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Khan is one of the most respected figures in South Asian fashion, with a career spanning four decades
The legendary Maheen Khan, Pakistan’s first womenswear designer, was in Dubai over the weekend to present her ‘The Complete Woman’ collection at the opening of her store in Boulevard One, Dubai’s design district.
Khan is one of the most respected figures in South Asian fashion, with a career spanning over four decades.
Maheen is to Pakistan what Rohit Khosla and Ritu Kumar are to India. Known as the “Coco Chanel of the East”, Maheen is a true Pakistani fashion pioneer, though it all happens by accident to her. In fact, in an earlier interview, she had said, “I’m humbled to realize that I’m the one who’s instigating this; that I’ve stepped into this muddy place called fashion by default. I dream Never imagined that my small initiative would grow into a multi-billion rupiah industry.”
From running a tailor shop in her garage in the 70s (which she christened “The Seamstress”) to working for the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, Princess Sawat Hassan and Princess Salima Aga Khan, among others From dressing the royals to designing costumes and embroidery for Hollywood movies like Elizabeth, From his appearances at Milan Fashion Week, Maheen’s fashion journey has been filled with accolades and inspiration.
But we asked if, for someone who’s been designing collections for decades, season after season, she never feels like she’s hit a dead end. Her reaction was quite unexpected.
“Creative thinking has no dead ends. It’s true in any creative field, not just fashion. If you’re driven by passion, you’ll always be ready for your next big thing. In those early days, I used to be in Worrying after delivering a wildly popular series, now, what do I do next? But with consistency, maturity and mastery of the skill, I figured it out. You can’t force creativity, you just let it in the process guide you.”
Maheen has invaluable information and experience in the world of fashion. We asked her how she’s ensuring it’s passed on to a new generation of designers, and what advice she has for them. “I believe a lot of designers suffer from this because they cannot strike a balance between art and business. If you give up your signature style and focus on commercial results, then you are making a huge compromise. If you Get too focused on yourself and don’t know what the needs are, and you’re not in touch with reality. One needs to find the right combination to be successful. In this field, you have to choose between fame and fortune, not necessarily both. Second, my advice to them is to travel and learn as much as you can. See it as an investment in yourself, no classroom will teach you what traveling and observing can teach you.”
Sadiq Saleem is an entertainment writer based in Dubai.He can be reached through his Insta-handle @sadiqidas
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