSAA for the first time, I knew that we would bring LFW to it someday. It was love at first sight, with the place and with the story. The Nusserwanjee Building was built in 1903 by the Parsi community, saved from demolition in Kharadar, and moved stone by stone, all 26,000 of them, to become IVSAA’s campus. It’s the largest project of its kind in the subcontinent, and it stands as a reminder of how plural Karachi’s roots have always been. There’s no more fitting home for a show called Kaleidoscopic Karachi.”

She continues, “There’s also a real lineage inside those walls. Wardha Saleem trained and later taught at IVS. Saira and Shamoon Sultan of Khaadi met there as students before building Pakistan’s first global retail brand out of Karachi. Showing at IVSAA puts the show inside the institution that shaped two of our own designers, closing a loop between the classroom and the runway that this city has always had.”

Kardar proceeds to explain the concept behind Kaleidoscopic Karachi: “It also mattered to us that LFW’s story couldn’t just be told from one city. We launched in Lahore, but Pakistan’s fashion industry has never lived in one place, and neither should this platform. Karachi is where a huge amount of this country’s design history was actually built, from Sana Safinaz’s decades of work to Khaadi’s rise into a global brand, so leaving it out of the narrative was never an option. Kaleidoscopic Karachi is us saying this platform belongs to the whole country, not just the city we started in.”

She continues, “Karachi has never had one face, so we didn’t want one aesthetic to stand in for it. A kaleidoscope felt right because it’s the same idea: fragments that are completely different from each other, but the moment you look through it, they form something whole. That’s this city. Heritage, craft, commerce, journalism, legacy, five designers, five entirely different relationships with Karachi, and together they say more about it than any single point of view could.”

There is, for instance, Deepak Perwani’s point of view, promising to bring high-octane fashion to the catwalk with The Cocktail Hour, dedicated to the Karachi that comes to life after sunset, described by him as “a seductive, cinematic world of lights, where diamonds are a girl’s best friend”.

Expect menswear and womenswear, sculptural silhouettes, fluid draping, volume and skin-show, with a palette moving through burnt orange, rust, ochre, muted gold and sun-baked hues. One hopes to see the quintessential Deepak Perwani aesthetic at play; dialling up the glamor, having fun with it, ditching the generic but retail-friendly three-piece suit for an aesthetic which is far more alluring.

The Pink Tree Company will be staying true to its signature, presenting a collection that is described as “ethnic, festive, highlighted by craft”. Designer Mohsin Saeed says, “It’s a collection that will be celebrating Karachi with grace and style, the silhouettes ranging from traditional designs to garments that can be worn anywhere in the world.”

The collection will be giving a deferential nod to cotton — “Karachi is the only Pakistani city where even cotton is elevated to luxury-wear,” says Saeed — as well as feature handwoven textiles, varied embroideries and different kinds of block-prints.

It’s The Pink Tree Company’s interpretation of the spirit of Karachi; a city which may have a gritty exterior but visible just beneath the surface, there is warmth, innate style and vibrancy.

And then there is Wardha Saleem, coming up with a conceptual line that will be endeavouring to celebrate Karachi quite literally, traversing it from Bander Road to Kemari with a gimlet eye. The collection, according to the designer, will feature the city’s architectural monuments and landmarks, such as the ageing edifices of Saddar, the balconies of Burns Road, the Radio Pakistan building, the tram station dating back to the times of the British Raj and the Ritz cinema — once a popular destination and now, demolished.

Featuring fabric manipulation, with silhouettes that are modern, and a mix of embellishment techniques — hand embroideries, screen prints, digital prints, block-printing techniques — one hopes to see Wardha Saleem the way one remembers her from her initial shows; in her element, experimenting, playing with colour, texture and shape, thinking beyond retail, which is an indelible part of the business of fashion, and letting her creativity run free.

Khaadi also promises to flex some serious fashion muscle, with a line-up that is set to embrace Karachi’s maximalism, promising “prints against weaves, colour against colour, heritage against modernity, soft against raw, tradition against experimentation”. It seems that the brand is paying homage to the contradictions that characterise the city, where Khaadi began its own journey before it expanded into a countrywide fashion heavyweight. A fashion showcase by Khaadi tends to be a treat, a reminder that beyond the knack for fashion retail, the brand is bolstered by a love for creative, high-end fashion. 

Promising luxury and glamor, Sana Safinaz will be showcasing their Mastaani line in the finale. “This is a collection that we bring out every year and it bears the Sana Safinaz luxe signature,” says designer Sana Hashwani. “There is a play of textures, colours, prints, hand embroideries and surface treatments and the silhouettes are traditional, with a modern twist.” 

A finale by Sana Safinaz seems befitting. It is a Karachi-born brand which grew into a label that has long been a fashion favourite, mastering the balancing act between wearability and spectacle with an effortless, innate sophistication. One hopes for a play of silhouette and embellishments in the finale; concluding the chaos, colour and contradictions seen on the catwalk that night, with a final grand flourish! 

One also looks forward to celebrating the spirit of fashion in a show that, at this point in time, seems to be focused on creativity rather than retail. Pakistan’s design fraternity is remarkably talented and inventive, but the business of fashion tends to overwhelm the creative impulse. Selling clothes is an inevitable reality — but it has also meant that over the years, the catwalk has been losing its magic, often becoming a catalog for showcasing clothes that will attract the masses and prompt them to buy rather than a platform that is adventurous, imaginative or eccentric. 

One hopes to see designers dream a bit more, experiment a bit more and put together a vivacious, exciting kaleidoscope of high fashion in the upcoming show.

The nikkah was solemnised in an intimate event, with the bride’s grandfather — former premier Nawaz Sharif — and his brother, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, among a handful of guests.

Now that the pictures of the festivities are out, here’s a breakdown of some of the outfits from the night.

Starting with the bride, she wore the Mughal-e-Azam peshwas from Nida Azwer in metallic sage. The piece carried embellishments of different traditional styles: mirror work, hirmuch, gota and zardozi.

It came with a matching silk dupatta with a mirror work border and zardozi and gota embroidery. Mahnoor carried a bucket bag from Jimmy Choo’s Bon Bon collection.

The outfit was paired with the Le Soleil (The Sun) suite from Lebanese jewellery house Mouawad. The full set, described by Harper’s Bazaar Arabia as one of the brand’s most valuable when it was released in 2017, has a total of 211 carats of white and yellow diamonds.

Jabbar looked gentlemanly in his Faraz Manan prince coat. Perhaps he took a lead from his brother-in-law Junaid Safdar, who wore a Faraz Manan sherwani for his reception in January.

CM Maryam also went for a Pakistani designer, wearing a custom kurta from Parniyaan by Ayesha Jawad. It featured an heirloom Chantilly lace piece alongside Swarovski crystals, marori and jamdani embroidery and real gems, according to the designer.

The CM’s jewellery included a necklace with red gemstones and matching earrings, both of which appeared to be encrusted with diamonds.

The bride’s sister-in-law Shanzeh Ali Rohale — who married her brother Junaid — went a different route with a wine coloured georgette lehenga with gold taban sequins from Indian designer Manish Malhotra.

This was paired with a matching embroidered dupatta and what appeared to be a diamond necklace. The outfit follows her ornate look from her own mehendi, when she wore a heritage lehenga from India’s Sabyasachi.

While details of Saturday’s event are sparse and there isn’t any word of future functions, we can imagine the rest of Mahnoor’s wedding festivities — whenever they may be — will be just as much of a fashion fest as her nikkah.

Cover photo: Photo: Sara Idrees / Instagram

Arizona Attorney General Kristin Mayes, a Democrat, filed the lawsuit late on Thursday in state court, making Arizona the first state to sue over alleged cancer risks linked to hair relaxers.

The lawsuit accuses L’Oreal of violating state consumer protection laws by marketing the products, which are used predominantly by African American women, without warning consumers about the alleged risks of ovarian and uterine cancers.

The state is seeking penalties and damages, as well as a court order forcing L’Oreal to stop selling the products unless it warns of the cancer risk.

In marketing the products to women and children over decades, L’Oreal and associated companies exploited centuries of social pressures and discriminatory beauty standards affecting people of African descent, all while prioritising profit over consumer safety, Arizona’s lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit comes as the company faces more than 12,000 similar lawsuits filed by women or their families that have been consolidated in a Chicago federal court as part of a multidistrict litigation proceeding, a procedure designed to more efficiently manage lawsuits filed in multiple jurisdictions.

A spokesperson for L’Oreal USA said the company is confident in the safety of its products and believes the claims are without legal or scientific merit.

The products, which have been marketed under the names Dark and Lovely, Optimum and other brands, promise to permanently straighten textured hair.

The first lawsuits hit the docket after the 2022 release of a study done by the National Institutes of Health that found women who used the products several times a year were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer.

L’Oreal’s spokesperson said Friday the study made no finding of a causal connection between the use of those products and any conditions alleged by the plaintiffs.

The lawsuits seek damages to compensate the women for their pain and suffering and economic damages for medical bills and the cost of the products, among other things.

The lawsuits name L’Oreal, as well as Revlon and other makers of the products. Revlon has also denied a connection between cancer and the products.

Originally published in Dawn, September 12th, 2026

Directed by Francesco Carrozzini, Be Brave combines genuine interviews and archive footage with AI-generated video so convincing that viewers will likely struggle to realise many sequences are not real.

Concern over AI’s impact on creativity and jobs in the entertainment industry has loomed large over Venice, with several filmmakers and actors, including George Clooney, warning of the risks posed by the rapidly evolving technology.

Diesel risk taker

Be Brave producer Lorenzo Mieli acknowledged those concerns but said the industry needed to engage with AI rather than reject it outright.

“We need to regulate it, control it, prevent exploitation and prevent the disappearance of professions. But we also need to understand it very well,” he told reporters, adding that he hoped it would ultimately become just another artistic tool.

Rosso, who grew up in rural northeastern Italy, built Diesel from a small denim company into one of fashion’s most recognisable brands, establishing a reputation as a businessman who thrived on disruption and risk-taking.

“I’ve had a pretty crazy life. I’ve done some incredible things. (But) I wasn’t interested in making a film about my life, and I wasn’t interested in telling everyone how great or how cool I am,” Rosso said.

However, describing himself as a technology enthusiast, he said he embraced the idea for the documentary when he heard it would rely on AI.

“I thought, wow. This is me,” he said. “I like doing things before everybody else,” he added, recalling that he had been among the first Italian entrepreneurs to adopt tools such as fax machines and e-commerce.

Childhood brought to life

The film recreates periods of Rosso’s life for which no footage still exists, including scenes from his childhood.

“There were no images of me when I was little,” he said. “It brought tears to my eyes seeing myself as a child speaking.”

Carrozzini said AI had been used throughout the documentary, including scenes where the older Rosso had apparently appeared in flesh and bone. “Not a single frame of Renzo was filmed for this documentary,” he said.

However, interviews with the likes of fashion editor Anna Wintour and designer John Galliano are actual filmed conversations set against stylised or retouched backdrops.

Rosso rejected suggestions that the technology would eventually replace designers and artists.

“Creativity is absolutely not replaced by the machine,” he said. “Human beings remain fundamental.”

Be Brave is screening out of competition at the Venice Film Festival, which ends on Saturday.

And its estimated worth? Somewhere between $150,000 and $300,000.

Princess Diana’s black off-the-shoulder silk gown, designed by Christina Stambolian, was considered too daring for a working royal — so daring that Diana owned it for years without ever wearing it.

Then, in 1994, she finally dusted it off for a Vanity Fair event on the exact same night that her estranged husband, then-Prince Charles, publicly confessed to having an affair. The rest, as they say, is history.

Since then, it’s been known as the ‘revenge dress’ and this year, it will headline a standalone fashion evening auction at Sotheby’s in New York on December 9.

Princess Diana’s ‘revenge dress’ remains one of the most recognisable fashion moments of the 20th century, with its image endlessly reproduced in media.

Since then, “revenge dressing” has entered the modern fashion lexicon as shorthand for an outfit chosen to project confidence and independence, according to Sotheby’s.

The auction house remembers it as a moment that “transformed our understanding of what fashion can communicate”.

“Before social media, before celebrity images could circle the globe in seconds, Diana created an original viral fashion moment simply by stepping out of a car. She did not need to explain herself. She simply appeared, and the world watched,” Sotheby’s explains.

Before arriving in New York, though, the dress will tour London, Hong Kong and Geneva, according to Vogue.

Galliano, who was found guilty of anti-Asian and anti-semitic abuse by a French court in 2011, said he was thankful to the institution for honouring him with the dedication, but that he wouldn’t want the controversy surrounding him to “place the Met in a difficult position”.

“I remain fully accountable for the pain caused by my words in the past, particularly the hurt I caused to the Jewish and Asian communities and I remain deeply sorry.”

The designer said he understood he couldn’t atone for his actions meaningfully “through an exhibition, institutional recognition or a single public gesture”. He said it was a “continuing responsibility demonstrated through listening, learning and one’s conduct over time”.

Galliano thanked the Met’s CEO Max Hollein, the exhibition’s curator in-charge Andrew Bolton and Met trustee Anna Wintour for “their generosity, humanity and belief in the importance of fashion as art, culture and history”.

Hollein said Galliano and the team at the Met “have together decided not to proceed with the exhibition”.

Bolton said he believed “deeply in the responsibility of museums to examine difficult histories with rigour, candour and care”, but he also recognised “the pain and concern this exhibition has caused”. The curator said he supported the decision to call the exhibition off.

Wintour expressed her support for Galliano, saying, “John’s decision that the exhibition devoted to his work should not take place at this time is very courageous and a measure of the man he is.”

The exhibition, titled John Galliano: Horizons, was set to run at the Met’s campus on New York’s Fifth Avenue from May 9, 2027.

It chronicled the designer’s four-decade career in fashion from his 1984 graduation collection in London through his work with Givenchy and Christian Dior, to his later tenure at Maison Margiela and his critically acclaimed spring/summer 2024 collection.

It also explored Galliano’s struggles with addiction and his racist and anti-semitic outbursts in 2010 and 2011.

Cover photo: AFP

The event’s first edition showcased the work of 37 designers and, according to the organisers, generated interest from customers from over 100 countries.

The idea behind the event is to designer collections available to customers on LAAM’s digital platform immediately after pieces are displayed on a live-streamed runway. This give Pakistani brands the ability to take their work to a truly global audience.

In June, it issued a call and opened registrations for designers designers to join the event.

The first edition of LFW featured designers Ali Xeeshan, Amir Adnan, Ammar Belal, Deepak Perwani, Élan, Fahad Hussayn, Feeha Jamshed, Generation, HSY, Huma Adnan, Hussain Rehar, Karma, Khaadi, Mahgul, Meeras by Nilofer Shahid, Mohsin Naveed Ranjha, Nomi Ansari, Rizwan Beyg, Saira Shakira, Sania Maskatiya, Shamaeel Ansari, Teejays, The House of Kamiar Rokni, Wardha Saleem, Zaheer Abbas and Zainab Chottani.

The event was live-streamed in over 120 countries, with all collections available for immediate purchase or booking via the LAAM app, including couture orders accompanied by free shipping. This seamless link between runway and retail highlighted a model with the potential to contribute meaningfully to Pakistan’s creative economy.

She announced the news on her Instagram account on Thursday, saying she was “incredibly humbled, grateful and honoured”.

“To have the opportunity to continue serving this organisation and, most importantly, to help shape the journey of the women who will carry Pakistan onto the global stage is a responsibility I will never take lightly!”

Thanking Miss Universe franchise owner Josh Yugen for “believing in me, trusting me and giving me the opportunity to continue being part of something I care so deeply about”, Riaz said she was incredibly excited for the upcoming chapter.

“Here’s to a new chapter, bigger dreams, louder voices and taking Pakistan to the universe,” she wrote in her caption.

The announcement was made in the Philippines, where the new Miss Universe Pakistan was also crowned. Misbah Arshad will be the fourth woman to represent Pakistan on the Miss Universe stage when she heads to Puerto Rico later this year for the 75th Miss Universe pageant.

Riaz spoke to Images before heading to the Philippines about her journey and what she hoped to see in her successor. She said representing Pakistan on the global stage was “the biggest honour and responsibility of my life”.

In its announcement on Friday, the Met said the exhibition, titled John Galliano: Horizons, would be the first to “examine the full breadth of his creative output” using “garments, accessories, sketches, toiles, research books, and archival materials” drawing extensively from the Costume Institute’s collection — the largest of its kind in the world.

The exhibition will examine Galliano’s work stretching from his 1984 graduation collection in London through his work with Givenchy and Christian Dior, to his later tenure at Maison Margiela and his critically acclaimed spring/summer 2024 collection.

The show will also look at the darker elements of Galliano’s past, including his struggle with addiction and two incidents of racist and anti-semitic abuse in 2010 and 2011 that landed him in legal trouble and got him fired from Dior.

Marina Kellen French Director and CEO Max Hollein said, “John Galliano has exerted a profound influence on fashion over the past four decades. His work brings historical inquiry, artistic imagination, theatrical expression, and technical experimentation into dynamic relation. Drawing upon the depth of The Costume Institute’s scholarship and the breadth of the Met’s collections, John Galliano: Horizons will offer an expansive examination of his creative practice while attending closely to the historical, cultural and ethical circumstances through which his work is understood.”

The show will be divided into three sections — Bearings, Horizons and Atlas of Transformation. The first will have a chronological telling of his career and will address his racist and anti-semitic actions. It will also shine light on his fight with addiction and public acknowledgement of his actions.

The second segment will focus on his sources of inspiration — history, geography, art, storytelling and performance — and look at how his work blends many of these sources together.

The last section will trace Galliano’s creative process based on the wealth of material in the Costume Institute’s collection. His research books, sketches and fittings will take centre stage to show how the designer brought his imagination to life.

“[It] approaches fashion as a form of cartography, mapping not territories but affinities, tensions, and transformations. It traces how images become ideas, ideas become material and material becomes emotion,” said Andrew Bolton, the curator of the exhibition.

“Yet a horizon reveals not only what lies before us, but also where we stand. The exhibition therefore considers both how Galliano has remapped the world through fashion and how his conduct, its consequences and changing cultural, values have reshaped our understanding of his work,” he said.

Vogue’s Anna Wintour said there was “no one more deserving of an exhibition of this scale than John Galliano”. She said he was “a great designer and his career isn’t defined by a moment”, even if it was “something that he will live with for the rest of his life”.

John Galliano: Horizons will run at the Met’s campus on New York’s Fifth Avenue from May 9, 2027 to January 9, 2028.

The Academy Award-winning actor plays the queen of Sparta in Christopher Nolan’s new film The Odyssey. Her costume for the role included pieces made by Pakistani artist Misha Japanwala, who posted about it on Instagram on Monday.

Speaking to W Magazine, costume designer Ellen Mirojnick — whose work on Nolan’s Oppenheimer earned her an Oscar nod — said they “really had to get down to the realism” of the character and it was Nyong’o who suggested they bring on Japanwala.

The artist created an asymmetrical neck and shoulder plate in bronze, which was worn by the actor like a capelet over her gown in a scene where Helen and her husband King Menelaus (Jon Bernthal) host Odysseus’ son Telemachus (Tom Holland) in Sparta.

Mirojnick described the piece as “a broken statue.”

Another piece Japanwala created for the film was a bronze choker that Nyong’o wore with a chainmail kaftan in the scene where Helen and Menelaus bid Telemachus farewell.

Mirojnick said she was initially hesitant to ask the actor to wear the outfit due to its weight, but Nyong’o replied, “I’ve worn more pounds of Chanel pearls. I think I could do that.”

Nyong’o and Japanwala have known each other for some time now, with the artist making the actor a custom breastplate for the 2023 Tony Awards.

Nyong’o was also a guest at Japanwala’s wedding in Karachi in 2022 and borrowed a sari and jewellery from the artist for opening night of the musical version of Indian director Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding.

The custom silk tie was by New York-based Indian menswear designer Aahan Tandon, who also shared the news on his Instagram page.

The tie featured the distinctive geometrical shapes synonymous with ajrak in light blue and red. Ajrak, the form of block-printing indigenous to Sindh, can also be found in India, particularly among the Khatri community in Gujarat’s Kutch.

In Pakistan, we’re well aware of how important ajrak is to Sindhis.

While speaking about this importance, Nandita Bhavnani, the Indian author of Sindhnama, said, “Today, the Ajrak of Sindh has become a symbol of cultural identity: it is Sindh’s signature textile.”

The film The Odyssey features a star-studded cast, including Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Elliot Page, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Lupita Nyong’o, Himesh Patel and Mia Goth, among many others. An adaptation of the ancient Greek epic poem, the film follows Odysseus as he embarks on a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca following the Trojan war.

The film released in cinemas around the world on July 17.

The pieces were made from a pair of gold medallions discovered in Iran in 1947, which are estimated to be 3,000 years old. They were part of the Ziwiye hoard, a large collection of jewellery, ceramics and other artefacts, parts of which are housed in major museums across the globe.

As with anything over a century old from the region, quite a few questions arose.

Days after the pictures were first shared, people wanted to know how the pieces had made it to a private collection in London. Were they taken out of Iran in a less-than-proper way? Did the people whose culture they represented agree with how they were being used?

And perhaps most importantly, wasn’t it a bit on the nose for Zendaya to be using Iranian cultural heritage to promote an American film about a Greek legend at a time when the US and Iran were on opposite ends of the battlefield?

Some users on X said Zendaya was a repeat offender when it came to insensitivity in fashion after her outfit for another event promoting the film — a white gown from Italian fashion house Schiaparelli — was flown to London via private jet right after it had been shown on the runway at Paris Fashion Week.

Unfortunately, Zendaya is not the first celebrity to appropriate jewellery that mysteriously wound up in Western hands. In January, Margot Robbie promoted her film Wuthering Heights in Los Angeles while wearing the Taj Mahal diamond around her neck.

The diamond had little to do with the film, or its 18th-century setting, but it had everything to do with Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who had it made for his wife Nur Jahan.

That’s not even the worst case, which might be Cartier’s lending decisions surrounding the Patiala necklace, originally belonging to Maharaja Bhupinder Singh.

As per a report from India Today, the French jewellery house let Emma Chamberlain wear a part of the ornate necklace to the 2022 Met Gala, but refused a request from Diljit Dosanjh to wear it in 2026.

It’s bad enough that they didn’t let an Indian celebrity wear an Indian necklace, but it gets even worse when you realise Dosanjh’s Met Gala look was inspired by the Maharaja who owned it.

One could write a lengthy analysis on the YSL cascade skirt worn by Hania Aamir or Sajal Aly opting for Mo By Mohsin Tawasuli or the excitement of seeing Sajal and Hamza Sohail, a hit TV drama pair, at an event together but let’s focus on the purpose behind the launches: YSL Beauty and Armani Beauty operating from stores in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s buying power when it comes to international labels is limited, which is why these titans barely ever tilt their heads towards our soil. It’s exciting then that two major heavyweights have opened up in the local market, especially with star-studded launches calculated to generate plenty of hype.

But why have these launches only been visible on local social media portals and not on the brands’ official Instagram pages? Why are these stores not visible in the ‘Store Locator’ listings on the YSL Beauty or Armani Beauty official webpages?

One wondered if this was a collaboration similar to an organisation purchasing franchisee rights from a brand and launching it in a retail space. Or perhaps these launches were similar to how Harvey Nichols hosts major brands — for instance, Saint Laurent — with store-in-store immersive boutiques and beautifully curated installations.

A quick Google search shows that both YSL Beauty and Armani Beauty fall under the umbrella of L’Oreal Luxe, the luxury division within L’Oreal. The YSL Beauty and Armani Beauty stores in Dolmen Mall Lahore may be small with limited product lines, but evidently these stores are quite officially here in Pakistan.

Rija Khan, division manager at Eleganz Luxury Private Limited, L’Oreal Luxe’s official distributor in Pakistan, said, “The brands are here officially and while it takes time, the stores will be visible soon in the ‘Store Locator’ options on the official websites also. Teams from Paris and Dubai were also present at the event.”

She continued, “The official images and videos are still getting shortlisted and while I can’t confirm that they will be seen on the official Armani Beauty and YSL Beauty Instagram pages, they will be shared on the official L’Oreal Luxe social media portals, although I cannot confirm when.”

While the stores may have ‘launched’ in a big way just now, both the YSL Beauty and Armani Beauty stores in Dolmen Mall Lahore have actually been open since last year. Why plan out these events now?

“It takes research and extensive shortlisting with the global team’s approval necessary before any decision takes place. Even deciding on the celebrities who would be representing the brands at the launch took time and endless discussions, based on their reach and their personalities,” said Khan.

“YSL Beauty has a brand identity that is chic, bold and confident. All this resonates with Hania Aamir and just look at the kind of crowd that her presence managed to pull at the launch! Internationally, Dua Lipa is the brand’s Global Makeup and Fragrance Ambassador. We were searching for a Pakistani star with similar charisma and I think Hania fit perfectly,” she explained.

“Armani Beauty’s image is more confident and mature. Internationally, it is represented by celebrities like Cate Blanchett and Kendall Jenner. Sajal Aly’s stature as an actress and as a much-loved star was the best option for us.”

And why Hamza Sohail? “He is extremely popular and has been very successful in his recent dramas. He was a great choice too!”

If the team was looking for stars who would haul in endless social media attention, they collaborated with the right names. A heavy-duty lineup of models, influencers and Lahore’s social set was also seen at the launch. This crowd, avidly capturing the events’ details with their phones, brought in a lot of hype — although one wishes that more effort had been put into curating their looks rather than just sending them invites. Considering that it is being said that the videos and images from the brand launches might be shared on the L’Oreal Luxe social media portals, a more glamorously dressed crowd would have been impressive.

Now that the launches have wrapped up, one hopes to see the events also make a mark on the global map soon. Our stars are immensely talented, with fans all over the world. With Pakistani dramas’ audience mushrooming rapidly, their global reach is also growing. It would make one immensely proud to see Hania, Sajal, Hamza and the rest of the events’ entourage represented on the official pages of these major global brands.

Remember Mahira Khan on the official Cannes Film Festival red carpet back in 2018, representing L’Oreal Paris Pakistan Haircare as their official spokesperson in Pakistan? We need more such representation for our stars! Hopefully, soon.

Cover via Dolmen Mall Lahore/Instagram

Fans of the 69-year-old trailblazer, who retired in 2009, will be able to snap up artefacts ranging from sketches to one of his white work coats at an auction in Paris on Thursday that Margiela personally supervised.

But anyone hoping to learn more about one of the most enigmatic characters in fashion is likely to be disappointed, with the sale barely lifting the veil on the man behind the stripped-back brand of monochrome clothing.

“This sale is a creative act, and also a manifestation of his concept, his philosophy,” auctioneer Salome Pirson from Maurice Auction told AFP during a tour of the items.

“He’s giving the public the opportunity to discover his inner world, to touch his objects, to own his personal coat, but at the same time, he is the one who is most conspicuously absent,” she added.

More than 3,000 people have lined up to see the collection featuring a prototype of one of the face masks he obliged models to wear to avoid distracting from the clothes, or champagne corks from bottles drunk to celebrate with some of his earliest clients.

Other items include Barbie dolls used as mannequins and a purple velvet badge to raise awareness about AIDS, with a message reading “There is more action to be taken than to wear this badge but it is a good start.”

Margiela’s motivations for selling his personal items range from clearing out his storage to personally overseeing the dispersal of the items of fashion history to collectors and institutions.

“He is 69 years old, he has no heirs, and in one way, by organising this sale, he is arranging his own legacy by putting all the potential buyers who might be interested in competition with one another,” Pirson said.

Given his huge following in Japan, many Japanese buyers are expected to bid in the sale which will be held in-person and online. Museums and other institutions will also be competing.

Margiela was barely ever photographed, never gave media interviews, and shunned the industry convention adopted by most of his peers of taking a bow in public at the end of a catwalk show.

In a rare effort to engage with fans, he collaborated on a retrospective of his work held at the Palais Galliera museum in Paris in 2018.

The auction will also include Hermes items designed by Margiela while he worked as creative director at the French label from 1997-2003.

The items were all gifted to his late mother.

Years ago, I walked through the doors of the Istituto Marangoni Paris as a student, eager to learn, absorb everything around me and dream of building a career in the fashion industry. This time, I returned not as a student, but as a Pakistani celebrity stylist attending couture shows while also having the privilege of being invited back by my school to attend the current students’ fashion show and share my journey, experiences and advice with the next generation of creative minds.

That invitation became one of the most meaningful moments of my trip to Paris. Walking through those halls reminded me that careers are rarely linear. The dreams you quietly nurture as a student can eventually take you to places you never imagined — sometimes bringing you back to where they first began.

Haute Couture Week occupies a unique place in the fashion calendar. Unlike Paris Fashion Week, where designers present ready-to-wear collections intended for commercial production, Haute Couture Week represents the highest expression of craftsmanship.

Every piece is meticulously handcrafted, often requiring hundreds of hours of embroidery, draping and construction. Rather than simply setting trends, couture gives designers the freedom to push creative boundaries, transforming fashion into wearable art.

For stylists, attending Haute Couture Week is about far more than discovering what is next. It is an opportunity to study craftsmanship up close, understand the thinking behind each collection and experience how designers use clothing to tell stories. Those lessons inevitably influence the way we approach styling, creativity and visual storytelling.

What resonates with me most about haute couture is the way it blurs the line between life and art. The most memorable collections aren’t simply beautiful garments — they reflect emotion, culture, nature and the world around us. That idea of life and art constantly influencing one another is something I deeply connect with, both personally and professionally. As a stylist, I’m always drawn to fashion that tells a story or evokes a feeling rather than simply following a trend, and Haute Couture Week is a reminder that the most powerful creativity often comes from observing life itself.

Beyond the breathtaking craftsmanship on the runway, what fascinated me most was the atmosphere surrounding each show: the anticipation outside the venues, the conversations between editors, buyers, stylists and creatives, and the collective appreciation for fashion as an art form. Every presentation offers a different perspective on storytelling, technique and innovation.

One of the collections that left the strongest impression on me was Iris van Herpen. Her work continues to blur the boundaries between fashion, nature, science and technology, creating silhouettes that feel almost otherworldly while remaining incredibly refined.

Seeing those pieces move in person gave me an even greater appreciation for how innovation and craftsmanship can coexist. It reminded me that fashion can be both technically extraordinary and deeply emotional.

For the Iris van Herpen show, I wanted my own look to feel true to my identity as a Pakistani stylist while also speaking to the sculptural language of Couture Week. I chose a burgundy Studio by ZSJ ensemble with voluminous organza balloon trousers and a structured blazer — a balance of movement, craftsmanship and modern tailoring.

The decision wasn’t simply about wearing a beautiful outfit. Couture Week is a global conversation about creativity and craftsmanship, and there is something incredibly meaningful about bringing work from our region into those spaces.

The hand embroidery and attention to detail in this look are reminders that exceptional artistry isn’t limited by geography. I love being able to showcase Pakistani designers on an international stage and celebrate the talent that exists within our fashion industry.

The Stéphane Rolland show offered a completely different perspective on couture. His collection celebrated precision, sculptural tailoring and timeless elegance, proving that restraint can often be just as powerful as embellishment.

Every look demonstrated an incredible understanding of proportion and construction, reinforcing that couture is as much about confidence and craftsmanship as it is about spectacle.

I was proud to also be wearing another homegrown Pakistani brand, Baro Studio, for the Stéphane Rolland show, continuing to celebrate the talent and creativity emerging from our region.

One of my biggest takeaways from Couture Week is that true innovation doesn’t always come from creating something entirely new. Sometimes, it comes from reimagining familiar techniques through a different lens. Whether it’s experimenting with silhouettes, elevating craftsmanship or embracing stronger storytelling through fashion, these are ideas I hope to continue exploring in my own work as a stylist. They also reaffirm my belief that the artistry of Pakistani designers, artisans and embroiderers deserves to be part of the global fashion conversation.

Fashion has given me the opportunity to work across Pakistan, India and the UAE, but returning to Paris reminded me why I fell in love with this industry in the first place. It isn’t only about beautiful clothes — it’s about creativity, culture, craftsmanship and the people who inspire you along the way.

Looking back, these past few days weren’t simply about attending couture shows. They were about coming full circle: returning to the city where my journey began, representing Pakistan on an international stage, reconnecting with my roots as a student and leaving with fresh inspiration for everything that comes next.

The label unveiled a special football incorporating the different techniques that give Pakistani fashion its signature touch. We wouldn’t exactly take it out for a field test, but it’s gorgeous to look at.

In its Instagram post announcing the project on July 7, Rastah said the idea emerged three weeks ago when the team asked, “What if we made a football entirely by hand?”

It explained that they wanted to use “techniques our artisans have spent decades mastering” like ajrak block printing, hand embroidery and embellishment.

The ball features different fabric and brocades, with pearl embroidery tracing the borders of the fabric.

The team at Rastah said it was “one of the most technically demanding pieces we’ve ever made”, but there was “something poetic about it”.

They explained their inspiration came from Pakistani craftspeople who have made millions of footballs for FIFA tournaments over the years, including the ones used in the ongoing World Cup. These craftspeople, the team said, “are rarely part of the story”.

Some of the FIFA World Cup balls are made in Sialkot for Adidas. It began supplying footballs to international markets in the 1950s, and the industry has only grown since.

This project was a homage to them in Rastah’s own language. It was also a tribute to the brand’s “artisans who continue to preserve centuries-old techniques” and “a country whose manufacturing excellence has quietly shaped the world’s biggest sporting moments”.

The post said the project was driven by the belief that “tradition doesn’t belong behind glass; it can evolve, experiment, and become something entirely new”.

Through it’s colourful take on streetwear and Pakistani crafts, Rastah has made Pakistan proud a number of times, becoming the first Pakistani brand to showcase at London Fashion Week and winding up in the wardrobes of A-list celebrities such as Justin Bieber and Timothée Chalamet.

“This is Wimbledon! You’ve got to dress up,” Jari Hedman, 65, said with a smile.

The Finnish tennis coach had bought an Italian-made white linen suit for the occasion, paired with a navy blue jacket and a flourish of colour with an orange tie.

He had picked the “classy” attire “in honour of the tournament”, Hedman told AFP.

The Wimbledon tennis championships, which runs from June 29 to July 12 this year and is the oldest of the Grand Slam tournaments, will celebrate its 150th anniversary next year.

The royals are regular attendees, especially Princess Kate, who is often praised for her elegant fashion choices.

Ahead of the tournament, the BBC published an article on “etiquette” or unwritten rules for attendees, while other newspapers chimed in with fashion tips.

“With its mix of royalty, A-listers and diehard fans, Wimbledon always has a sense of occasion, so why not make an effort?” advised The Times.

And what should one wear to the stands? “White, white, white. And light colours,” said Lucie Ta, a 29-year-old engineer from Prague. She was wearing a long white dress with black polka dots, a white jacket slung over her arm in case the weather cooled.

Anne Freeman, an American from Houston, donned a pearl-coloured floral dress and a sleek Panama hat. “It’s a way to be respectful of the tradition,” she said.

‘Insight’ into UK’s past

Wimbledon has the strictest dress code in the circuit for players, who are required to wear “suitable tennis attire that is almost entirely white” from “the point at which the player enters the court surround”.

“White does not include off-white or cream,” the dress code dictates.

The rules are rooted in the sport’s aristocratic history, with white the colour of choice for hiding sweat stains, which were considered improper. Players have found ways, both subtle and unconventional, to bring their individual style to court within the dress code.

Japan’s Naomi Osaka, known for her flamboyant outfits, arrived on Monday in a kimono-inspired white dress with embroidered motifs of cranes and cherry blossoms, by Japanese designer Hana Yagi.

She paired the outfit with a traditional kanzashi hair ornament featuring white flowers before removing both to reveal a white Nike dress.

Osaka revealed she had the idea for the outfit after watching the Quentin Tarantino film Kill Bill.

“I think about my cultures, my heritage, which is Japanese and Haitian. Then if I dive deeper into like Japanese culture, I think about the most iconic silhouette, which for me is a kimono,” she said.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic wore a white Lacoste jacket with a green trimming, which, according to the brand, was inspired by those worn by “great champions” — including Rene Lacoste — in the 1920s.

Going to Wimbledon is “fascinating” as it gives “an insight into what the past of British society looked like,” according to Daniel-Yaw Miller, a sports and fashion journalist.

The grass-court tournament “always was seen as a social scene” like the Ascot horse races, explained Elizabeth Wilson, who has penned a book on the history of tennis.

“Therefore people wanted to dress up, to look smart,” she added.

In the 1950s, women wore formal hats, while in the 60s, they still wore gloves. “It has got very much more relaxed,” said Wilson.

While spectators can dress however they like, Wimbledon still has a “very distinct aesthetic” and very “revered traditions,” said Miller. “I think the athletes and the fans really buy into the fact that it is unique.”

Miller, a British man living in New York, enjoys comparing Wimbledon and the US Open: “You go from the most English thing imaginable to the most American thing imaginable in every sense of the word.”

The US Open feels like “one big party,” with entertainment, where it’s sometimes even “hard to focus” on the tennis. When he attended the Grand Slam across the pond, he wore shorts and a T-shirt. For Wimbledon, however, he opted for a polo shirt and smart trousers.

In a press release, the organisers said they wished to continue their “mission to create a stronger, more connected, and commercially meaningful platform for Pakistani fashion”.

This comes after the event’s first edition showcased the work of 37 designers and, according to the organisers, generated interest from customers from over 100 countries.

The idea behind the event is to designer collections available to customers on LAAM’s digital platform immediately after pieces are displayed on a live-streamed runway. This give Pakistani brands the ability to take their work to a truly global audience.

Talking about the upcoming edition of LFW, LAAM co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Arif Iqbal said, “LAAM Fashion Week was created to make Pakistani fashion more accessible, measurable and globally connected. The first edition showed us what is possible when creativity, commerce and technology come together with purpose. LFW2 is about taking that vision forward with greater scale, stronger integration and a deeper commitment to positioning Pakistani fashion on the global stage.”

Amir Iqbal, the brand’s chief operating officer, said, “What made the first edition important was not just the showcase, but what happened after it. Designers were able to reach new audiences, engage customers directly and see their collections move from the runway into real commercial opportunity, With LFW2, our focus is making the platform even more structured, more commercially effective and more meaningful for every brand and designer that participates.”

While further details on the programme, dates, venues and partners haven’t been announced yet, the organisers have called for interested “fashion brands, designers, retail labels, manufacturing brands and emerging creative voices from across Pakistan” to register for the event.

From summery yellows to cool lavenders, we love seeing fashion shine on Eid and this year is no different.

Lemon yellow

Hina Altaf chose a kurta shalwar set by Talha Batla in a butter yellow. The silk outfit was complemented by a pair of statement heels in green.

Kubra Khan also chose to wear yellow, though hers was a lighter shade. Her Wajahat Mansoor outfit featured sequined butterflies on the top and appeared to be paired with a sharara of the same colour.

Cool lavender

Amna Baber kept it simple in a lavender kurta from Cross Stich paired with an organza dupatta and wide-legged pants with lace detailing.

Maya Ali wore a lavender outfit from her own line featuring an almost-halter-top with silver detailing. The long kameez was paired with chooridar.

Sadaf Kanwal wore a floral lavender outfit from Faiza Saqlain. Her floral shirt was paired with a lavender shalwar and two-tone dupatta.

Baby pink

Areeba Habib wore a silky pink outfit by Erum Jamal. The kameez featured silver embroidery along the front, sides and sleeves, and Habib paired it with silver bangles and dramatic earrings.

Resham (and her niece) donned matching pink outfits by The Pink Tree Company. Their peshwas featured lavender and mint green blockprint patterns.

What were your favourite looks this year?