Nabila gets set to style Manish Malhotra’s show in Doha

Nabila once told me, “If I have ever not been happy with the way things are going, I realign my life, set new targets and change the way things are altogether.”

Her three decades long career is earmarked with plenty of instances when she’s shifted gears, taken hold of the wheel and steered life to work her way. I could eulogise over how she’s built a successful salon business catering to both men and women, how her team is an inevitable mainstay at every major entertainment-based event and shoot in the country and how the Zero Makeup palette is a makeup must-have that many of us now can’t cope without.

But Nabila’s done more. In her own words, she’s been setting ‘new targets’. Zero Makeup is based in Dubai, retails online and is methodically being launched in various global markets. She dabbled on to international territory recently by becoming the official stylist for India’s acclaimed International Indian Film Awards (IFFA’s) and now, she’s getting set to do it again as the stylist for Indian designer Manish Malhotra’s upcoming show in Qatar.

The show has been organised with Fashion Weekend International (FWI2018), a brand that is being launched this year, highlighting Doha as its first ‘destination’. There’s bound to be plenty of hype surrounding the show for Manish Malhotra is world renowned.

Also, a show by him promises some heavy duty star power. For this particular show, Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan has been enlisted to be his showstopper.

Will Nabila be styling the actress? That’s not for sure – but knowing how accomplished and professional her team is, it’s good to see them enhancing their global footprint. While Manish’s label itself may be based in India, he caters to clientele around the world and consequently, Nabila’s involvement as the official stylist is bound to be noticed not just in India but truly around the world.

Fauzia Vohra of FAB Entertainment, the organiser of FWI2018, elaborates, “Manish Malhotra and Nabila are both iconic names with a global following. A similar profile of people form the target audience of FWI2018, Destination Doha. We also have overseas guests flying into Doha specifically for FWI18...”

Given that Manish Malhotra frequently takes part in international shows and there must be particular teams of stylists that he works with regularly, how did Nabila come on board for this particular show? Nabila says that it must have been via “word of mouth”. “We don’t advertise so I have to assume that we have been selected on merit for the good work that we consistently produce. For this particular show, I will certainly be keeping Manish’s vision intact, taking into consideration the aesthetics of Arab women and then, adding in my own sensibility and taking it all a notch higher.”

What could styling this show, only a few months after her tryst at the IIFA’s, mean for team Nabila? “It’s just great for my team’s confidence, exposure and clientele,” she says. “I am very happy to provide the vision and platform to my team so that we can work together and achieve new international heights.”

Manish Malhotra couldn’t be reached since, as per his buzzing Instagram feed, he’s traveling the world until, come 5th October, he’ll land in Doha and get a taste of that fabulous Nabila aesthetic that we all know so well.