Life style

Pakistan experience of how fashion became a battleground

Published

3 years ago

2022/02/6

The renaissance of fashion is a sign of women’s growing independence, and has fueled the religious right’s ire, a recent article in the Guardian revealed. Excerpts:

In the luxurious surroundings of a top hotel, a parade of glamorous, impossibly slim women walk with gazelle-like grace down the catwalk. Bare midriffs and legs are proudly displayed in intricately embroidered golden fabrics, and there isn’t a veil in sight. This is Pakistan Fashion Week, the jewel in the country’s haute couture crown and an unrivalled glimpse into a creative industry that has surged in recent years. There’s just one thing that’s not quite as you might expect: Pakistan Fashion Week is not in Karachi or Islamabad but in London.

“The religious identity that is given to our country to some extent precedes the cultural identity. Many things that are beautiful in our culture are often suppressed and not prominent to their full extent at times,” says the fashion designer Fahad Hussayn. “There is a clash between the religious right and the cosmopolitan youth.”

In Pakistan itself, the location of fashion shows is rarely publicized in advance and they are subject to strict security measures, meaning that they tend to be held in Europe and Dubai.

The industry has become a battleground between the religious right, desperate to maintain its influence, and the growing strength of young people, particularly the burgeoning middle classes, with women at the forefront of the battle for Pakistan’s cultural identity.

“It’s sad to see the kind of image that Pakistan has in the west. It’s a country that’s full of art, music and creativity and there are lots of talented people here that nobody gets to hear about.

“All we hear about is the political turmoil and the religious issues. Everyone thinks it’s all bombs and burqas,” says Adnan Ansari, the celebrity make-up artist and fashion entrepreneur who eight years ago set up Pakistan Fashion Week (in fact just a weekend, held at the London Hilton on Park Lane).

“People think the women are very oppressed, but we have a very strong cultural identity which is represented by our clothes. It’s not so much about projecting a positive image, but more a case of projecting a real image of what we are.”

The renaissance of Pakistani fashion in the past five years has been the result of a seismic cultural shift where women are becoming more educated and independent with increased access to opportunities in the work place, and many are expressing their new-found socio-cultural freedom and economic power through fashion.

Much of this has been fuelled by the boom in social media – to the chagrin of the religious conservatives who feel they are being influenced more by the Kardashians than the Qur’an.

Fashion accounts for nearly 20% of the country’s exports, and with social media influencers hungry for the next big thing western stars are looking east for inspiration: the supermodel Gigi Hadid hit the headlines in August when she posted a picture of herself on Instagram wearing a traditional Pakistani outfit from the brand Almirah.

“Young women in Pakistan are more educated, well-travelled and independent than ever before,” says Ansari. “Middle-class women are very career-orientated and their spending power is very strong. They are very influenced by western media like Netflix and what they see online.”

The liberal attitude has filtered from the catwalk into colleges via Instagram with many young women choosing to forgo the traditional Pakistani shalwar kameez consisting of tunic and loose trousers for jeans and western styles. Consequently the fashion industry has attracted the ire of the increasingly vocal religious conservatives who see this cultural shift as a threat to their authority.

“Fashion is criticized in our part of the world, where some parts of society are more conservative,” says the designer, Asim Jofa, who is considered the Pakistani equivalent of Gianni Versace, thanks to his regal and geometric embroidery. “Society is becoming more liberal and women are driving this. This change is reflected in our fashion, but it is going to be contentious for some conservatives because it shows their power is waning.”

Sometimes the clash in visions proves more than just contentious. Qandeel Baloch, a model who was regularly targeted for her controversial fashion choices, was murdered by her brother in 2016. Her death came after she revealed that she had a flirtatious meeting with a cleric.

“People want change to come because the religious extremists don’t allow you to feel safe. It is very scary and painful and there is a real divide. Everyone is sick of it,” says the model, Hira Shah, 25. “Pakistan is changing a lot though and if we are going to change mindsets, we have to be strong.”

The trend towards more cosmopolitan fashion is part of a cycle. “Pakistani fashion was very liberal in the 60s and early 70s, but there was a real crackdown on women under General Zia, who stamped a very Islamic-focused identity on Pakistan. Women’s bodies were policed through Sharia law and through the media. This started to change in the 90s, but even today there is still the tension between the religious conservatives and the image of women,” said Amina Yaqin, a senior lecturer in post-colonial studies at SOAS.

“The tension you see now is that women are taking a stance and want the freedom to wear what they want, but it is not freely available to all women because of a complex network of systems such as class, economic mobility and honour issues.

“The new generation from the middle classes are fed up and don’t want to be restricted, and as they become more visible it starts to matter to them. The question is whether this power is real or just being offered for consumption by the fashion industry.”(Guardian)

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Life style

Emirates marks a significant milestone

Published

7 days ago

2025/05/18

Thilina Walpola

Introducing A 350 on Colombo route

It was a breathtaking afternoon when Emirates welcomed the Sri Lankan media and industry leaders aboard its Airbus 350 to offer a taste of Emirates luxury travel experience recently.

This marked a significant milestone introducing an exciting new dimension in air travel to and from the destination of Colombo .

This aircraft combines next generation cabin design and exceptional passenger comfort paired with outstanding onboard services . Speaking to the media and industrial leaders, Esa Sulaiman Ahamed Senior Vice President West Asia and Indian Ocean Commercial Operations at Emirates said this new aircraft will bring a fresh experience to the Sri Lankan travellers. We’ve been in the market for 30 years, and he reaffirmed thier dedication to boost regional connectivity and tourism by deploying the A350 on the Colombo route. He highlighted that the introduction of A350 the largest aircraft in the Emirates fleet,to the Colombo route was a significant milestone

Emirates created a benchmark in air travelrecently by presenting the first experience on the Colombo Dubai route the A 350 which will now operate six days a week.

Emirates Premium economy was quite a luxury with interiors in cream coloured leather and wood panelling similar to the Business Class. The elegant cream and bronze cabin was accented with the significant ghaf tree motif Each 195 inch seat was designed to provide maximum comfort and supported with six way adjustable headrests and a generous recline.

Each seat has a wide screen, in addition to in seat charging points and a wood finished side cocktail table One of the hostesses gave the media an insight into the premium class dining experience. She said “There is a welcome drink served in fine glassware and a selection of meals made with seasonal ingredients served on Royal Doultan Cliver tableware with stainless cutlery. Premium economy customers are also offered an extended list of beverages she added. She highlighted its advanced features ,including mood lighting,noise reduction technology and the airlines award winning inflight entertainment system

The Emirates A350 aircraft offers three cabin classes with 32 next generation business class seats, 21 premium economy and 259 economy class seats.

This airline also showcased the latest in cabin innovation and all in all what we saw was maximum customer comfort. The other notable features included a newly designed more comfortable economy class ,upgraded business class and premium economy cabins with ultra responsive touchscreen, extra high quality high ceilings with wider aisles in all classes and faster wi-fi with uninterrupted across all A350 destinations all designed to make every journey a blend of style, comfort and sophiticated elegance. We were infomed that Emirates has 65 A350s joining its fleet in the years to come.

Emirates began operation in Sri Lanka in April 1986 and they have always supported the country’s tourism and expat industries with passenger and cargo services.

By Zanita Careem

: The cabin crew

: Second from left Deputy Airport Services Manager, Ornella Fernando,Management trainee Sharifa Almemari, Emirates senior VIP Commercial Operations, West Asia and Indian Ocean Esa Sulaiman A hmed, Country Manager Sri Lanka and Maldives, Rashid Al Ardha and Airport Services Manager Saleem Al Mansoori

Life style

Behind the sparkle

Published

7 days ago

2025/05/18

Thilina Walpola

Nabeela Yaseen, founder of Stoned Jewellery shares her creative journeyfrom design inspiration to building a popular brand of her own Her exotic pieces of jewellery on display reflected her artistry and passion that defines her brand.

Nabeela Yaseen

Recently she had an exclusive Mother’s Day celebration with a display of her Stoned Jewellery collection at The Design Collective situated at Kirillapone . On display, were jewellery zones of beautifully crafted intricate jewellery with memory making experiences The atmosphere and ambience that was created that evening were of beauty, gratitude and sparkle.

The concept of Stoned Jewellery was established in 2019 by Nabeela Yaseen. The celebrations for Mothers Day at the Design Collective was titled “Get Mum Stoned” this dazzling soiree brought together great moments, a sense of camaraderie and of course a gemstone gift for every mum.

In true stoned style, the celebration that evening reflected individuality of each mother’s love to every daughteror son From customised keepsakes to heartfelt notes from their children, every gift was more than just a stone, but had a emotional story woven into it. There was also personalised jewellery zones where each mum received a gem stone with a momento in addition to memory making booths that turned emotions into tangible keepsakes,

We believe jewellery is more than an adornment, its connection, identity and magic have a powerful emotional appeal said Nabeela. This mothers’s day event event is our way of honouring the love of every mum said the founder. Stoned jewellery as told by Nabeela is a brand uprooted in emotion, individuality and conscious craftsmanship. Our designs are inspired by stones and stories . Our timeless pieces speak not just shine.

She stressed that the mission of the brand is to make every woman feel great in her own skin.

(ZC)

Pix by Thushara Attapathu

Life style

Saving Sri Lanka’s vanishing wild

Published

7 days ago

2025/05/18

Thilina Walpola

Nations Trust WNPS monthly lecture

Time is Running Out: Saving Sri Lanka’s vanishing wild from elephants to wildcats, from vanishing forests to fading oceans, and the silent extinction of endemics — Sri Lanka’s natural heritage is on the brink, and time is running out to save it lead by Prof. Sevvandi Jayakody, Prof. Enoka Kudavidanage, Prof Sampath Seneviratne and Jehan CanagaRetna,

Joined by project field researchers Gihani Hettiarachchi, Pavithra Attanayake, Thilina M. Kumarasiri and Upuli Madarasinghe 6 pm, Thursday, 22 May 2025, Jasmine Hall, BMICH

The WNPS calls on conservationists and changemakers to join a bold conversation about the future of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity.

Time is Running Out: Saving Sri Lanka’s Vanishing Wild

. This lecture will spotlight four critical, high-stakes conservation battles unfolding right now: the escalating Human-Elephant Conflict, the silent vanishing of Sri Lanka’s majestic wildcats, the urgent need for ecosystem restoration on land and sea, and the race against extinction for the country’s unique endemic species.

But this is no dry recital of facts. This will be a thought-provoking, no-holds-barred session that challenges, inspires, and empowers every participant. You’ll hear about real-world solutions driven by science, fieldwork, and community action — and most importantly, how you can be part of the fight.

This is not a lecture for the sidelines. It’s a rallying cry. Because when it comes to conservation in Sri Lanka, inaction is extinction.

The time to get involved, to act, to protect, and to restore, is now. Because for our wildlife, our forests, our oceans, and our children’s future — time really is running out.

Prof. Sevvandi Jayakody Chair of Sri Lanka’s National Mangrove Expert Committee and Marine Conservation Lead at WNPS, Sevvandi is a driving force behind blue carbon and mangrove restoration initiatives.

Prof. Enoka Kudavidanage

A respected conservation biologist and Co-Chair of the WNPS Wild Cats Subcommittee, she brings deep expertise in Sri Lanka’s ecosystem dynamics.

Prof. Sampath Seneviratne

Attached to the University of Colombo. He also is a research scientist, a forester, a conservationist, and a public communicator. He loves birding, tracking wildlife & planting.

Jehan CanagaRetna Immediate Past President of WNPS, Jehan is a seasoned conservation advocate. A passionate voice for human-elephant coexistence, Jehan chairs the WNPS HEC Subcommittee.

With sharing of insights from the field work on key conservation initiatives Gihani Hettiarachchi Project Coordinator researching human-wildlife coexistence, Gihani leads leopard conservation efforts with a people-focused approach through WNPS–LOLC.

Pavithra Attanayake Senior Executive at WNPS PLANT

, Pavi drives science-based, community-led ecosystem restoration and education with over eight years’ experience.

Thilina M. Kumarasiri Biologist and MPhil researcher,

Thilina leads mangrove restoration work, championing blue carbon ecosystem conservation in Sri Lanka.

Upuli Madarasinghe Field officer at the HEC Centre,

Upuli bridges communities and conservation, pioneering grassroots solutions to human-elephant conflict.

This lecture will be held on 22nd May g-et inspired by science, stories from the field, and real-world solutions. Be part of the change — before time runs out

The lecture is supported by Nations Trust Bank and is open to both members and non members, Entrance Free