When we think of models in Pakistan, the renowned names — Nadia Hussain, Sunita Marshall, Iraj Manzoor, Tooba Siddiqui, and Mehreen Syed — immediately cross our minds. Apart from the similarity of these women proudly holding the title of ‘supermodel’ another unity exists in the fact that these women have been in the industry for over a decade, confirming one thing for sure that there is no apparent modelling age in Pakistan.
Despite having platforms such as the Veet Miss Super Model hunt and the more recent #CastMeHSY, new faces enter the industry with comparatively greater ease but struggle to step ahead while the veterans gloriously walk the ramp. As a result there seems to be a lack of new faces making people presume the existence of a subtle monopoly.
According to Frieha Altaf, the former model and CEO of Catwalk Productions, people complain about the lack of new models but the reality is that there is a lack of channels to opt for to be able to hire a new face. Frieha believes that the reason for this gap is limited talent which can be introduced in the market. “There is a problem of demand and supply. On the other hand, supermodels are more confident and experienced because of which they get more work,’ she adds.
Similar sentiments are echoed by the diligent Nadia Hussain. “The only reason the shelf-life of a model in Pakistan is long is because there is very little influx of better talent,” voices Nadia. “Show me the next Iraj, Vinny, Zoella, Sunita, Tooba, Fayeza, Iman, Cybil, Mehreen or myself from the new lot,” she adds. When talking about the subtle monopoly, Nadia outright disagrees, saying “There is definitely no monopoly and we [the existing supermodels] have never hogged any newcomer’s space.” Nadia, who had been in the industry for 17 years believes that if the clients sell shows on their names then obviously they get paid good for the simple reason that people still want to see them.
However, according to the leading fashion designer Hassan Sheheryar Yasin (HSY) it isn’t monopoly but the marketing concept of ‘the first mover advantage’ practiced in the industry. “People who were the first to grab the reins will always have an advantage over people coming after them and that is just true for any industry,” explains HSY.
On the other hand, HSY believes that if a brand sees a particular model fit for their campaign image, even after so many years then it should be complimented rather than criticised. “I also think it is unfair to categorise women into age brackets,” he says. “If a model — irrespective of her age — fits my collection then I wouldn’t cast a model eight years younger than her just for the sake of it,” he adds.
On the other hand, the Pakistani fashion industry has seen new faces emerge and achieve supermodel status in the past five years. Models such as Areeba Habib, Sana Sarfaraz and Amna Babar have not only become showstoppers but have also been featured in prêt and lawn campaigns for designers such as Nomi Ansari and Nida Azwer. More importantly, these newcomers don’t feel the existence of a monopoly culture stopping them from moving ahead. “I believe we are enjoying the most balanced era our fashion industry has ever seen,” says the 22-year-old Sadaf Kanwal, who has recently been nominated in the emerging talent category at the Lux Style Awards 2015.
With more designers and photographers opting for new faces for their shoots, Sadaf believes the industry today is reaching out for talent from all across the country. “Brands that were previously featuring the same models are also opting for new ones,” adds Sadaf.
Undoubtedly, the Pakistani fashion industry has come a long way, from being scrutinised during its inception to being applauded for its international exposure and bagging an accolade of cross border ventures. The industry is enjoying its most successful era and taking part in fashion parades such as the Alishan Pakistan in Delhi, Doha Fashion Week, London Fashion Week and many more. So with much more media exposure and public interest, we can hope for more initiatives to be taken to launch new faces with a perfect balance.
Did You Know?
Did you know that internationally, especially in the United States and England, girls wait till they are over 16 years of age to be able to enter the industry? To be allowed to walk the ramp in the London Fashion Week, the age bracket of 16 to 26 years is mandatory. Anyone below or above the given bracket isn’t allowed to enter unless they are Kate Moss!
Mujtaba Javaid is currently working as a PR and media manager at Catalyst PR and Marketing. He tweets @Mujtaba_Javaid1
Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, September 13th, 2015.
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