Shaan-e-Pakistan (SEP) started five years ago and now the institution has announced that for the sixth year there will be a fashion summit. Founder and CEO, Huma Nasr disclosed that the summit would take place in Lahore, Dubai and Karachi and it will be aired digitally for viewers all around the world.
Nasr said the first fashion summit or ‘phygital’ event of the country would have style icons, fashion maestros, models, aspiring students and other celebrities.
Nasr told the media: “I started with just 10 people beside me and now, we are a family of hundreds, resulting in a success story. We are entering into our sixth year, for which we are extremely excited. We have proved our mettle in music and this time around, we are working on fashion. Our aim is to bring forth ‘Shaan of Pakistan’”.
Talking about Asim Jofa and Deepak Perwani the founder confessed, “I don’t think I can do justice if they are not with me”.
She added, “In this summit, we aim to have a serious talk about some hidden topics that many shy away from. And we plan on having that conversation via these forerunners. They will tell us about their journeys, which would inspire the aspiring designers. They would divulge into a much-needed chat about the inside stories behind the curtains”.
She further added, “What I said might offend someone but to me, this topic would be extremely important. At the summit, we would love to share thoughts on nepotism and lobbying”.
“I think our combined goal should be to inspire people and polish hidden talent. And from what I have seen so far, whoever is gifted tends to do well anyway, whether it is in a film fraternity or drama industry. After Covid-19, we all should work together” Jofa said.
“The industry is at its knees as is. Small businesses were affected the most, some of them are shutting down. Whoever was able to survive was only because of their lean pockets. Politics are a part of every venture. So, to me what really matter is how we can flourish this industry. We should be talking about creative processes and what should be done for the betterment of the industry” he continued.
Perwani stated: “I completely concur with Asim. If you look at Shaan-e-Pakistan’s record, Huma Nassr has done some great work and managed to pull off the event rather well. She’s done some great work in Lahore and Delhi, trying to bridge the gap between countries. The new platform in Dubai is a brilliant idea as well”.
He added, “I believe fashion in this country is still very young. We only have 13, 14 years of retail. Before this, fashion brands were purely home-based and private. We have a long way to go. There will be changes – positive and negative – and we have to prepare ourselves for them. Then, there was pandemic as well but things go on. Let’s face the new year with a positive note”.
