Hussain Rehar’s Cannes appearance marks a new era for Pakistani fashion

A historic moment for Pakistan unfolded at this year’s Cannes Film Festival as Pakistani fashion designer Hussain Rehar highlighted the event by becoming the first Pakistani designer to debut on the Cannes red carpet’s 79th edition with his collection, Lahore – A Knot in South Asia’s Loom.

The collection will be presented alongside luxury houses such as Gucci and Roberto Cavalli, showcasing Pakistan as a source of fashion, craft and cultural inspiration. The exhibition will be an invite-only event at Château St. George.

Rehar also dived deep into the collection’s anti-colonial message, sharing that the work confronts the fashion industry’s erasure of “South Asian craftsmanship,” while calling out how traditions like zardozi, phulkari, khussa and maang tikka have been renamed and stripped of their origins.

Further expanding on his message, Rehar called for recognition of Lahore and the subcontinent’s influence on global fashion and craftsmanship.

This is not the designer’s first international appearance. He previously presented his collection Jeevan in Paris Fashion Week, where the collection highlighted the intricate work perfected by Pakistani craftsmen.

Before Rehar, it was Natasha Kamal who showcased her work at Paris Fashion Week as part of a special exhibition featuring couturiers from 14 countries, promoting peace and cultural dialogue.