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ISLAMABAD: Dubai and Pakistan have a lot in common: a Muslim majority, a hot climate and a love of Pakistani fashion designers. When it comes to style, however, the two countries have very different approaches. Arab News spoke to prominent Pakistanis in the fashion industry and asked them how Dubai style differs from Pakistani style.
Jahanara Amin Mir, lawyer, living in Dubai
“If we break it, when I wake up in Pakistan, my biggest struggle is how much skin can I show? In Dubai, that barrier doesn’t exist. The first thing I wake up to is ‘OK, how do I want to be? How to express yourself today?
I love going to a cafe and seeing someone in a robe over high-waisted pants and a crop top. I love that you can see a guy in a bikini and then next to that guy is a guy in a burkini swimming harmoniously in the same open water. As long as there is a little respect for the culture, Dubai is very lenient with what people dress.
If you want to see real style you can go to town in dubai on a thursday night and see how local women dress and see how much thought they put into their bags and shoes because that’s the only way they express themselves, If they are going to wear robes. The way they do their hair and nails is done with such attention to detail that you wouldn’t really pay attention to in other countries.
Dubai has a bad reputation when it comes to fashion, people think you have to wear designer clothes from head to toe, but that’s not true. It’s not superficial that strikes me, when I moved here I worked with people from Africa, Australia and Europe and their aesthetic came from their home country and that’s how beautiful and diverse and amazing their style is here place. It’s not uniform, it’s not one flavor.
In Pakistan, we don’t necessarily have that kind of diversity on our streets. What I love about Pakistani fashion is that people don’t take themselves so seriously, they’re just natural beauty, so they rock shalwar kameez, put on some kajol and light jewelry, that’s how they express themselves. When I go to Pakistan, my focus is on simplicity. The fun of Dubai is what I love about it. I can be simple if I want. If I wanted to, I could wear a low-key top and a dress and no one would really notice and pay attention because this is Dubai and the style here is free and colorful. “
Zahra Raza, founder of Luxury Boulevard and Popsicle Pop Up Concept, lives in Dubai
“Living in Dubai is the best of both worlds. Whether it’s food, culture or entertainment, you want it to be Eastern or Western. It’s very different from Pakistan in terms of safety, quality of life, and most importantly, laws that treat all expats People are the same.
The fashion in Dubai is unbelievable because you see all kinds of people and everyone is accepted with or without abaya. People are aware of new trends and are very fashion conscious with access to international luxury and high street brands. For me, who works full time, it’s easy to buy a suit for a work meeting, or just casual wear for coffee with friends. You work hard, but you have access to top restaurants, fashion stores, lifestyle products, quality cinemas, shopping malls and most importantly, safety. “
Sabah Malik, university graduate living in the UAE
“In Dubai, I find that you have to be on trend, or you’ll stand out for the wrong reasons. Dubai style is very ‘this outfit needs to be Instagram worthy.'” I feel like that’s a lot of people’s first stint when it comes to style. First things first, of course everyone has their own personal fashion preferences and their own unique taste, but I feel like it’s still “the same” if that makes sense. From what I’ve seen in Pakistan and from trendy Pakistani accounts on social media it’s more of a mix than a single “style”. Pakistanis are more of a ‘I want to wear this so I will’ mentality which I personally prefer, not everyone seems to be trying to compete or follow the latest trends and obviously dress the same as each other. “
Meeral Khan, Marketing Manager, lives in Dubai
“Fashion in Dubai has a huge mix of East and West. Even if you look at the abaya, you have the traditional abaya, and then people add style elements to their abaya, whether it’s through different sleeves or the pattern and design of the abaya itself. Generally speaking , in Pakistan, most people tend to wear clothing with regional characteristics, and the dressing culture in the West is not as good as that in Dubai.
I believe women in both countries place a lot of emphasis on their aesthetics and expression, and put a lot of emphasis on style through designer fashion, hair, and makeup.
Even home decor styles vary. There are two styles of Dubai, the opulent classic with a love of gold, and the ultra-modern look of being a new city. People also tend to update very quickly. Whereas in Pakistan it’s usually more subtle and you have more of a mix of modern and classic. Dubai is a land of experimentation, pushing the boundaries even further in terms of architecture and design. “
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